What is LINE Official Account? Introducing basic functions, creation methods, and examples of use

It is easy to open a LINE official account regardless of whether you are a corporation or an individual , but you can start using it more efficiently by following the basic settings and precautions.

In this article, we will thoroughly explain the outline and basic functions of LINE official accounts, how to open an account, basic settings, and usage examples.

Table of Contents

A LINE official account (LINE official account) is a LINE account for companies and stores . Basically, it is for business, but it is not limited to corporations, so personal use is also possible.

With the LINE official account, you can send messages and coupons to users who have “friended” you on LINE . Therefore, it is mainly used for continuous information dissemination and communication to customers and prospective customers.

The LINE app is already well-known, but what are the advantages and disadvantages of using LINE official accounts for business? I will explain each.

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There are three major benefits to using LINE Official Accounts:

• The number of users is larger than other SNS, and the age range is wide

LINE has the largest number of users among the SNS apps used in Japan, and is characterized by a wide range of age groups. Therefore, it can be said that it is a suitable tool for approaching various target groups .

• High message open rate and easy delivery of information

According to the official website of the LINE-specific marketing tool “L Step,” the opening rate of the “e-mail magazine” is generally about 10-30%, while the opening rate of the LINE official account is about 60%. It’s called. With many people’s communication method changing from email to SNS, information distribution using LINE, which is a familiar tool for users, will also contribute to improving user convenience .

• You can provide a unique customer experience in cooperation with other LINE services

LINE’s business platform “LINE for Business” also provides “LINE Coupons,” “LINE Mini App,” and “LINE Pay” as tools for attracting customers and improving operational efficiency. By linking LINE official accounts with these services, it is possible to provide a customer experience unique to the company , which is considered to have many advantages such as differentiation from other companies.

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While LINE official accounts have many advantages, there are also disadvantages. No matter what marketing method, it is necessary to devise and improve it, so it is a good idea to understand the disadvantages of LINE official accounts before operating them.

• Can only be delivered to people who are registered as friends

LINE official accounts can provide a wide variety of content, but be aware that content can only be distributed to people who are registered as friends. First of all, it is necessary to increase the number of LINE registrants by having them become “friends” by installing QR codes at physical stores and posting on SNS.

• 1-on-1 private chat requires user reaction

Using chat is an effective way to understand user needs, but in order to start chatting, you first need to get the user to send you a stamp or message. Therefore, it is important to consider measures to encourage user reactions and reactions.

• Unable to deliver if blocked

LINE official accounts are easy to add as friends, but they are also easy to block. If blocked, the content cannot be delivered, so consider measures to prevent blocking. There are methods such as distributing coupons as a thank you for adding friends at the time of the first distribution.

Before fully introducing the LINE official account, let’s check what the service can do. We will explain the 8 basic functions of the LINE official account.

1. message delivery
2. Post on VOOM
3. LINE chat
4. LINE call
5. Rich menu creation
6. Shop card issuance
7. Coupon issue
8. data analysis

1. Message delivery

“Message delivery” of the LINE official account is a function to deliver messages to users who are registered as friends . The types of messages that can be delivered are as follows.

• text
• message template
• rich message
• Video/Voice message
• coupons, etc.

The following delivery methods can be selected for each.

• step delivery
• auto answer
• audience delivery
• Segment delivery
• Timeline delivery

Various approaches are possible depending on the combination of message type and delivery method.

2. Posting on VOOM

“VOOM post” is a function to post articles on “LINE VOOM” after creating articles with images and videos . LINE VOOM is a service similar to the old timeline, and you can view not only posts from your friends but also posts from accounts you follow on LINE VOOM.

You can create posts, analyze posts, manage comments, etc. on the LINE VOOM management screen “VOOM Studio”.

3. LINE Chat

“LINE chat” is a function that allows you to communicate directly with users like LINE talk . You can also set automatic responses and AI responses, so if you register frequently asked questions, you can use it to respond to inquiries from users.

