Table of Contents

Viber Quick Start

JQ Lee Updated by JQ Lee

Viber Logo

Getting a Viber Bot

Starting February 5th, 2024, you can no longer create Viber bots on your own and must:
- Apply directly to Viber
Learn more about the current Bot Commercial model here.

Requirements:

  • A personal Viber account
To create a Viber Chatbot, read our guide.

Connecting a Viber Bot

Apply For a Bot

Step 1: Go to Settings > Channels

Step 2: Click Add Channel > Viber > Connect > Apply For A Bot

Step 3: Fill in the Viber Form to receive your private token once your application has been processed and approved.

If you already have a private token, click the I Have A Bot Token button to proceed to the next step.

Step 4: Click on I Have A Bot Token > Navigate to the info page in your Viber Admin Panel > Copy and paste your private token in the 'Viber Bot Token' field and click Connect

Connecting an existing bot

Watch the video below for a step-by-step guide on How to Connect Your Existing Viber Account to respond.io.

Step 1: Go to Settings > Channels

Step 2: Click Add Channel > Viber > Connect > Connect an Existing Bot

Step 3: Sign in to Viber Admin Panel

Step 4: After signing in, select a Bot to connect to respond.io. If you don't have a Bot, create a Bot account

Step 5: On the Bot Info page, locate the Token and add it to the corresponding field on the respond.io platform

Step 6: Click Complete to complete the setup in respond.io

Once you have completed the setup, any messages sent to your Viber Business Account will now be received in your Workspace.
Once the Channel is connected, scan the QR code to send a test message and make sure everything is working properly.

Channel Configuration

The Viber Channel can be configured with a unique Channel name. This name will be used internally to identify the account.

Step 1: Click Settings > Channels

Step 2: Locate the Viber Channel > click Manage

Step 3: In the Viber Configuration page you will see the following configurations:

  • Chat Link - A click-to-chat link is a shortened URL that directs customers to start or continue a conversation with your Viber account. You can share this link to refer customers to a new or existing thread, based on whether the user has previously messaged your Viber account. You can also generate a QR code to share the chat link to your Contacts.
  • Channel Name - The Channel Name can be changed and is used internally to identify the Channel.
Important: Ensure the details are correct for messages to be received successfully in your Viber account.

Step 4: Click Save Changes to update the Viber Configuration page

FAQ and Troubleshooting

Can I connect to a personal Viber account?

To connect a Viber Channel a Viber bot account is required. Starting February 5th, 2024, customers cannot create Viber bots on their own and must apply directly to Viber. Learn more about the current Bot Commercial Model here.

When you make a Viber bot, by default it won’t automatically have a live landing page on viber.com and it won’t show up in Viber’s search results right away either.

You can create a link to open a private chat with your bot, but this works only for users who have Viber on their devices. To learn how to generate a Viber link, follow this guide.

How do I add pre-filled text to my Viber link and QR codes?

Use respond.io's Pre-Filled Text feature to populate the message box with a default message when Contacts open a chat window with your business.

This saves Contacts' time from needing to think about what to write and just click send, encouraging Contacts to send the first message.

Here's how to add pre-filled text to your Viber link and QR codes.

  1. On the respond.io platform, click Settings > Growth Widgets > Add Widget.
  2. Select QR Code option and click Create Widget.
  3. Create the QR Code.
    1. Select “Viber” as the QR code type.
    2. Select the connected Viber Channel that you want to create the QR code for.
    3. Add the pre-filled text that will automatically appear in the message field when the QR code is scanned.
  1. Click Generate Widget button to create your QR code with the pre-filled text.
  2. Click Download and select the size of the QR code you want to save or follow the instructions here to get your Viber chat link.
  3. When Contacts scan your QR code or click on your Viber link, they should automatically have the pre-filled text in the message box.

Why do I receive the error message Failed to send the message as the contact is not subscribed anymore?

Contact is not subscribed anymore error message

Seeing this error means the Contact has already unsubscribed from your business Viber bot.

Opting out stops a Contact from getting messages from a business. Often, Contacts do this due to spam, feeling the business sends too many promotions. Once unsubscribed, the business can't send any messages, like broadcasts or 1-to-1 messages, unless the Contact contacts the business again.

Why can’t I send outgoing messages?

There are two potential reasons for this.

The first is when your account is blocked by Viber. This results in the error message publicAccountBlocked from Viber API being shown when you try and send a message from the platform. If this happens to you, contact Viber Support to unblock your account.

Another reason is because you’ve exceeded the maximum free messages from the Bot.

Example:

If you're on the previous Bot Commercial Model by Viber, the Chatbot has a limit of 10,000 free chatbot-initiated messages per calendar month. When this limit is reached, Viber will block new chatbot-initiated messages until the following month.

To send more than the allocated 10,000 free messages, you will need to agree to Viber’s Chatbot Commercial Model. Reach out to Rakuten Viber's team here for any questions.

The rate applied to each chatbot-initiated message is based on the country code of the phone number with which the chatbot subscriber registered to Viber.

Learn more about the new Viber Chatbot Pricing here.

Why can’t I receive inbound messages?

Check if the test message is sent to your personal number tied to Viber or to the Viber Bot’s URI. If you are sending it to your personal number, you will not receive any messages. Try sending a message to the Bot's URI instead.

Here’s how you can locate the Bot's URI:

Step 1: Log in to Viber Admin Panel

Step 2: Select the bot and navigate to the URI field

Feeling stuck? Do not fear.

Need assistance? Contact us for support. Help is here!

Viber Overview

Can't find what you're looking for? 🔎

Talk to an expert here!

Contact Support
Company
About Us Roadmap Partner Program
Terms & Policies
Privacy Policy Cookie Policy Terms of Service
Resources
Developer Hub WhatsApp Pricing Calculator WhatsApp Link Generator
© 2024 Respond.io.
Status Security
ISO 27001 Certified.
Powered by HelpDocs (opens in a new tab)

Powered by HelpDocs (opens in a new tab)