Telegram
Telegram
Messaging application
What is Telegram? ✨
Telegram is a cloud-based mobile and desktop messaging application with a focus on security and speed.
What Telegram can be used for? ✨
As a community manager, you can use Telegram for a variety of purposes to engage with your community, coordinate activities, and share content. Here are some of the ways Telegram can be beneficial.
Instant Communication
Create a group chat for your community where members can communicate in real-time. Telegram's messaging is fast and reliable, offering a great way to keep conversations active.
Broadcast Channels
Use Telegram channels to broadcast messages, updates, and announcements to large audiences without the clutter of group discussions.
File Sharing
Share documents, images, videos, and other files with your community. Telegram supports large file sizes, making it convenient for sharing content directly within the app.
Polls and Surveys
Use built-in polls to gather feedback, opinions, and insights from your community members, which can help in making informed decisions.
Bots for Automation
Integrate or develop Telegram bots to automate routine tasks, such as welcoming new members, moderating content, or providing automated responses to frequently asked questions.
Stickers and GIFs
Utilize custom stickers and GIFs to foster a fun and engaging atmosphere within your community.
Voice and Video Communication
Use Telegram's voice and video calling features for more personal interactions with community members or for hosting small group discussions.
Hashtags and Mentions
Organize your community conversations with hashtags for easy search and use mentions to notify specific members when they are being addressed.
Pin Important Messages
Keep important information at the top of your chat by pinning messages. This ensures all members can easily see updates or critical announcements.
Customization
Customize your group settings, such as permissions for members, to tailor the community's experience to your needs.
Cross-Platform Accessibility
Since Telegram is accessible on various platforms (iOS, Android, desktop, web), it ensures that community members can stay connected regardless of their preferred device.
Language Support
Telegram supports multiple languages, which can be beneficial if your community is international.
Features ✨
Easy to use
Private chats
Synced devices
No limits on media and chats size
Open source
Secure messaging
Groups up to 200 000 members
Customizable
Mobile & Desktop Apps
What are the limitations? ✨
Some limitations you may encounter as a community manager:
- Telegram groups can support up to 200,000 members, which is substantial. However, as groups grow, they can become unwieldy and difficult to manage.
- Compared to other platforms, Telegram's moderation tools are limited. This can make it challenging to manage spam, harassment, or inappropriate content, especially in large groups. You'll probably need to install bots to help with that.
- There's no built-in directory or recommendation system for finding groups, which can hinder community growth.
- Telegram's threaded conversations aren't as robust as those on platforms like Discord. This can lead to fragmented discussions that are hard to follow, especially in large groups.
- Telegram offers limited analytics for group owners. Understanding member engagement and growth patterns is more challenging compared to platforms like Slack or all-in-one community platforms that provide comprehensive analytics tools.
- Telegram lacks features for organizing content within a group, such as categorizing posts or creating a content library, which can make it difficult for members to find important information or past discussions.
- While Telegram has bots and some integration capabilities, it doesn’t offer the same level of integration with other services and tools as other community platforms.
- If monetization is a goal for the community, Telegram offers fewer monetization options compared to other platforms that have built-in monetization features like subscriptions, paid memberships, or tipping.
- In very active groups, members might get overwhelmed by constant notifications, which can lead to them muting the group or leaving altogether.
- The governments in some countries are banning or trying to ban Telegram. So make sure it works in the country you are targeting.
Languages ✨
- English
- Russian
- German
- Spanish
- French
- Italian
- Dutch
- Uzbek
- Polish
- Malay
- Indonesian
- Portuguese
- Turkish
- Belorussian
- Ukrainian
- Arabic
- Korean