Why you need to know the moment a link is clicked
You send a proposal to a client. You share a link to your portfolio. You post a campaign link in a Telegram channel. Then you wait. Did they open it? Did they click? Should you follow up now, or is it too early? Should you send a reminder, or would that annoy them?
Without notifications, you are guessing. You check the analytics dashboard an hour later, a day later, a week later. By the time you see the click, the moment has passed. The client has moved on. The prospect has forgotten. The lead has gone cold.
With real-time notifications, you know the moment it happens. You get a message in Telegram: someone clicked your link. You can follow up immediately, while the interest is fresh. You can send a proposal follow-up within minutes, not days. You can react to a campaign click while the person is still on your site.
This is not about being intrusive. It is about being timely. In sales, in marketing, in client work, timing is everything. The person who responds first usually wins.
What are notification handlers in Vibes
Vibes has a built-in system called notification handlers. These are integrations that send you a message when something happens: a link is clicked, a QR code is scanned, a form is submitted. You configure the handler once, and it works for all your links.
Notification handlers support multiple channels: email, webhook, Slack, Discord, Telegram, Microsoft Teams, X (Twitter), Google Chat, and internal notifications [citation:19]. For this guide, we focus on Telegram because it is the most popular messenger in Russia and the easiest to set up.
The Telegram handler works through a Telegram bot. You create a bot, get its API token, add the bot to a chat or group, and configure the handler in Vibes. From that moment, every click on a tracked link sends a message to that chat.
This is different from just looking at analytics. Analytics shows you what happened in the past. Notifications tell you what is happening right now. Both are useful, but for time-sensitive work, notifications are essential.
Who needs Telegram alerts for short links
Freelancers sending proposals. You send a proposal with a link to your portfolio or a contract. You want to know when the client opens it. If they open it and do not respond within an hour, you can follow up. If they never open it, you can resend or try a different channel.
Marketers running campaigns. You post a campaign link in a Telegram channel or send it in a newsletter. You want to know which link gets clicks, and when. If a link goes viral, you want to know immediately so you can amplify it. If it gets no clicks, you want to know early so you can change the message.
Sales teams sharing pricing or demos. You send a pricing page link to a prospect. You want to know when they open it. If they open it multiple times, they are interested. If they open it and do not reply, you can follow up with a relevant case study.
Content creators sharing resources. You share a link to a guide, a template, or a video. You want to know if your audience is engaging. If a link gets clicks, you can create more content like it. If not, you can change your approach.
Event organizers sharing registration links. You share a link to register for a webinar or a conference. You want to know when registrations spike, so you can send reminders or adjust your promotion.
Anyone who shares links and wants to know if they work. Sometimes you share a link and wonder if anyone actually clicked it. With notifications, you know. No more guessing, no more checking analytics hours later.
How to set up Telegram notifications in Vibes: step-by-step
Step one: create a Telegram bot
Open Telegram and search for BotFather. This is the official bot for creating bots. Start a chat with BotFather and send the command /newbot. BotFather will ask for a name for your bot. This is the display name, for example "My Link Alerts". Then it will ask for a username, which must end in bot, for example my_link_alerts_bot.
Once the bot is created, BotFather will give you an API token. It looks like a long string of numbers and letters. Copy this token. You will need it in Vibes. Do not share this token with anyone, because anyone with the token can control your bot.
Step two: get your Telegram chat ID
You need a chat ID where the bot will send notifications. This can be your personal chat with the bot, a group chat, or a channel. The simplest option is a personal chat.
Start a chat with your new bot and send any message, for example "hello". Then open this URL in your browser, replacing YOUR_BOT_TOKEN with the token from BotFather: https://api.telegram.org/botYOUR_BOT_TOKEN/getUpdates
You will see a JSON response. Look for the "chat" object and find the "id" field. This is your chat ID. It is usually a number, sometimes negative for groups. Copy this number.
Step three: configure the notification handler in Vibes
Log in to Vibes and go to the notification handlers section. You can access it through the dashboard or through the API. If you are using the dashboard, look for a section called Notification Handlers or Integrations.
Click to create a new handler. Choose type Telegram. Give it a name, for example "Telegram Alerts". Paste your bot API token into the token field. Paste your chat ID into the chat ID field. Enable the handler.
