This guide will walk you through setting up Telegram integration for your SupportBuddy chatbot.

Prerequisites #

• A WordPress website with WooCommerce installed
• SupportBuddy plugin installed and activated
• A Telegram account

Step 1: Create a New Telegram Bot #

1. Open Telegram and search for “BotFather” (@BotFather)
2. Start a chat with BotFather by clicking “Start”
3. Create a new bot by sending the command /newbot
4. Enter your bot’s display name when prompted (e.g., “SupportBuddy Demo”)
5. Enter a username for your bot following these rules:

• Must end in “bot”
• Use only lowercase letters, numbers, and underscores
• Examples: supportbuddy_bot, support_buddy_bot

After successful creation, BotFather will provide you with:

• Your bot’s token (keep this secure)
• A link to your bot

Step 2: Configure Webhook #

1. First, log in to your WordPress admin panel
2. Navigate to SupportBuddy > Settings
3. Go to the “Integrations” tab and select “Telegram”
4. Copy the Webhook URL provided in the settings

Now you need to set up the webhook with Telegram. You can do this in two ways:

Option 1: Using BotFather #

1. Send /setwebhook to BotFather
2. Enter the webhook URL you copied from SupportBuddy settings

Option 2: Using Direct API Call (Recommended) #

1. Open a new browser tab
2. Replace the placeholders and paste this URL:

https://api.telegram.org/bot{YOUR_BOT_TOKEN}/setWebhook?url={YOUR_WEBHOOK_URL}

3. You should receive a success message

Step 3: Configure SupportBuddy Settings #

1. In WordPress admin, go to SupportBuddy > Settings
2. Navigate to Integrations > Telegram
3. Enable Telegram integration by checking “Enable Telegram Bot”
4. Enter your bot token provided by BotFather
5. Save the settings

Step 4: Test Your Bot #

1. Open Telegram and search for your bot using its username
2. Start a chat by clicking “Start”
3. Try sending some messages to test:

• Ask about products
• Check order status
• Ask general questions

Troubleshooting #

If your bot isn’t responding:

1. Verify Bot Token

• Check if the token is entered correctly in settings
• Try regenerating the token using BotFather if needed

1. Check Webhook

• Verify your website is accessible
• Ensure SSL is properly configured (Telegram requires HTTPS)
• Test webhook status using:

   https://api.telegram.org/bot{YOUR_BOT_TOKEN}/getWebhookInfo

3. Check Server Requirements

• PHP version 7.4 or higher
• SSL certificate installed
• Proper file permissions

Security Considerations #

1. Keep your bot token secure
2. Don’t share the token publicly
3. Regularly check bot activities
4. Use a dedicated SSL certificate
5. Keep WordPress and all plugins updated

Additional Features #

Your Telegram bot can:

• Answer product queries
• Show product catalogs
• Provide order status updates
• Handle customer support queries
• Send automated notifications

Best Practices #

1. Set a clear welcome message
2. Use appropriate bot commands
3. Monitor bot performance
4. Regularly update content
5. Keep response times quick
6. Test bot regularly

Support #

If you need help:

1. Check our FAQ section
2. Contact support through our website
3. Visit our documentation portal
4. Join our community forum

Remember to regularly monitor your bot’s performance and update its knowledge base as needed.