4. LINE call

“LINE Call” is a function that allows users to call and talk to LINE official accounts for free . Calls from users can also be forwarded to store phones.

5. Rich menu creation

You can also set the “rich menu” that is fixed at the bottom of the LINE chat screen with your LINE official account. By setting the appropriate items in the fixed menu according to the operation purpose, a large induction effect can be expected.

6. Issuance of shop card

The LINE Official Account “Shop Card” is a function that allows you to issue and manage digital point cards on LINE . Points can be given as an incentive for purchasing products, using services, or visiting stores.

By using the shop card issuing function, users no longer need to carry point cards. As it is easy to use, you can expect an improvement in the utilization rate. In addition, there is an advantage that the operation side can reduce the trouble and cost of issuing point cards.

7. Coupon issuance

“Issue Coupons” is a function to create coupons that can be used on LINE . The created coupons can be distributed and posted by messages, LINE VOOM, response messages, etc., and can be used to promote store visits.

8. Data analysis

After trying various measures, it is essential to analyze the results, improve them, and connect them to new measures. The LINE official account also has a “data analysis” function. On the management screen, you can check numerical values ​​such as “number of messages delivered”, “open rate”, “number of friends added”, and “number of blocks” .

Opening a LINE official account takes just a few minutes. It can be opened from a computer or smartphone, and registration is free.

Follow the steps below to open a LINE official account.

1. Go to the LINE official account opening page and click “Open LINE official account (free)”.
2. From “Create an account”, you can get a “LINE Business ID” for using the LINE Official Account.
3. Select “Register with LINE account” or “Register with email address”.

   Please note that if you select “Register with a LINE account”, your business and private accounts will be linked. From the perspective of handling personal information, we recommend that you register with a business email address in this article.

4. Select “Register with email address”, enter your email address and click “Send registration link”.
5. Click the URL in the email you received, enter your “Name” and “Password”, check the authentication box, and click “Register” → “Go to service”.
6. Enter “login information”, “account information” and “industry” and click “Confirm”.
7. Confirm the contents and click “Finish” to complete the LINE official account creation.
8. Scroll down and select “Request Account Verification” or “Verify Later”.
   For the time being, click “Authenticate later” and “Agree” to “Consent to use of information” to move to the management screen. Regarding the presence or absence of account authentication, it is explained under the heading “Types of LINE Official Accounts and Their Differences”.
9. If you can log in to “LINE Official Account Manager” on the management screen, you have successfully created an account.

After opening a LINE official account, let’s configure the basic settings. Setup is completed in 5 steps:

1. Registration of basic information
2. Greeting message setting
3. Response message settings
4. Test message delivery
5. Publish Account

1. Registration of basic information

From “Settings” in the upper right corner of the “LINE Official Account Manager” screen, select “Account name”, “Status message” displayed under the account name, and “Profile (business hours, address, profile image)”. “You can set the. You can change the account name only in the state of “unverified account” before verification.

2. Set greeting message

Set the greeting message from the menu bar “Greeting message” displayed on the left side of the management screen. “Greeting message” is the first message that is automatically sent when someone is added as a friend. As an introduction to your account, it would be a good idea to thank them for adding you as a friend and describe what kind of message you want your account to send. Templates are also available and can be freely edited as needed.

3. Response message settings

Set the “response message” that is automatically sent when a user talks to you. If you set a keyword, an automatic response message will be sent when the keyword matches.

4. Test message delivery

You can execute a test delivery by selecting “Create message” from “Message delivery” displayed on the left side of the management screen and clicking the “Test delivery” button. You can select the delivery destination of the test delivery from “Only me” or “All administrators and operators (users who have permission to view the management screen)”

5. Account disclosure

Then publish your account. Click the profile tab to open the “Profile page settings” screen. Click Publish at the top right of the screen to publish your account.

