Telegram, the popular messaging app known for its focus on security and privacy, has recently made a power play aimed at business users and content creators.
It’s a direct challenge to Meta’s platforms (WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Instagram) which currently dominate the field of business-to-consumer communication.
Telegram has now introduced ‘Telegram Business’ and an ad revenue program with ‘Toncoin’.
What’s new for businesses?
- Set the scene: Customize how their Telegram profile appears to new users. This could include anything from store hours to special offers.
- Automate the routine: Create saved responses to common questions, as well as greeting and away messages that trigger when the business isn’t actively online.
- Sort and find: Add tags to organize chats, making it easier to prioritize and address different types of customer inquiries.
- Delegate to bots: Integrate with chatbots to streamline communication and even automate simple tasks.
And the key change?
To access the new Business features, users need a Telegram Premium subscription. Currently, Telegram Premium costs $4.99 per month.
Sharing the Telegram wealth
Alongside the Business features, Telegram also announced that creators of large public channels (those with at least 1,000 subscribers) can now tap into ad revenue.
Channel owners will receive a 50% share of the income generated by ads placed within their channels. Eligible users will get paid with Toncoin.
What is Toncoin?
Toncoin (TON) is a cryptocurrency, a type of digital money that only exists online. It lives on the TON blockchain network (The Open Network), and you can think of it as the fuel that runs the whole system. Toncoin has a bit of a unique history – it was originally designed by the same people who created the messaging app Telegram.
How does this fit into Telegram’s bigger picture?
Telegram’s founder, Pavel Durov, has been vocal about his goal of making Telegram profitable by 2025. The features in Telegram Business and the new ad-revenue sharing model are both likely components of this monetization strategy.
With over 900 million users, Telegram’s massive user base is a significant asset. These new features, aimed squarely at businesses and popular creators, show the company is serious about leveraging this user base to generate income.
Featured image credit: Dima Solomin/Unsplash
