LINE is the most popular social messaging app in Thailand, with 84% of internet users in Thailand reporting that they’re actively using this platform as in January 2020. That’s right much more popular than WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. More than 60% of mobile internet users are spending up to 1 hour on the platform per day. If you‘re looking to expand your business into Thailand, you must have your LINE Official Account set up and verified.
Source: Data Reportal, 2020
What You Can Do with LINE Official Account?
LINE Official Account allows you to create a LINE account for your business and connect with your customers. Here’s the low down on the features and benefits of using LINE for marketing:
- Diverse content formats – you can use text, images, videos, voice messages or stickers to communicate with followers
- Broadcast message– followers will receive your messages via push notifications, which is highly visible
- Coupon and reward card – you can use coupons to turn your followers into regular customers and set the redemption limit
- Survey – you can create a questionnaire to collect followers’ information
- Insight Analytics – gain valuable insight to analyse your page performance
To use these functions, you need to set up a LINE Official Account. Below are the steps to create an account.
How to Create a LINE Official Account?
Using LINE for business requires a LINE Official Account (OA). To help you get started with LINE marketing, we’ve created an ultimate guide to walk you through the Line Official Account application process.
Create a LINE Official Account
To create a LINE OA, you are required to sign up with a Thai mobile phone number. After getting your Thai mobile number, you can start creating an OA by submitting the business information. If you’re having a hard time creating an OA in Thai, let us help.
Verify LINE Official Account
There are several types of LINE business accounts: Unverified Account, Verified Account and Premium Account. The new account you created is normally unverified and need to pass a review to become verified.
A Verified Account appears easily in the LINE in-app search results and able to run LINE Gain Friends Ad. Other than that, payment and other selected features are also expanded. If your company has a Thailand entity, we can help you verify your OA.
Upgrade to Premium ID
When you sign up for a LINE Official Account, you will get an account ID automatically. Standard and Verified account comes with Basic ID which is randomly mixed among alphabets and numbers.
This is less than ideal when using LINE for business, so we recommend that you upgrade to a Premium Account. With a Premium Account, you can create a customised ID for your brand. This will allow your brand to be more searchable and gain more friends.
Upgrade Monthly Broadcast Message Plan
After creating an OA, you will be able to send Broadcast Message and push out promotional content. Whenever you send a Broadcast Message, your Friends will receive a push notification, making it highly visible.
The number of messages that can be broadcasted with default Free plan is very limited. You will need to upgrade your plan to reach more users. LINE provides two additional paid plans, Light and Standard. Each has a limitation in the number of messages and a rate for an additional message.
LINE Official Account Subscription Plan. Source: LINE
If you need help in writing and setting up the broadcast message, greeting message, auto-response message and quick reply in Thai, let us know.
Case Studies: Brands That Enter Thailand Market Through LINE
1. Bayer Rice (@bayerthairice) – German agriculture brand
2. Sanitarium (@sanitariumthailand) – Australia dairy brand
3. Swarovski (@swarovskithailand) – Austria jewellery brand
4. The History of Whoo (@thehistoryofwhooth) – Korea beauty brand
5. Charles and Keith (@charleskeith_th) – Singapore fashion brand
6. Secret Recipe (@secret_recipe) – Malaysia food brand
Expand into Thai Market with LINE Official Account
There are several hurdles in setting up a LINE Official Account, and it is essential to be competent in the Thai language to complete the setup. Seeking help from a LINE marketing agency may help speed up and ease the application process for you.
If you’re ready to take on the Thailand digital marketing venture, talk to our LINE marketing experts to get started.
About IH Digital
IH Digital is an Asia-focused digital marketing agency providing Consultancy, Strategy, Content, Social Media, Media Buy, Web Development, SEM & SEO.
Our team consists of account managers, content and social experts, media buyers and planners, web developers and search experts who are highly experienced in simplifying the complex process of planning and executing marketing campaigns across various channels in multiple languages.
IH Digital is a member of Digital 38 Group.
