LINE Official Account vs Website: Which Do You Need?

In Thailand, LINE isn't just a messaging app—it's infrastructure. 50+ million users. Everyone from teenagers to grandparents. Businesses live and die by their LINE presence.

So do you even need a website? Or is LINE Official enough?

The answer is: it depends on your business. Here's the breakdown.

When LINE Official Is Enough

You might not need a website if:

• Your customers find you through word of mouth: They already know your name, they just need to contact you.
• You're a local service: Restaurants, salons, repair shops—people want to book, not browse.
• Simple product/service: One or two offerings that don't need explanation.
• High-touch sales: You chat with every customer personally anyway.
• Starting out: Testing a business idea before investing in web presence.

When You Need a Website

A website becomes important when:

• Google traffic matters: People search for what you offer. "dentist bangkok," "furniture store sukhumvit," "web developer thailand."
• Complex offerings: Multiple services, detailed specs, pricing tiers—stuff that doesn't fit in LINE.
• Credibility/professionalism: B2B, professional services, higher price points. A website signals legitimacy.
• International customers: Not everyone has LINE. Foreigners and international businesses expect websites.
• Content marketing: Blog posts, guides, SEO—building long-term organic traffic.
• Self-service: Customers can find information without messaging you for everything.

When You Need Both

The sweet spot for most growing businesses:

• Website: For discovery, credibility, detailed information, and SEO
• LINE Official: For relationship, communication, and repeat engagement

Website attracts new customers. LINE keeps them.

The Hybrid Approach

Best practice: integrate them.

• Website has prominent "Add LINE" button
• LINE rich menu links to website pages
• Use LIFF (LINE Front-end Framework) to build mini-apps inside LINE
• Website booking forms can notify you via LINE
• Blog posts shared via LINE broadcast

Cost Comparison

Decision Framework

Start with LINE only if:

• Local service business
• Word-of-mouth acquisition
• Budget under 20k THB
• Testing a business idea

Build a website first if:

• Need Google search visibility
• Targeting international customers
• Professional services / B2B
• Complex product catalog

Do both if:

• Growing business with budget
• Need acquisition AND retention
• Want long-term sustainable growth
• Mix of Thai and international customers

Bottom Line

LINE Official is powerful and often underestimated by people from Western markets. Don't assume you need a website just because "everyone has one."

But also don't assume LINE is enough just because "everyone in Thailand uses it." If customers can't find you on Google, you're leaving money on the table.

For most businesses: start where your customers are, expand as you grow.