Module 1: What is LINE Official Account?
Understanding the platform, its ecosystem in Thailand, plans, and capabilities.
1.1 What is LINE OA?
LINE Official Account (LINE OA) is a business messaging platform inside the LINE app. It lets brands, businesses, and organizations communicate with their customers through chat — similar to Facebook Messenger for Business or WhatsApp Business, but deeply integrated into LINE's ecosystem.
Unlike a personal LINE account, an OA has special features:
- Broadcast messages — Send messages to all your followers at once
- Rich Menu — A persistent menu bar below the chat
- Auto-reply & Greeting messages — Automated responses
- Rich Media — Flex Messages, carousels, imagemaps, videos
- Integration via Messaging API — Programmatic control through webhooks
- LINE Login & LIFF — Web apps that run inside LINE
- Analytics & Insights — Followers demographics, message performance
1.2 The LINE Ecosystem in Thailand
LINE in Thailand is far more than a messaging app. The ecosystem includes:
| Product | What It Does | OA Integration |
|---|---|---|
| LINE OA | Business messaging | (the platform itself) |
| LINE Messaging API | Programmatic bot control | Core API for developers |
| LINE LIFF | Web apps inside LINE | Embedded in OA chat |
| LINE Login | OAuth identity provider | Link user identity |
| MyShop | E-commerce storefront on OA | Built into OA Manager |
| MyCustomer CRM | CRM + member tiers | Built into OA Manager |
| LINE Ads | Self-serve advertising | Target OA friends |
| LINE Beacon | BLE proximity triggers | Triggers webhook events |
| LINE VOOM | Social content feed | Post to feed from OA |
| LINE Points | Loyalty currency | Integrate into campaigns |
| LINE Shopping | E-commerce marketplace | Cross-promotion |
| LINE TODAY | News & content platform | Content marketing reach |
1.3 LINE OA Plans & Pricing (THB)
Your plan determines how many broadcast/push messages you can send per month. Reply messages (responses to user actions within 5 minutes) are always free.
| Plan | Price / month | Free Messages | Extra Message Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | ฿0 | 300 | N/A | Testing, very small businesses |
| Basic | ฿1,280 | 15,000 | ฿0.10/msg | Small-medium business |
| Pro | ฿1,780 | 35,000 | ฿0.06/msg | Growing business + CRM |
Key rule: Messages are counted per recipient. A broadcast to 10,000 followers costs 10,000 messages from your quota.
1.4 OA Manager GUI — A Quick Tour
LINE OA Manager (manager.line.biz) is the web dashboard. Key sections:
| Section | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Home | Dashboard with key metrics (new friends, messages sent, profile views) |
| Chat | 1-on-1 chat with followers, tagging, notes, canned responses |
| Broadcast | Send messages to all followers or targeted segments |
| Rich Menu | Design and publish rich menus (drag-and-drop builder) |
| Auto-reply | Keyword-based and AI auto-reply settings |
| Insights | Follower demographics, message delivery, engagement stats |
| MyShop | Set up e-commerce storefront |
| MyCustomer | CRM with member tiers, points, targeted broadcasts |
| LINE Apps | Coupons, Reward Cards, Surveys, Step Messages |
| Settings | Profile, Premium ID, bot settings, role management |
1.5 Messaging API vs OA Manager
You have two ways to control your OA:
| Approach | How it works | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| OA Manager (GUI) | Point-and-click web interface | Manual operations, simple auto-reply, non-developers |
| Messaging API | Your server + LINE's API via webhooks | Automated bots, custom logic, complex flows, LIFF |
| Both | Use both simultaneously | Most common. GUI for simple config, API for core logic |
This curriculum focuses on the Messaging API + LIFF + LINE Login approach, which gives you maximum control and professional capabilities.
1.6 The 4 Pillars of LINE OA Development
To build a professional LINE OA, master these four areas:
- Messaging API — Send and receive messages programmatically
- Rich Menu — Persistent navigation for your users
- Flex Messages — Rich, interactive UI components
- LIFF + LINE Login — Web applications integrated with LINE identity
The remaining modules (Audience, Beacon, MyShop, CRM, Ads) add power on top of these four pillars.
1.7 What You Will Build
By the end of this curriculum, you will be able to build:
- An automated customer service bot with rich menus and Flex responses
- An e-commerce experience with MyShop or custom LIFF app
- A membership/loyalty program with targeted campaigns
- An integrated marketing system using LINE Ads + Audience segments
- A proximity-triggered in-store experience with LINE Beacon