Lanka Lanka docs
Українська Sign in

How to run a live feed in a Telegram bot: messages to subscribers as in a channel

The «Ефір» (Live) template turns the bot into a channel in private messages: the owner sends the bot /live, and everything the owner sends next the bot copies to the subscribers as it is — formatted text, photos, videos, voice messages. People subscribe with the /subscribe command or by a link.

The "Forward a message" step in the editor

The template's texts are in Ukrainian. You can change them in the wizard and in the editor.

How it works

  1. The owner sends the bot /live. The bot answers that the live feed has started. Only the bot's owner can start it.
  2. Every next message of the owner the bot copies to all subscribers as it is. Each of them appears in Broadcasts with its delivery statistics.
  3. The owner sends /stop, and the live feed ends.

Subscribing

  • A person subscribes with the /subscribe command or by the link to the «Підписатись на ефір» flow. The link can go into the bot's menu, a channel or a website.
  • They unsubscribe with the "Відписатись" (Unsubscribe) button under the subscription message, or with the /unsubscribe command.
  • The subscribers are the audience «Підписники ефіру»: the visitors with the user.live variable. It serves ordinary broadcasts too.

What the template installs

  • The flows «Почати ефір» (/live), «Трансляція», «Завершити ефір» (/stop), «Підписатись на ефір» (/subscribe) and «Відписатись від ефіру» (/unsubscribe).
  • The audience «Підписники ефіру».

What the wizard asks

  1. Start of the live feed — what the bot tells the owner after /live.
  2. Subscription — what the bot tells a person who subscribed, and the caption of the unsubscribe button.

The Templates page describes how to go through the wizard.

FAQ

How is a live feed different from a channel?

The messages reach the person in their private chat with the bot. The subscribers stay the bot's visitors: they are in "Visitors", and broadcasts and other flows can be sent to them.

Can anyone but the owner run the live feed?

No. The /live command works for the bot's owner only.

Are there delivery statistics?

Yes. Every message of the live feed appears in Broadcasts with its statistics.