Skip to Content

How do I use click to chat plugin in WordPress?

Click to chat plugins allow website visitors to easily start a conversation with you through your website. These plugins add chat buttons or icons that visitors can click on to open up a chat window and message you directly. This allows for more real-time communication and engagement with your site’s visitors.

Some key benefits of using a click to chat plugin for WordPress include:

– Increased engagement and conversations with website visitors
– Ability to provide instant support and answers to questions
– Options for live chat, offline messages, and email conversations
– Mobile-friendly chat experiences
– Integration with third-party chat services like Facebook Messenger
– Insights into how many chats you’re getting and your response times

In this guide, we’ll go over how to use click to chat plugins in WordPress to add live chat and messaging to your site.

Choosing a Click to Chat Plugin

There are a number of great click to chat plugins available for WordPress. Some popular options to consider include:

WPClickToChat – Free plugin with premium upgrades. Supports live chat, email, and offline messages.

ClickDesk – Free live chat and help desk features. Paid plans for more agents and features.

LiveChat – Paid live chat plugin with 14-day free trial. Lots of customization options.

Tidio Chat – Freemium plugin with free live chat for one agent. Paid plans available.

Facebook Messenger – Free integration to use Facebook Messenger for chat.

When choosing a plugin, consider factors like:

– Features needed – Do you just need live chat or other conversation options too?

– Number of agents – Will multiple people respond to chats?

– Customization – Can you tweak the chat box design and options?

– Price – Free or paid subscriptions available?

– Ratings and user experience – What do user reviews say about the plugin?

– Support – Is installation/technical help available if needed?

Take some time to review the options and choose a click to chat plugin that best fits your website needs. The most popular free plugin with robust features is WPClickToChat.

Installing and Activating the Plugin

Once you’ve chosen your click to chat plugin, it’s time to install and activate it in WordPress. Here are the steps:

1. Log into your WordPress dashboard and go to Plugins > Add New.

2. Search for the name of the click to chat plugin you want to use. For example, “WPClickToChat”.

3. Click the Install Now button when you’ve found the right plugin.

4. After installation, click Activate to activate the plugin.

This will install the plugin’s files and make it available in your WordPress site. Make sure to also install any companion apps or extensions if required by the specific chat plugin.

Some plugins may require getting an account or signing up after installation. Follow any additional setup instructions from the plugin vendor.

Setting Up and Configuring the Plugin

With the plugin installed, you can now configure its settings and options before adding it to your site. Here are some tips for setting up your click to chat plugin:

– **Connect user accounts** – Add or connect the agent accounts that will receive and respond to chat messages. Most plugins require at least one account be set up.

– **Set availability** – Configure online/offline hours and statuses for your chat agents. Make sure to set times when chat will be monitored.

– **Customize design** – Tweak the chat box colors, themes, position, and other design elements to match your site.

– **Set up email/offline chat** – If supported, configure email and offline message options so you can follow up with visitors even when chat is offline.

– **Mobile chat settings** – Adjust mobile options like responsive sizing, iOS/Android apps, and chat shortcuts for mobile visitors.

– **Integration with other tools** – Set up any integrations with CRM, analytics, messaging platforms, etc.

– **Notifications and sound** – Enable desktop, email and push notifications when new chats arrive so agents can respond promptly.

Be sure to review the full plugin documentation to take advantage of all available settings and features for customizing your click to chat experience.

Adding the Chat to Your Website

Once configured, it’s time to display the click to chat plugin on your website. There are a couple ways to add the chat to pages:

**1. Add the widget to a sidebar/widget area**

Most chat plugins include widgets that can be added to sidebars, footer widgets, etc. Just go to the Widgets section in your WordPress dashboard and look for the chat plugin widget.

Drag and drop the widget into an available sidebar or widgetized area. The chat will now be displayed in that section of your site.