Even after publishing is completed, if the authentication status of the account remains “unverified”, there will be some restrictions on the use of the public account, such as not appearing in LINE search results. Once you become a “verified account”, your verification status will change to “verified” and you will be able to set your account to be displayed or hidden in LINE search results and recommendations. You can apply for a “verified account” from “Settings” → “Request account verification” at the top right of the screen.

There are two types of LINE Official Accounts: Verified Accounts and Unverified Accounts. Let’s check the features and differences of each.

verified account

A “verified account” of a LINE Official Account is an account that has passed LINE’s review . Once verified, you will be given a blue verification badge (account badge) next to your account name. Also, depending on the settings, it will be displayed in the account search results in the LINE app, and bill payments will be possible.

unverified account

An “unverified account” is an account that can be opened by anyone, regardless of whether it is an individual or a corporation, without the need for LINE’s review . Although the basic functions are the same as authenticated accounts, there are differences such as “no authentication badge”, “not displayed in search results”, and “cannot pay bills”.

As of September 2022, the pricing plans for LINE Official Accounts are as follows.

Depending on the plan, the “fixed monthly fee”, “number of free messages”, and “additional message charges” will differ. Choose according to your budget and scale.

If you pay an additional fee, you can get a “premium ID” as an option. Normally, a “basic ID” consisting of a random string of alphanumeric characters is given, but with a premium ID, you can set the desired character string, and you can expect the advantage of facilitating account searches by ID .

You can start using LINE official accounts for free, but there are some things to keep in mind when using them.

Some services and industries cannot use LINE official accounts

LINE official accounts cannot be used for medical services (e.g. online medical examinations), dating services (e.g. city convent companies), and adult services (e.g. sex shops). 

Verified account cannot change account name

Once you become a “verified account” of the LINE official account, you will not be able to change the account name after registration. However, if the trade name or trade name is changed due to renewal, etc., the change can be made by reexamination.

Also, even if it is an “unverified account”, once you change it, you can not change it for 7 days after that, so be careful.

Approval of verified accounts requires a review period

The opening of a LINE official account can be completed immediately, but the examination after applying for a “verified account” usually takes about 10 days, excluding weekends and holidays. If there are many applications, it may take longer than usual, so if you have a specific time to use it, please apply early.

From here, we will introduce three examples of how to use LINE Official Accounts. Please refer to the specific operation image.

Case 1: Increasing sales from EC malls with advance notice and reminder delivery

This is an example in the retail, department store, and EC categories. Ajigen Co., Ltd., a food manufacturer, introduced a LINE official account for the purpose of sales promotion because the open rate and click rate of the e-mail magazine were declining.

By setting up a LINE official account for each EC mall and sending advance notices and reminders , we were able to achieve a five-fold increase in sales.

Case 2: Attracting customers through a reservation portal site and building relationships with customers through LINE

Examples of fashion, beauty, and health. Japan Produce Co., Ltd., which operates hair salons and nail salons, has introduced a LINE official account to build good relationships with customers.

We used the reservation portal site to attract new customers , and from the second time onwards, we encouraged them to make reservations via the LINE mini app. This has led to an increase in the repeat rate and the number of referrals, such as the use of mini-apps.

Case 3: Maximize effect by linking in-house service with LINE ID and message delivery from user’s point of view

Examples in the publishing, entertainment, and game industries. Bookwalker Co., Ltd., which operates an e-book store, has introduced a LINE official account to lower the hurdles for new member registration and increase the number of members.

When we introduced LINE Login as a login function for our company’s service and set “Add friend” as the default when logging in , the number of friend registrations increased eightfold annually.

LINE official accounts have many advantages, such as being able to take advantage of LINE’s features, which have a large number of active users, a high message opening rate and easy delivery of information, and the ability to provide a unique customer experience. increasing.

When introducing it, refer to the account opening method, precautions, and use cases introduced in this article, and use it to develop your own business.