LINE official accounts are accounts that companies and store managers can create for free . The number of accounts has nearly tripled in the past five years, and it is widely used as a useful marketing tool to attract customers.
In this article, we will introduce tips for attracting customers and operating a LINE official account for those who are thinking about operating one. We also introduce specific measures and success stories, so please take a look.
table of contents
- Why LINE official account is suitable for attracting customers
- Companies and services suitable for attracting customers through LINE official accounts
- Steps and specific measures to attract customers with LINE official account
- Tips for operating a LINE official account
- Examples of successfully attracting customers with LINE official account
- Attract customers with your LINE official account and increase sales
Why LINE official account is suitable for attracting customers
First, let’s take a look at why LINE official accounts are suitable for attracting customers.
- Overwhelming number of users
- Ease of communication with users
- High response rate ( open rate )
The LINE official account has the largest number of users among SNS, and is used by people of a wide range of age groups. While Instagram is characterized by a large number of young users and Twitter is characterized by a large number of middle-aged users, LINE is characterized by a wide range of users, from teenagers to people in their 60s and above . Therefore, it can be used by many companies. Some people only use LINE as their SNS , so there are many smartphone users who can approach you because you have an official LINE account .
Another appeal of LINE is that messages are displayed in a chat format, making it easy to communicate with users. LINE messages are also known for their high open rate, and more and more users are using the information they get from LINE to purchase products and use services .
Companies and services suitable for attracting customers through LINE official accounts
Businesses that sell products or provide face-to-face customer service are particularly suited to attracting customers through LINE official accounts , as shown below.
- restaurant
- Apparel system
- Retail stores such as supermarkets
- Accommodation industry
- massage parlor
- Beauty Salon
- cram school
- clinic or hospital
- Consulting business
- Video distribution service
- Manga distribution service
We recommend marketing using LINE official accounts for restaurants such as cafes and izakayas, as well as apparel brands . It is particularly suitable for companies that require one-on-one customer service .
Steps and specific measures to attract customers with LINE official account
Next, we will introduce the steps to attract customers and specific measures.
1. Increase your number of friends (prospective customers)
In order to attract customers with your LINE official account , the first step is to increase your number of friends. Let’s take a look at ways to increase your number of friends.
●Publish ads to increase exposure
If your LINE official account is not exposed, it will not catch the attention of users. Therefore, it is important to increase your exposure by making good use of advertising etc. It costs money to run ads , but be proactive in getting people to see the account you’ve created.
●Promote the benefits of registration
Customers will not use a LINE official account if there is no benefit to registering it. For example, if you offer benefits to users, such as “ Get a 10% off coupon when you add a friend’ ‘ or “ Get a free item when you add a friend, ” they will be more likely to add you as a friend. In this way, promoting the benefits of registration is a very important point.
● Announce on SNS, website, store, etc.
If you are a restaurant or retail store, we recommend placing an advertisement in front of your store that encourages LINE registration. You can increase your exposure by simply placing pop-ups at visible cash registers and seats. Also, let’s talk to each other at the store.
Additionally, if you have SNS or a website, you can also post or make an announcement on the website. There are various social media such as LINE, Instagram, Twitter , Facebook, etc., so make sure to actively use them. When making an announcement, be sure to clearly state the benefits of registration .
●Post to LINE VOOM (old: Timeline)
If you want to make more friends, we also recommend posting on LINE VOOM. LINE VOOM is a tool that previously functioned as a timeline, where you can post your casual tweets and advertisements. You can post photos, videos, and text, so post content that can promote your company.
2. Approach your friends
Once you have more friends, the next step is to approach them. Here, we introduce some approaches, so please check them out as well.
●Delivering messages regarding products and services
With your LINE official account , you can send your favorite messages to your friends. In addition to sending out new product announcements and sale information, you can also send out messages introducing each service. Distribution methods include simultaneous distribution and segment distribution .
Delivering too many messages can be frowned upon, but deliver too few and they can be forgotten. Try to send messages regularly to remind people of your store or company.
●Receive consultations via chat
You can easily receive inquiries about products and services on LINE. It is also a good idea to set up a consultation desk so that customers can easily ask questions as if they were chatting. One-on-one communication is possible, which allows us to provide courteous and prompt support.
●Issuing a coupon
If you are thinking about attracting customers from your LINE official account , we recommend issuing coupons. Coupons distributed on LINE can increase customers’ desire to purchase and use your products. If you write something like “LINE exclusive coupon,” it will be less likely that someone will block you or unfriend you. In particular, issuing coupons is the best way to attract repeat customers .
