What LINE Official Account does well, where it falls short, and how Thai businesses combine LINE OA with a website to win new customers.
Ask almost any business owner in Thailand how customers contact them and the answer comes back instantly: "LINE". It makes sense. LINE is on practically every phone in the country, people check it all day, and a quick "สวัสดีค่ะ สอบถามหน่อยค่ะ" feels far more natural than filling in a form.
So a lot of owners ask us a fair question: if everyone is already on LINE, why pay for a website at all? The short answer is that they do two different jobs. LINE is brilliant at keeping customers. A website is what helps new people find you and trust you in the first place. Let's break that down.
What LINE Official Account does really well
A LINE Official Account (LINE OA) is the business version of LINE. Customers add you as a friend, and you can chat with them, send broadcasts, share coupons and set up a rich menu at the bottom of the chat. For relationships, it's hard to beat.
- It's where customers already are: LINE reports more than 50 million users in Thailand, and they open it many times a day.
- Conversations feel personal: a quick reply with a photo or a voice note closes sales that a form never would.
- Broadcasts reach people directly: a new menu, a flash sale or a booking reminder lands next to messages from friends and family.
- Rich menus act like mini-apps: buttons for "Book", "Menu", "Location" and "Promotion" sit right in the chat.
Where LINE OA falls short
The problem is that LINE is a closed room. It works wonderfully once someone is inside, but it does very little to bring new people through the door.
Google can't see inside your LINE chats
When someone searches "ร้านเค้กวันเกิด อารีย์" or "accounting firm Bangkok for foreigners", Google shows websites, Maps listings and reviews. Your LINE broadcasts, your beautifully written replies and your rich menu are invisible to search. If a stranger doesn't already know your name, LINE can't introduce you.
You rent the space — you don't own it
Pricing, message limits and features are decided by LINE, and they have changed over the years. The free plan includes only a limited number of broadcast messages per month; beyond that you pay by volume. That's fine — but it means your most important customer channel runs on someone else's rules.
It's hard to show the full picture
Price lists, portfolios, menus with photos, opening hours, maps, FAQs, English information for foreign customers — you can squeeze some of it into a chat, but it's cramped. Every customer ends up asking the same five questions, and your staff answer them again and again.
The best setup: people find you on Google, trust you on your website, and talk to you on LINE.
Side by side
They are not competitors. Each covers the other's blind spots.
How to make them work together
The businesses that do best online use each channel for what it's good at and connect them so customers move smoothly from one to the other.
- Put an "Add us on LINE" button on every page: in the header on mobile, on the contact page and next to prices. Use a link or QR code that opens your OA directly.
- Answer the repeat questions on your website: prices, how it works, delivery areas, what to prepare. Then your LINE chat is for real conversations, not copy-pasting.
- Link to your website from your rich menu: a "Menu", "Portfolio" or "Price list" button that opens a fast, well-designed page looks far more professional than a PDF.
- Send broadcasts that point to a page: "New collection — see it here" with a link to the product page gets more considered purchases than a single photo.
- Use the same name, logo and details everywhere: your website, LINE OA, Google Business Profile and Facebook should clearly be the same business.
On mobile, a small floating LINE button in the corner of your website (like the one on this site) is one of the highest-converting elements you can add for a Thai audience. People who hesitate to call will happily send a message.
What about small shops with a tiny budget?
If you truly have to pick one to start with, pick the one that matches where your customers come from today. A café that lives on walk-ins and regulars can start with LINE OA and a complete Google Business Profile. A clinic, a B2B supplier, a hotel or anyone selling to foreigners needs a website early, because those customers research on Google before they ever message anyone.
Either way, plan for both. A simple, fast website with your services, prices and a clear LINE button is not a luxury — it's the storefront that makes every other channel work harder. For a sense of budget, see how much a website costs in Thailand.
Frequently asked questions
Is LINE OA free?
LINE offers a free plan with a limited number of broadcast messages each month. Paid plans add more messages. Replies to customers who message you are not counted the same way as broadcasts, but check LINE's current plans because the details change.
Can my website connect to LINE?
Yes. The simplest way is a button or QR code that opens your LINE OA. Websites can also use LINE Login or send order notifications to LINE, which is useful for shops and booking systems.
Does having LINE OA help my Google ranking?
Not directly. Google can't read your chats or broadcasts. What helps is a website with useful content, a complete Google Business Profile and genuine reviews.
LINE keeps your customers close; your website brings new ones in and gives them a reason to trust you. If you'd like a website that plugs neatly into your LINE OA, tell us about your business.