Telegram is a messenger for exchanging data between users. It allows you to have private or group conversations, subscribe to channels, create conferences, and use/create bots. It also supports the exchange of files, multimedia materials in different formats. Well, the owner and main developer is Pavel Durov. Yes, yes, the very creator of the social network VKontakte. And now let’s talk about everything in order and in as much detail as possible.
As the legend goes, the idea came to Pavel Durov even before he left his post as director of VKontakte. The developer very much wanted for himself and others the right to personal space. As a result, on August 14, 2013, Telegram became available to all users of iOS devices – the first service that does not provide information about its users to any government.
The main feature of the application is the privacy of each user. No one has access to personal files, and correspondence is only visible to the person and his interlocutor. Cool, isn’t it? In addition, when registering, each user comes up with a unique “nickname” and the account is tied to a phone number. Accordingly, to be authorized on another device, you will have to go through verification by SMS code. That is, without a phone, no one else can get into the account.
So, Telegram, what is it and why is it needed? The main function of the application is to allow us to have a dialogue or create conversations, which can be accompanied by the exchange of files of different formats, including photos, videos or text documents. Since its release, the app has seen a number of innovations: free stickers, the ability to create bots, channels, edit messages and unlimited storage space for your own information.
I think you all know what stickers are and why they are needed. But few people know that in the Telegram app you can not only connect them for free, but also download your own. This is especially relevant if you want to stand out among your friends or comrades.
I have already written about how to search and add standard sets or connect your own in a separate article.
A Telegram group is a chat room with 3 or more users. The maximum number of interlocutors is 200,000 (it used to be just 5,000). Recently, it has become popular to create interest groups: for webmasters, freelancers, designers, engineers, SMM people, programmers, etc.
Each newcomer who joined the chat room, immediately sees the entire history of correspondence. It will not have to duplicate important notifications, he can find everything himself. This is especially important for groups consisting of employees of medium and large companies when there can be reshuffles, dismissals or recruitment.
There are secret chats – special groups, to join which is impossible without the invitation of the administrator. All correspondence can be deleted after a certain period of time, and it is stored exclusively on users’ devices. After deletion, no one can restore anything, even with access to the servers.
Competently designed system of hashtags can be easily navigated in correspondence. This function comes in handy when several hundred people are communicating at once. To facilitate the search for important information, it is enough to accompany such posts with specific hashtags, and then any subscriber can quickly find them.
Chats are really a very handy thing, especially for webmasters or people working over the Internet. Well, you can read about how to create and search for them in my other articles.
Channels
Channels in Telegram – what are they and why are they needed?
A kind of microblogging. The author shares information with subscribers, preserving anonymity. One thing is bad – without creating and linking to the chat (a group), you can not communicate with potential customers, and like to like / discuss innovations.
Channels are used by many well-known bloggers, and they are also often created to promote a brand. For information on how to create or find them, see my articles. Well, if you have an Instagram account (the company Meta Platforms Inc., which owns Instagram, is recognized as an extremist organization, and its activities are banned in Russia), then I can recommend this service – onemorepost.ru. It will allow you to link the social network with your messenger and set up auto-posting, which will then save a lot of time on creating and publishing content.
Favorites” tab.
Unlimited space for storing user information. A kind of cloud storage in which you can store files, favorite posts and recordings from channels.
Miniature helpers designed to make life easier for group or channel admins. They are used to:
- channel management;
- creating entertainment content;
- responding to commands with pre-recorded answers;
- searching for information on the Internet;
- creating surveys;
- decorating posts;
- recently it is possible to organize the purchase and sale of goods through bots.
This is a small list of features, but I am sure you have already been able to roughly assess their usefulness. By the way, you can distinguish them by a special prefix “Bot” – pretty simple, right? I have already written in a separate article about how to create your own bot and configure some of its functions.
As you can see, there are a lot of features, and each of them distinguishes Telegram from other standard messengers. There are the usual features: exchanging voice and video messages, previewing links, using GIF animations, marking read messages. But Telegram is more than just a messaging tool. It’s something in between, between a social network and a simple messenger. It has its own unique features that other services do not have.
And now I will describe the main pros and cons of this application. I will start with the pros:
- Developer interest. The service has never stood still since its release. It has always evolved, bringing new features to its users.
- Total privacy. Pavel Durov, the director of the project, created it so that everyone could have their secrets. In his words, “…Telegram protects freedom of speech and privacy.”
- Channels. A unique and convenient way to share information with others.
- Information storage. The messenger can be used as a storage of information and files.
- No paid content.
- Availability of all functions for comfortable communication. Audio, photo, video, text messages, file sharing, conferences.
- Availability on all platforms. Program is available for work on PC under Windows, MacOS, Linux. All features of the service are available in a browser – there is TelegramWeb for this.
- There are also smartphone versions of the application: Android and iOS. All data is synchronized, and one account is used everywhere.
Now a few words about the disadvantages. First is the lack of opportunity to comment on the entries posted within the channels. You can assess them only with special reactions (emoji). Secondly, complete privacy is not always an advantage. Fact – Telegram is used to sell illegal services and goods.
Other disadvantages were not noticed. Well, or I just have not identified them yet. Anyway – it is a quality network, rightfully deserving positive feedback from its users.
Differences from other messengers
Rarely in any service to communicate between users meet:
- completely free stickers;
- built-in mini-games with a system of records;
- huge conversations;
- buying and selling of goods;
- privacy;
- storage of digital information;
- ability to create your own content: stickers, bots;
- multiplatform.
Yes, of course, most of these features can be found in every other messenger, but some of them are bound to be paid or absent altogether.
