LINE Official (formerly LINE@ and LINE Official Account) is a business account type on the LINE messaging platform that allows brands, businesses, and organisations to communicate directly with their followers. In Thailand, where LINE is the dominant messaging app, a LINE Official account is one of the most direct channels available to reach consumers on their phones.
How does LINE Official work?
Users add a business's LINE Official account as a friend, in the same way they add personal contacts on LINE. Once added, the business can send broadcast messages to all followers, set up automated responses to common queries, run rich menus (interactive menu panels at the bottom of the chat interface), and respond to individual messages. Messages appear in users' LINE chat inbox alongside their personal conversations, which gives them high visibility compared to email or social media posts.
What can you do with a LINE Official account?
The main features available through LINE Official include:
- Broadcast messages: send text, images, video, and promotional content to all followers at once
- Rich menus: a persistent interactive menu visible in the chat window that links to pages, promotions, or specific actions
- Automated responses: keyword-triggered replies or chatbot flows to handle common enquiries without manual effort
- Coupons and offers: native voucher and coupon features that users can save and redeem
- LINE Ads: paid advertising to reach new users on LINE beyond your existing follower base
Is LINE Official relevant for businesses in Thailand?
Yes, highly. LINE has over 55 million registered users in Thailand and is used daily by a very large proportion of smartphone users. For businesses targeting Thai consumers, a LINE Official account is often a more effective direct communication channel than email because open rates for LINE messages are significantly higher.
Industries where LINE Official is particularly well-used in Thailand include retail, food and beverage, real estate, healthcare, and hospitality. At Phoenix Media, we manage LINE Official accounts and advertising for clients looking to build direct audience relationships in the Thai market.
How is LINE Official different from LINE Voom?
LINE Official is the direct messaging channel, allowing businesses to send messages to followers in their chat inbox. LINE Voom is LINE's social feed feature, similar to a social media timeline, where users scroll through posts from accounts they follow. The two features complement each other: LINE Official is better for direct and personalised communication, while LINE Voom is better for content discovery and brand storytelling.