If you prefer using the API, the endpoint is POST https://vibes.su/api/notification-handlers with the following parameters: name, type=telegram, telegram (API token), telegram_chat_id [citation:20]. The API accepts form data or JSON.
Step four: connect the handler to your links
Now you need to connect this handler to the links you want to track. In Vibes, when you create or edit a short link, you can assign notification handlers to it. Select the Telegram handler you just created.
You can assign the same handler to multiple links. If you want different notifications for different campaigns, you can create multiple handlers with different bots or different chats. For example, one handler for client proposals and another for marketing campaigns.
Step five: test the notification
Create a test link with the Telegram handler attached. Send the link to yourself or open it in an incognito browser window. Within a few seconds, you should receive a message in Telegram from your bot. The message will contain information about the click: which link was clicked, when, and possibly the device or country.
If you do not receive a message, check the following: the bot token is correct, the chat ID is correct, the handler is enabled, and the link has the handler assigned. Also check that you started a chat with the bot, because bots cannot initiate conversations with users.
Step six: customize the notification message (optional)
By default, the notification message is simple: it tells you that a link was clicked. If you want more information, you can customize the message through the API or through advanced settings. You can include the link name, the click time, the country, and the device.
Customization is optional. For most users, the default message is enough. The important thing is that you get notified in real time.
Scenario: freelancer sending a proposal
You are a designer. You send a proposal to a potential client. The proposal includes a link to your portfolio and a link to a contract. You assign your Telegram handler to both links.
An hour later, you get a notification: the client clicked the portfolio link. They are interested. You wait another hour. No notification about the contract link. They looked at your work but did not open the contract. This is a signal to follow up with a question about the proposal, rather than waiting for them to sign.
Without notifications, you would have waited a day, then sent a generic follow-up. With notifications, you know exactly when to act and what to say. The client opened your portfolio, so you can ask: "Did you have a chance to look at the work? Any questions about the proposal?"
Scenario: marketer running a Telegram campaign
You are running a campaign in a Telegram channel. You post a link to a landing page with a special offer. You assign the Telegram handler to this link.
The first click comes in two minutes after posting. The second comes five minutes later. Then ten clicks in an hour. You see the pattern in real time. The campaign is working. You can boost the post or share it in other channels while the interest is high.
If you see no clicks after an hour, you know something is wrong. Maybe the link is broken, or the offer is not interesting. You can change the message or the link and try again. Without notifications, you would have waited until the end of the day to check analytics, and by then the momentum would be lost.
Scenario: sales team tracking pricing page views
You are in sales. You send a pricing page link to a prospect. You assign the Telegram handler. The prospect opens the link three times in one day. This is a strong signal of interest. You follow up immediately with a personalized message.
If the prospect opens the link once and does not reply, you wait a day and send a gentle reminder. If they never open it, you try a different approach: maybe they prefer a PDF, or maybe they want a call instead.
This level of insight is only possible with real-time notifications. Analytics shows you the aggregate: fifty clicks last week. Notifications show you the individual: this specific prospect opened your pricing page three times today. That is the difference between mass marketing and personal selling.
Scenario: event organizer tracking registrations
You are organizing a webinar. You share a registration link in several Telegram groups and channels. You assign the Telegram handler.
In the morning, you get a notification: someone registered. Then another. By afternoon, the notifications slow down. You realize that most registrations come in the morning, when people check their phones. You can schedule your promotion for the morning next time.
If you see a spike in registrations after a particular post, you know which channel works best. If a channel gives no registrations, you can stop promoting there and focus on what works.
Common mistakes when setting up Telegram notifications
The first mistake is not starting a chat with the bot. Telegram bots cannot initiate conversations with users. If you do not send the bot a message first, the bot cannot send you notifications. Always start a chat and send /start before configuring the handler.
The second mistake is using the wrong chat ID. If you copy the wrong number from the getUpdates response, notifications will go to the wrong place or not arrive at all. Double-check the chat ID. For personal chats, it is a positive number. For groups, it is usually negative.
The third mistake is sharing the bot token. The bot token is like a password. Anyone with the token can send messages as your bot, read messages, and control the bot. Keep it secret. If you accidentally share it, revoke it in BotFather and create a new one.
