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Create a telegram bot (your AI expert gets a face and a name)

Created: June 17, 2025 9:36 PM

Each BuddyPro AI Expert needs its own "communication channel" within the Telegram platform. This channel is a special type of account, called a Telegram bot. Don't worry, you don't have to program anything. Creating this bot is easy and can be done in a few minutes using the official Telegram tool called @BotFather.

Why do you need to create a Telegram bot yourself?​

It's important in terms of ownership and control. By creating the bot yourself, you become the rightful owner. You have full control over its name, profile picture, and most importantly, its unique API Token, which is a sort of "master key" to your bot. This process ensures maximum security and autonomy for your AI instance. No one else (neither us nor your assistant) should do this step for you if you want to have full power over your AI Expert.

4.1 Open @BotFather in your Telegram app​

  • First, make sure you have the Telegram app installed. You can use it on your computer (recommended for easier copying of data) or on your mobile phone.
  • Start Telegram.
  • In the search box (usually the magnifying glass at the top of the app), type: @BotFather
  • Select the official @BotFather account from the search results. You'll know it by the blue verification pipe ✅ next to its name. Be careful not to select an unofficial copy or a fraudulent account.
  • Direct link to open @BotFather in Telegram (if you read the documentation on a Telegram device): https://t.me/BotFather
  • If you are interacting with @BotFather for the first time, you will see the ▶️ Start (or /start) button at the bottom of the chat window. Click on it. @BotFather will reply with a welcome message and a list of available commands.

4.2 Enter /newbot to create a new bot​

  • In the chat box in your conversation with @BotFather, type the following command (including the slash) and send it (by pressing the Enter key on your computer or the Send button on your mobile):

    /newbot

    This command will start the process of creating a new Telegram bot.

4.3 Choose a name for your Telegram bot (the name that users will see)​

  • After sending the /newbot command, @BotFather will reply with a message: Alright, a new bot. How are we going to call it? Please choose a name for your bot.
  • Now enter the name under which your AI Expert will appear in Telegram. Your clients will see this name in the conversation header, in their chat list, and in the bot's profile.
  • Tips for choosing a name:
    • It should be clear, memorable, and ideally represent your AI Expert's focus or your brand.
    • It can include spaces, diacritics, upper and lower case letters, and emoji.
    • You can change this name ("Name") at any time later. Either directly in your bot's Telegram profile (by clicking on its name and selecting "Edit" or "Edit"), or by using the /setname command with @BotFather.
  • Examples of names. Personal Growth Coach AI, Marketing Expert PRO, My Health Guide, Financial Adviseer Alfa, Pavel Říha AI.
  • Type your chosen name into the chat with @BotFather and submit.

4.4 Choose a unique username for your Telegram bot​

  • If the username was correct, @BotFather will reply. Now let's choose a username for your bot. It must end in 'bot', like this, for example: TetrisBot or tetris_bot.
  • Now you must enter a username. This is your bot's unique technical identifier across the Telegram platform.
  • Username rules:
    • It must be unique throughout Telegram (not yet used by anyone else).
    • It can only contain letters of the English alphabet (a-z, A-Z), numbers (0-9) and underscores (_). Do not use spaces or diacritics.
    • Must be at least 5 characters long.
    • Must end with the word bot (e.g. MujExpertBot or muj_expert_bot). The ending _bot is also valid.
  • ⚠️ IMPORTANT NOTE: The username of your Telegram bot CANNOT be changed afterwards! Please pay close attention to its choice. Although it is not as visible from a marketing perspective as the "bot name" (what you entered in step 4.3), it appears in the direct link to the bot (e.g. t.me/vase_usivatelske_jmeno_bot).
  • Tips for choosing a username:
    • If you are not sure exactly what to choose, we recommend:
      • Your brand, company or project name + "bot" (e.g. VaseZnackaBot).
      • Your name (without accents) + "bot" (e.g. JanNovakBot).
      • Something universal that won't hurt in the future.
      • It can also be a random combination of letters and numbers (e.g. your BuddyPro license code) + "bot" if you don't want the username to be "talking".
    • The main thing is that it doesn't contain typos or anything you might regret later.
  • Type your chosen username into the chat with @BotFather and submit. If the username is already taken, @BotFather will alert you(Sorry, this username is already taken. Please try something different.) and you'll have to try another option.

4.5 Getting and storing your API token (the key to your bot!)​

  • If the chosen username is free and meets the rules, @BotFather will show you a congratulatory message that looks something like this.Congratulations on your new bot. You will find it at t.me/VASE_USERNAME_BOT.You can now add a description, about section and profile picture for your bot, see /help for a list of commands.

    Use this token to access the HTTP API:1234567890:AaBbCcDdEeFfGgHhIiJjKkLlMmNnOoPpQqRrSsTt

    (Keep your token secure and store it safely, it can be used by anyone to control your bot.)

