Channels

Entertain your audience with interactive content and keep them posted with the latest updates while receiving their feedback privately. Channels allow you to post messages, images, videos, and files, with the option of targeting and segmentation. With unlimited subscribers to each channel, you can include multiple channels on your app to deliver diverse content on each one of them.

Modules

There are three modules included:

1.) Active Channels: Show the channels that the user is active on.

2.) My Channels: Show the channels that the user is subscribed to.

3.) Channel List: Displays the list of all channels that are available on the app.

These modules are the best to use if you want to build a Community App.

Installation

You can install these modules in your app in the following places:

App's Home Menu ✓
App's Side Menu ✓

You can find the channel modules in the social category. Click or drag and drop the modules into your home or side menu to install them.

Duplicability

This module can be duplicated in several sections in your app ✓

Main Features

The channel modules comprises 78 features, one of which is user-selectable.

Posting

You can post messages, images, videos, GIFs, and files to your different channels. You can also add segments and tags to your audience for targeted posts.

Read Counter

Displays simple statistics for how many users viewed a post within its first two weeks; the bar also enables the users to engage with a post by adding a like, comment, or share. While the comment dashboard collects comments and displays them in a list for channel administrators.

Notifications

Notifications page that displays recent notifications, shows unread ones, and provides the ability to respond to different types of messages.

Link Metadata Fetching

Enables fetching metadata from a URL upon posting it on the channel.

Invitation QR Codes

For users to subscribe to your channel on your app by scanning QR codes.

Multiple Administrators

Allows you to assign multiple administrators to your channels.

Talk To Admin

for app users to chat directly and privately with the admin.

Ban Users

Allow administrators to kick out specific users from groups or channels created on your app.

In-App Sounds & Vibrations

For users to customize in-app app sounds, vibrations, and notification tones

In-App Sounds	In-App Channel Sounds

Configuration

Active Channels:

1.) Once you have installed the module by clicking or dragging and dropping it in the home or side menu,

You can rename the module and choose an Android and an iOS icon for it. Click "configure" to open the settings of the module.

2.) From the settings, you have the option to include ads in your app using the Google AdMob Module.

Note that you have to install Google AdMob Module first.

Go to Channel Default to enable chat with admins, post footers, and the context menu.

3.) Choose your channel layout if you want a list or grid layout.

4.) To configure the features, click on features.

And don't forget to save

My Channels:

1.) Rename the module and choose an Android and an iOS icon for it. Click "configure" to open it's settings.

2.) From the settings, you have the option to include ads.

3.) To configure the features, click on features. You can also choose if you want a comment dashboard for your channels.

Then click 'Save' after configuring your module.

Channel List Module:

1.) Rename the module and choose an Android and an iOS icon for it. Click "configure" to open it's settings.

2.) From the settings, you have the option to include ads.

3.) To configure the features, click on features.

Then click 'Save' after configuring your module.

Complementary Modules

Map Search: You can include a location for your physical store; you can also include up to two other markers (buttons).

It's better to add these modules to your App's Side Menu

Active Channels: It shows the user which channels they are active on.
Channel List: It shows a list of your app's chat channels for users to join.

Module Walkthrough

Create a New Channel

1.) From the left admin menu, click channels.

2.) To create a new channel, click Create.

3.) A window will appear where you can enter your channel name and description.

4.) After saving, you can configure the rest of the options:

Splash Screen:

You can add a splash screen to your channel, which includes an image, title, and description. You can also change the button text and colors associated with it.

A splash screen is an introductory graphical screen that shows an explanatory message when you first install an app. It can also be displayed when a user first enters a group or a channel.

Which will look something like this:

Ads, Location & Store:

By activating the toggle, you can add ads to your channel. You can also assign a location or a store.

Payment Settings:

If you're enabling the subscription feature, this part is for you. Check out our guide for In-App subscriptions configuration.

Welcome Message:

You can also send a welcome message to your users when they join the channel; click 'Assign' and set it up.

Create your welcome message to your members, then click 'Done'

Which will look like this:

Invitation links & QR code:

Users can also join a channel by scanning the QR code for your channel, or you can invite your users to join the channel through Twitter, Facebook, or by sending them a link to join.

Assign admins:

You can also assign admins to your channel; click the (+) icon

Choose the admins you want to assign, then click 'Add'

After finishing your channel's settings, don't forget to click 'Save'

Search Filters

You can also add a search filter under which this channel can come up.

Check out our Search documentation to figure out how to create search filters and assign them to a channel.

Linking Your Channel To A Location

You can link your channel to a location so that when users explore the map, they can find the certain location that you set, and they will be able to open your channel from there.

So let's say, for example, you own a couple of restaurants named Stay Healthy, and you have a channel where you post the latest recipes and meal pricing per restaurant branch. You can create a location per branch and assign them to their relatable channels by naming them 'Stay Healthy, including the location name, and when a customer searches Stay Healthy in the map, they will find the locations of your restaurant branches, and an action button will be displayed to open the channel of your restaurant.

Let’s see how to make this happen by checking out our Map Search documentation to figure out how to create locations and assign them to a channel

Posting

You can send posts to a channel from the app builder or your device, but in order to use the feature, you need to have admin privileges.

Posting From The App Builder

1.) On the top right-hand corner of the page, click 'My App' and select the channel you want to create a post in.

2.) You will land on your channel's dashboard.

3.) From the admin menu, click 'Posts'.

4.) Click the 'Create Post' icon.

5.) After you create your post, you'll find the (+) icon.

Check out this documentation to learn how to create a post.

6.) When you click on the (+) icon, you can choose to share your post on more than one channel or group. Select the channels or groups where you want the post to be submitted.

7.) Also, it has an extra option that lets you make a channel or group if you forget to do so and this post reminded you of that. Click on 'create a new'

and you'll get to the channel/group creation page directly.

8.) After you finish selecting your elements, click add

9.) You'll find the channels or groups you assigned your posts to at the top.

10.) Then click 'Send'

Posting From Your Mobile Device

In order to post, you need to assign yourself as an admin in this channel. When you open your app, make sure to know what username you used to create your profile and assign yourself as an admin to this channel.

1.) From the admin menu, click 'Users'.