In recent weeks we have seen how many users in Spain decided to change their main messaging application in relation to the new conditions of use of WhatsApp. Signal and Telegram have been the ones that have enjoyed the most growth in these weeks, two alternatives that have a large volume of features, as well as a great focus on security and privacy.
In El Android Libre we have been using Telegram for years, and it is that at the level of functionality it has everything we need on a day-to-day basis and much more. In addition to all the additions that they provide in messaging, the use of channels and supergroups has turned the application into much more than a simple chat, and today I am going to talk about what for me is the perfect example of how things are done well .
The potential of Telegram channels and the Ministry of Health
Back on the first Saturday in April 2020, we wrote about the official Telegram channel of the Ministry of Health. At that time, while I was writing the news half lying on the couch, I did not give it great importance and underestimate the potential of the Telegram channels, but I was encouraged and subscribed to be aware of the situation. And after almost a year later, it has shown me that Telegram channels have enormous potential.
In case you don’t know what we’re talking about, I’ll quickly put you in context. A channel is a kind of group available on Telegram that anyone can join, a group in which only the owner of the channel can speak. We can only see the messages and content, as well as the number of people subscribed to the channel (but not who are signed up). In addition, the channels can be verified by Telegram, so that we are an official channel of the medium that publishes on the channel (in this case, the Ministry of Health).
At the time of this writing, the Telegram channel of the Ministry of Health has more than 425,000 users. To put these figures in context, the official accounts of the Ministry of Health have more than 625,000 users on Twitter and more than 880,000 users on Facebook.
Official Telegram channel of the Ministry of Health.
At the content level, it is not that the accounts of the Ministry are very different, since most publications are common. The Telegram channel stands out for being lighter in terms of the pace of publications, and that makes it excellent to be informed without having excess information. It is also a great way to escape the excess of hatred that is increasingly common on social networks (Telegram also has the option to add conversation groups, although it is optional).
Channels have become a great function to access information on our topics of interest, and channels like this should serve as an example for Telegram to consider in its strategy to attract users to make channels more attractive instead of continuing that. absurd war with WhatsApp.
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