The fourth mistake is assigning the handler to the wrong links. If you have multiple links and multiple handlers, make sure you assign the right handler to the right link. Otherwise, you will get notifications for links you do not care about, or miss notifications for links you do care about.
The fifth mistake is not testing. Always test the notification before relying on it. Send a test link to yourself, open it, and check that the notification arrives. If it does not, fix the issue before it matters.
How to manage multiple notification handlers
As you use Vibes more, you may want different notifications for different purposes. For example, you might want client proposal clicks to go to your personal Telegram, but campaign clicks to go to a team group. You can create multiple handlers for this.
Create one handler for personal notifications: a bot that sends messages to your personal chat. Create another handler for team notifications: a bot that sends messages to a group chat. Assign the personal handler to client links and the team handler to campaign links.
You can also use different bots for different purposes. This keeps notifications organized. For example, a "Client Alerts" bot for proposals, and a "Marketing Alerts" bot for campaigns. When you see a notification, you know immediately what it is about without reading the details.
If you want to disable notifications temporarily, you can disable the handler in Vibes without deleting it. This is useful if you are on vacation or if a campaign is generating too many notifications. Enable it again when you want to receive alerts.
Beyond Telegram: other notification channels in Vibes
Telegram is the most popular option for Russian users, but Vibes supports other channels too. Slack and Discord are popular for teams. Microsoft Teams and Google Chat are used in corporate environments. Webhooks allow you to send notifications to any system that accepts HTTP requests [citation:19].
Email notifications are useful if you prefer email over messengers. You can configure an email handler that sends you a message for every click. This is less instant than Telegram, but it keeps a record in your inbox.
Internal notifications are shown inside the Vibes dashboard. This is useful if you do not want to leave the platform. You can see notifications alongside your analytics and link management.
The best setup depends on your workflow. If you live in Telegram, use Telegram notifications. If your team uses Slack, use Slack. If you want a permanent record, use email. You can use multiple channels at the same time.
FAQ
Do I need a paid plan to use Telegram notifications?
Notification handlers are available on all plans, including Free. You can create and use handlers without upgrading. However, the number of handlers and the features available may vary by plan. Check the pricing page for details.
Can I get notifications for QR code scans?
Yes. Notification handlers work with QR codes as well as short links. When someone scans a QR code that has a handler assigned, you receive a notification. This is useful for tracking offline campaigns.
What information is included in the notification?
The default notification includes the link name and the time of the click. Depending on your settings, it may also include the country, device, and browser. You can customize the message through the API if you need specific fields.
Can I receive notifications for every click, or only the first?
You can configure this. By default, you receive a notification for every click. If you want only the first click, or only unique clicks, you can adjust the settings. This is useful if a link is generating a lot of traffic and you do not want to be flooded with notifications.
What happens if my Telegram bot goes offline?
If the bot token is revoked or the bot is deleted, notifications will stop. You will need to create a new bot and update the handler. The link itself continues to work; only the notifications are affected.
Can I use the same bot for multiple Vibes accounts?
Yes, but the notifications will all go to the same chat. If you want to separate notifications by account, use different bots or different chats. This keeps your notifications organized.
How do I stop receiving notifications?
You can disable the handler in Vibes, delete the handler, or remove the bot from the chat. Disabling is the easiest option if you want to pause notifications temporarily. Deleting the handler removes it permanently. Removing the bot from the chat stops all messages from that bot.
Final thoughts
Knowing when someone clicks your link changes how you work. Instead of checking analytics hours later, you react in the moment. Instead of guessing whether your message was seen, you know. Instead of following up at the wrong time, you follow up when the interest is fresh.
Telegram notifications are the easiest way to get started. You probably already use Telegram. You probably already check it constantly. Adding Vibes notifications to your Telegram means you see clicks alongside your normal messages. It fits into your existing workflow without adding a new app or a new habit.
Set up your first handler today. Create a bot, get your chat ID, configure the handler in Vibes, and assign it to a link. Test it. Send yourself a link and click it. When the notification arrives, you will wonder how you ever worked without it.
Set up Telegram notifications in Vibes. Notification handlers are available on all plans, including Free. Sign up and create your first handler in minutes. Compare plans at Pricing. To learn more about tracking link clicks, read our guide on how to track link clicks. To understand the difference between static and dynamic links, see dynamic vs static QR codes.
