June Telegram update – mini-apps, starred content, and hashtags on stories.
We will tell you what other new features and capabilities have appeared in Telegram after the update.
On the last day of June, Telegram announced a number of innovations in a blog post. This update brought several important changes.
Paying for content with “stars”
In May, the messenger’s developers talked about Telegram Stars, a new virtual currency inside the app.
A month ago, it was possible to buy digital products using bots. For example, you could buy online courses for stars.
Now Telegram has launched what we believe to be an analog of Onlifance – payment for media content with stars.
How does it work? Content creators can publish paid photos and videos on their channels. Followers will be able to view such posts only after they transfer stars to the creator. These stars can be used for rewards in Toncoin or to advertise their channel.
How will this help your channel?
Now, as a blog author, you can exchange the stars you earn for Toncoin rewards or get a 30% discount on ads on other public channels, thereby attracting more cold audience.
Tip: Just keep in mind that Telegram Ads are usually advertised with large budgets.
Hashtags and geotags
Now you can search for the stories you need in Telegram by hashtag or geo location.
The difference is that earlier, when you clicked on a #hashtag in a private or public chat, you saw search results throughout the app. Since June, by tapping a hashtag in any chat, you can see the results of a search for that hashtag in your chats and public channels. And clicking on the hashtag in the story descriptions allows you to view public stories by the corresponding tags.
How will this help your channel?
Hashtags on social media and messengers have long been a very convenient tool for searching chats and a way to promote and segment your target audience.
However, global search in Telegram is still not very good. You often come across spam.
Ideally, when the feature is finalized, you will be able to choose relevant and correct hashtags so that your story is seen by new customers and those who are not subscribed to you.
That is, in the long run, the new feature will help to expand the audience.
Mini-apps panel
Telegram has had mini-apps for two years now that allow messenger users to sell goods, use services, or have fun playing games.
Since June 2024, you can minimize mini-apps in the panel at the bottom of the screen. This will allow you to reply to messages or open other mini-apps, and then return to it without waiting for it to load.
To minimize an app, you need to swipe down on its title. To open it again, tap the app drawer at the bottom of the screen and select one of the active apps.
How will this help your channel?
This feature will reduce loading time, won’t distract you from your correspondence, and will remind you of actions within the app. You won’t have to go to the service you need again and wait for it to load. For those who actively use mini-apps, this is very convenient.
Imagine if you just left a tab open in your browser and then returned to it when you had time or after answering a work chat.
Stories link widget
This is a new feature for Premium users – they can highlight links by adding a corresponding widget to their stories. This will create a stylish preview of the link to a photo or video that supports both light and dark backgrounds. Moreover, the link widget can be designed in different formats (with preview and media, without media, just a link icon with text) and overlaid on top of your photos and videos.
How will this help your channel?
Now you can draw the attention of future subscribers to your info product or post on another social network.
Telegram has also expanded actions for phone numbers
If you click on a phone number in a chat, an updated menu will open. Now you can do the following in one click:
- send a message to it
- start a call
- add number to contacts
Conclusion
We believe that Telegram has long since grown from a regular messenger into a full-fledged social network with its own ecosystem and unique features. Developers regularly introduce new features and expand the app’s capabilities.
The June updates have arrived. Some of them are super useful.
Share in the comments what you have already tested.
