What Are the Tips for Increasing LINE Friends? Four Reliable Ways to Increase LINE Friends in 2026
In the social marketing environment of 2026, LINE is no longer just a messaging app but the most important interactive bridge between brands and customers. Whether you run an e-commerce store, a physical shop, or a content creator, increasing LINE friends remains a core metric of concern for many. The more friends you have, the higher the reach and conversion opportunities for your messages.
However, many people try various methods only to find slow friend growth or persistently high block rates. The truly effective approach is not blindly holding giveaways or posting links everywhere, but using a systematic strategy to attract users genuinely interested in your content. Below are four proven, relatively stable, and easy-to-implement methods for 2026 to help you consistently increase LINE friends.
1. Optimize Welcome Messages and Onboarding to Create Instant Value Upon Joining
The moment a user decides to add your LINE official account is the golden time to build trust. If your welcome message is just a generic "Thank you for adding," you waste the first interaction opportunity. A welcome message should do three things at once: greet, deliver value, and guide the next step.
Clearly State What They Get After Joining
Many users hesitate to add because they are unsure what content they will receive in the future. In your welcome message, directly list three to four specific benefits users will gain. For example, "Weekly new product alerts," "Exclusive discount codes," "Member-only events," etc. Clear explanations effectively reduce user doubts.
Set Up Auto-Response Menu Buttons
Add a rich menu below the welcome message so users can click common functions immediately after joining. Examples include "Get coupon," "View latest news," "Contact customer service." The more intuitive the menu design, the more likely users will engage further and the less likely they will block your account. When this part is designed well, you will naturally increase LINE friends because existing friends will want to recommend you to people around them.
2. Use LINE Official Account’s Ad Audience Targeting Features
LINE’s ad backend in 2026 is quite mature, especially the "lookalike audience" and "website tracking" functions, which can precisely target users who have previously interacted but not yet added as friends. This is the most direct and cost-controllable method of driving traffic.
Target Visitors Who Have Visited Your Website
After embedding the LINE Tag on your website, you can collect a group of users who have visited the site but haven’t added you as a friend. Run "friend-exclusive offer" ads to this group, with copy emphasizing "Add LINE to get extra discounts." Conversion rates are typically several times higher than ads targeting strangers because this group already has basic brand awareness and just needs one more incentive.
Use "Refer a Friend Campaigns" to Expand Natural Reach
LINE official accounts have a built-in "share friend" campaign mechanism. When an existing friend successfully invites a new friend to join, both parties receive rewards. For example, "Invite one friend to join, and both get 50 points." If the rewards are attractive enough and the redemption process is simple, such campaigns can easily create a chain effect in a short time. During the campaign, you will clearly see the pace of increasing LINE friends accelerate in the backend.
3. Seamlessly Guide from Other Social Platforms to Lower the Barrier to Joining
Most brands operate on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, etc., but few effectively convert traffic from these platforms to LINE. The keys are "whether the incentive is exclusive" and "whether the steps are simple enough."
Link Stickers in Instagram Stories
Post a "LINE friend-exclusive content preview" on IG Stories, such as "Tomorrow I’ll announce a secret discount code on LINE, only visible to friends." Also attach a LINE friend link sticker. Users can jump to the LINE add screen with one click, without copying URLs or switching apps. This low-friction design works especially well for younger demographics.
Fixed Links in YouTube Video Descriptions and Comment Sections
For brands running YouTube channels, place the LINE friend link on the first line of every video’s description box, explaining "Add LINE to receive materials or unreleased clips from the next video first." Also pin the same link in the comment section. Over time, loyal viewers who habitually watch your videos will gradually move to LINE, forming a closer community.
Users coming from different platforms, though from different sources, can become a stable driving force to consistently increase LINE friends as long as the incentives are designed properly.
4. Design Low-Barrier Gamified Interactions to Encourage Active Sharing
Gamification mechanisms remain very effective in 2026, especially suitable for motivating existing friends to actively invite new ones. The key is that the rules must be simple enough for users to understand within ten seconds.
Daily Check-in to Accumulate Points
Set up a "daily check-in" function on your LINE official account. Users click the menu button each day to earn points. Checking in for seven consecutive days allows them to redeem a small gift or discount. The benefit of this mechanism is that it trains users to open your LINE account every day. When users form the habit of showing up daily, the open rate for any subsequent broadcast campaigns will significantly increase. Moreover, users willing to check in daily are also the group most likely to invite friends to join.
Slot Machine or Roulette Lucky Draw
Another common and highly effective method is "Get one lucky draw chance upon adding as a friend." Prizes can be physical goods, discount coupons, or LINE Points. The draw result is shown directly in the chat window, and winners automatically receive a redemption link. If a user doesn’t win the grand prize, they can "invite three friends" to get additional draw chances. This mechanism drives users to actively share the link to their personal social media or family group chats.
Gamified interactions work because they transform "adding a friend" from passively receiving messages into an experience filled with anticipation and rewards. When users find it fun, their motivation to share naturally increases.
Conclusion
To steadily increase LINE friends in 2026, you don’t need complicated tricks. Instead, return to a few basic principles: make the joining process smooth, deliver value immediately after joining, and give existing friends the motivation to share actively. From optimizing welcome messages, using ad targeting, cross-platform guidance, to designing gamified interactions, these four methods work together to produce more significant results than executing any single one alone.
It’s worth noting that friend count growth should not be looked at in isolation. Block rates, message open rates, and click-through rates are equally important metrics. Rather than chasing a large number of one-time joins that quickly block you, steadily attract users who are genuinely interested in your brand. In the long run, your LINE official account will become one of the most valuable customer assets.
Disclaimer: This article is for social marketing learning reference only. Actual results may vary by industry, audience, and execution method. Please evaluate applicability for your own situation.