**2. Place the shortcode on a page**

Many plugins provide shortcodes that can be added into a page or post content. For example:

“`
[wpclicktochat]
“`

Add this shortcode to display the chat window within any page or post. You can also add HTML and CSS to customize the shortcode output.

**3. Use the template code**

Your chat plugin may provide template code snippets that can be placed in theme template files. This allows inserting the chat exactly where you want it in theme headers, footers, etc.

Just copy the snippet and paste into the desired .php template file, then refresh to view the changes. Chats added via template code will display site-wide.

With the widget, shortcode or template code added, your click to chat feature will now be live on your WordPress site!

Using Click to Chat on Mobile

You’ll also want to make sure your click to chat plugin is optimized for mobile visitors. Here are some tips:

– Make sure the chat display adapts and responds well on mobile screens. Check how it looks on smartphones and tablets.

– If available, install companion iOS and Android apps so visitors can chat from mobile devices.

– Add a fixed position option so the chat floats on mobile screens as users scroll.

– Enable push notifications so mobile users get alerted to new messages when the browser is closed.

– Provide a click-to-call button to instantly connect site visitors with a phone call from mobile.

– Set up quick response shortcuts, canned messages, and a FAQ so agents can respond faster on mobile.

– Make sure offline/email messages are enabled so users can still contact you from mobile when live chat is offline.

Optimize your workflow for mobile so chat conversations with visitors are easy and convenient, whether on desktop or mobile devices.

Using Click to Chat for Sales and Support

Click to chat plugins also provide an excellent channel for directly communicating with customers for sales and support needs. Some tips:

– **Sales** – Add offers or promos into chat messages. Enable email capture to follow up with interested leads. Direct users to product pages for more info.

– **Support** – Provide real-time answers to support questions. Add FAQs into canned responses. Gather feedback for improving your products/services.

– **Setup quick responses** – Write canned messages with greetings, common answers, contact info, and other details to speed up response time.

– **Be proactive** – Don’t just wait for messages. Greet visitors proactively and offer quick help.

– **Track conversations** – Use chat history and reporting to review conversations and improve processes.

– **Follow up** – Send email or messages after chat to keep conversations going or check in on customers.

With some preparation, click to chat can provide enormous value in directly engaging customers to drive sales and provide stellar support.

Troubleshooting Common Click to Chat Issues

If you run into any problems getting your click to chat plugin running smoothly, here are some common issues and fixes:

– **Chat box not showing up** – Clear caches and plugin conflicts. Check shortcode or widget placement. Try a different theme.

– **Messages not sending** – Make sure accounts are connected properly. Confirm webhooks and APIs are configured correctly.

– **Not receiving messages** – Check notifications settings. Look for messages marked as spam. Make sure accounts are online.

– **Chat looks broken on mobile** – Test on multiple devices. Enable mobile-specific settings. Add custom CSS for mobile screens.

– **Chats disappearing** – Increase server resources if overloaded. Enable message history. Check for JavaScript conflicts on pages.

– **Plugins conflicting** – Try temporarily disabling other plugins to isolate issue. Remove and reinstall chat plugin if needed.

– **Still not working!** – Contact the plugin support team for troubleshooting help if needed.

Properly configured, most click to chat plugins work very reliably. But issues can come up with certain themes, hosts, or configurations. Some tweaking and troubleshooting may be required to get everything running smoothly.

Conclusion

Installing a click to chat plugin is a great way to instantly add live chat and messaging to your WordPress site. Plugins like WPClickToChat make the process easy and straightforward.

Just install, activate and configure the plugin, choose where to display the chat box, and connect agent accounts. With some customization and optimization for sales, support and mobile, you can deliver an excellent chat experience for customers. Address any issues that come up using best troubleshooting practices.

Chat plugins connect you to website visitors in real-time, leading to more engagement, sales and happy customers. With numerous options to consider, you can choose a click to chat plugin that best fits the needs and budget of your WordPress site.