More than an instant messaging application, Telegram seems to be a tool specially designed for digital marketing: in addition to the usual functions of this type of app (text messages, reading confirmations and the possibility to send attachments), Telegram includes the creation of public channels that, by not imposing limits on the number of users, facilitate brands’ communication with mass audiences.
Added to this is the tempting possibility of creating bots; programs particularly useful for automatically posting messages and conducting processes depending on the needs of the brand.
Businesses in Cuba, with years of experience on more established social networks, such as Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, have begun to appreciate the thousand and one benefits of promoting content on Telegram: it saves time thanks to bots; increases customer security by offering personalized attention; allows for the long-awaited segmentation of audiences through mailing lists; and a technical aspect, no less important in the national context: it allows data to be stored in a cloud, without taking up too much space on the device. As a Cuban would say: it’s all good.
How then does an enterprise enter the world of Telegram on the right footing? Gerbet recommends following these elementary steps:
- Create an exclusive channel for your business. By having your own URL, users will be able to access it easily and the interaction will always be one-way: only the administrator will issue messages that, if well used, will become the brand’s ambassadors.
- Promote quality content. Whether it’s self-made, highly recommended, or from related sources, the content will allow users to identify the quality of the brand. In Telegram, it is not necessary to carry out paid campaigns to improve the reach of posts, because sending messages is free of charge, regardless of the amount of content to be sent out, or the number of subscribed users. This advantage, however, should not be used to oversaturate the customer. Relevant information, which enhances your image without falling into this trap, will end up convincing audiences to stay connected through the channel, which will also send a notification to their cell phone.
- Design contests, raffles and surveys to increase feedback. Ensuring the audience finds spaces to interact with the brand is one of the purposes of digital marketing. In addition to contributing to the success of the business, this is an element easily applied in Telegram, meaning this niche can be exploited to improve customer engagement.
- Promote all business platforms, including other profiles on social networks. Cross-promotion allows Telegram subscribers to be exploited as users of other social media as well. In the virtual context, where the most varied promotional sites are just a click away, the greatest possible number of paths should always lead the Internet user to that modern Rome that is the brand.
Although it does not enjoy the same popularity as Facebook or Instagram, and has openly declared itself as the competition for WhatsApp, Telegram has burst onto the Cuban digital scene for what it is: an ideal instant messaging application to build audience loyalty.
Thousands of Cubans with Telegram accounts search the web looking for straightforward, timely information, and virtual content relating to offline sales that doesn’t include any tricks. Make sure the channel you open for your business stands out from the rest.
