Create the bot

  • Create a bot in Telegram with BotFather.
  • Copy the bot token.
  • Add the bot to the destination chat or group.
  • Send a message in the chat so the bot can see the chat context.
  • Find the chat ID using your preferred Telegram bot tooling or update endpoint.

Add it to InstaChime

  • Open `/settings` as an owner or admin.
  • Paste the Telegram bot token and chat ID.
  • Save settings.
  • Send an alert test from `/integrations`.
  • Confirm delivery status in the alert history.

Telegram API shape

POST https://api.telegram.org/bot{BOT_TOKEN}/sendMessage
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "chat_id": "123456789",
  "text": "New lead: Jamie Lee, +15555550123, google_ads"
}

Exact Telegram setup

  • Open Telegram and start a chat with BotFather.
  • Use `/newbot` to create a bot.
  • Copy the bot token.
  • Add the bot to the target group, channel, or direct chat.
  • Send at least one message in the chat after adding the bot.
  • Find the chat ID using `getUpdates`, a trusted admin bot, or your own bot tooling.
  • Paste the bot token and chat ID into InstaChime `/settings`.
  • Send an alert test from `/integrations`.

Telegram message decisions

  • Use plain text first; add parse mode only after simple delivery works.
  • Keep the message under Telegram message limits after formatting.
  • Include name, phone or email, source, campaign, message, and lead score.
  • For group topics, include the topic/thread identifier if your chat requires it.
  • Protect the bot token like a password.

Telegram troubleshooting

  • If `chat not found` appears, confirm the bot was added to the chat and the chat ID is correct.
  • If group messages fail, confirm the bot has permission to post.
  • If formatting fails, remove parse mode and retest plain text.
  • If the bot token is exposed, revoke it in BotFather and update InstaChime settings.
  • If alerts do not appear after setup, send a fresh message in the Telegram chat and re-check updates/chat ID.

Official references

These vendor-owned pages explain the controls and requirements referenced in this guide.