  • That long string of random letters and numbers, separated by a colon (in the example above it is 1234567890:AaBbCcDdEeFfGgHhIiJjKkLlMmNnOoPpQqRrSsTt), is YOUR UNIQUE API TOKEN.

  • 🔑 THIS API TOKEN IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT AND SENSITIVE!

    • Copy it immediately and store it in a very safe place where no one else will have access to it (e.g. in a password manager, encrypted text file, a safe place away from your computer).
    • Never share this token with anyone, send it by email in unencrypted form, or show it in screenshots! Whoever has your API Token has full control over your Telegram bot - they can send messages on its behalf, change its settings, etc.
    • You will absolutely need this API Token in the next step (Step 5) to connect your Telegram bot to your BuddyPro license.

  • Your Telegram bot is now technically created! But for now, it's just an "empty shell" without any intelligence or know-how. In the next steps we will "breathe life" into it together using the BuddyPro platform.

💡 A dditional tip: As @BotFather mentions in his message, you can set up additional details for your bot right away (or anytime later) using additional commands.

  • /setabouttext - to set a short "About bot" text that will be displayed to users before they start a conversation. These edits (name, picture, description) can also be made directly in your bot's Telegram profile.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)​

  • Why do I have to create a Telegram bot myself via @BotFather? Thisstep is crucial for your ownership and full control of your AI Expert. When you create a bot, you become the official owner of it within the Telegram platform. This means that only you have access to its API Token (master key) and can manage its basic settings. For security reasons and to ensure your autonomy, we can't do this step for you, nor do we recommend delegating it to someone else if you want absolute control over your bot.
  • **Do I need to install Telegram for BuddyPro?**Yes, BuddyPro currently works exclusively through the Telegram platform. You can install Telegram for free on your computer (Windows, macOS, Linux) and on your mobile phone (iOS, Android). For the process of creating a bot and its subsequent management, working on a computer is usually more convenient.
  • **How do I safely recognize an official @BotFather?**The official @BotFather has a blue verification pipe ✅ next to his name. Beware of possible impersonations without this verification. To be safe, you can use the direct link: https://t.me/BotFather.
  • **What if @BotFather doesn't respond or I want to start over?**If this is your first time communicating with @BotFather, make sure you click the ▶️ Start button. If you want to start the process of creating a new bot again or are stuck, you can always type /newbot again.
  • **Can I really change the "Name" of the bot later?**Yes, you can change the name of the bot (the one that users see in chat) at any time later. Either via @BotFather using the /setname command, or directly in your bot's Telegram profile after you create it.
  • What about the "bot username"? Can I change it too?No, unfortunately you cannot change the username. Once you set it, it is permanent. Therefore, please pay attention to its choice. If you are not sure, choose something more universal (e.g. your name without accents + "bot"). Avoid typos.
  • What should I do if my preferred username is taken?@BotFather will alert you. You'll need to try another option - add a digit, an underscore, or choose a completely different username until you find one that's available.
  • **Where exactly can I find the API Token and what does it look like?**The API Token will be generated and displayed by @BotFather in the last message after the bot is successfully created. It is a long string of letters and numbers separated by a colon, e.g. 1234567890:AaBbCcDdEeFfGgHhIiJjKkLlMmNnOoPpQqRrSsTt. You can find it under the sentence "Use this token to access the HTTP API:".
  • **What happens if I lose my API Token or someone gets it?**Losing or compromising an API Token is a serious problem. Whoever has your token can control your bot. Store your token in a very safe place and don't share it with anyone. If you suspect someone has obtained your token, you can generate a new token for your bot at @BotFather by using the /token command (and selecting the appropriate bot). The old token will no longer be valid. You will then also need to update the new token in your BuddyPro instance settings, which can only be done manually by contacting customer support support@buddy.fm.
  • **Do I need to set up a profile picture and description right away when creating a bot?**No, you don't. You can set the profile picture, description ("description") and short info ("about text") anytime later, either via @BotFather (commands /setuserpic, /setdescription, /setabouttext) or directly in your bot's Telegram profile. For basic bot creation, you just need a name and username.
  • **Is this Telegram bot I just created already my finished BuddyPro AI Expert?**No, not yet. A Telegram bot created via @BotFather is just an "empty inbox" or "communication channel". It doesn't have any intelligence or your know-how. We will "breathe" that into it in the next steps by connecting it to the BuddyPro platform and uploading your knowledge.
  • **Can my assistant or someone on my team do this first step (creating the Telegram bot) for me?**Technically yes, but we strongly advise against it if you want to have full and exclusive control over your AI Expert. Whoever creates the bot owns it and has access to the API Token. Ideally, you should do this step yourself. Later on, you can involve team members in managing the BuddyPro instance in other ways.
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