●Have them use the shop card
If you want to increase your repeat rate, consider introducing the “Shop Card” feature of your LINE official account . Shop Card is a system that allows you to manage points earned from purchasing products and visiting stores on LINE. By offering benefits for each point earned, customers will experience the fun of saving and using them. As points accumulate, the number of customers who want to go back or use the service again will increase, which should lead to an increase in the repeat rate.
Tips for operating a LINE official account
Operating a LINE official account does not necessarily increase the number of customers; if you want to use it efficiently, you need to know a few tricks. Here, let’s break down the tips into 5 parts.
Clarify operational objectives and goals
First, let’s clarify the purpose and goals of the operation. This is an important part of any marketing strategy, but in the case of LINE official accounts , the operation method changes depending on the purpose and goal. The distribution method will differ depending on whether you want to acquire new customers or increase repeat customers , so be sure to set your purpose and goals first.
Verify message delivery frequency and time of day
When sending messages to customers, be sure to check the frequency and time of delivery . The appropriate delivery time and frequency will vary depending on the target group. For example, if you are looking for a service for housewives, we recommend offering services around 10:00 to 11:00 when housework is calmer, or around 1:00 p.m. when you can take a breather. If it’s for office workers or students, choose a time when they’re commuting to work or school in the morning, during their lunch break, or when they’re calm before going to bed.
If you broadcast too often or too little, your content won’t be seen, so you need to balance it out. Many companies send out one or two emails a week , so please use this as a guideline.
Make your message approachable
We recommend that the content of your message be friendly. If the content is too elaborate, people won’t be able to read it easily and will avoid it. The first greeting is especially important, and many users decide whether to continue reading the message or not.
Even if you say that you are approachable, if you use light language, people will tend to avoid you, so try to write sentences that are polite but easy to read. In your first message, it would be helpful to introduce your company or store, as well as inform them of the frequency and time of delivery.
Use images as well as text
LINE official accounts have a feature called rich text that allows you to send images and text at the same time. By incorporating images in addition to text , you can increase the number of interested users and acquire new customers.
Distributing coupons and rich menus to prevent blocks
There is a possibility that your LINE official account will be blocked during the distribution, so make sure to regularly distribute coupons and rich menus so that you don’t get bored. If you create content that makes people think, “This account is a good deal, so I’ll continue to watch it,” you can lower the block rate.
You can place coupons, shop cards, links to external sites, etc. in the rich menu . Since it is displayed at the bottom of the chat screen, it is easy to catch the user’s attention, and distributing coupons in a rich menu is recommended as it is easy to use.
Examples of successfully attracting customers with LINE official account
Now that you know how to operate a LINE official account and the tips, let’s introduce some examples of people who have succeeded in attracting customers.
Approximately 36,000 friends increased in 3 months (CJ FOODS JAPAN)
CJ FOODS JAPAN, which sells products such as Bizu, bibigo, and Dashida, has increased the number of friends on its official LINE account by approximately 36,000 people in three months. It is unique in that it not only distributes coupons to users who add them as friends, but also uses a step-by-step delivery system that sends a confirmation message 3 days later to prevent users from forgetting to use them .
By sending a confirmation message, you can expect more purchases from users who have forgotten to use their coupons. One of the key points to our success is that we have separate accounts for each e-commerce site, such as Rakuten Market and Qoo10 , and operate them according to the needs of our users.
Recorded 120% reservations with friend addition advertisement and step distribution (IDEA Co., Ltd.)
IDEA Co., Ltd., which supports the opening and operation of medical clinics, has recorded a 120% increase in reservations through the operation of its official LINE account . We have adopted a system where you can make a clinic reservation on LINE, and when you tap a button on the rich menu, a chatbot will respond. When we think of reservations, we think of telephone calls, but the unique feature of using LINE is that it motivates users .
LTV increased by approximately 117% compared to the previous year! (NTT Solmare Co., Ltd.)
NTT Solmare Co., Ltd., which operates the e-book site Comic Seymour, has increased its LTV (customer lifetime value) by approximately 117%. It is characterized by its operation with the aim of increasing customer satisfaction , such as by analyzing user charges and providing similar distribution . As a result, billing via LINE increased, resulting in an increase in LTV .Attract customers with your LINE official account and increase sales
LINE is a social networking service with many users and is characterized by being used by a wide range of generations. Additionally, by using segmented distribution, you can send information tailored to customer needs.
