Creating an SMS / Email Chat Widget

⏱️ 4-6 min

Build an Email and SMS chat widget, set up the chat window, save it, and know where messages land.

Step by step

Build it in four moves

This widget works like texting a friend. The visitor sends a message, and you answer when you can.

1

Pick the type

Click Search at the top of your screen and type Chat Widget, then open it. Click New and choose Email and SMS Chat.

2

Style the bubble

On the first tab, pick a theme, a chat icon, an avatar, and edit the welcome messages. Keep it friendly and short.

3

Set the chat window

Click the Chat Window tab. Set a title, write an intro message, and turn on the contact form fields you need.

4

Save and find the lead

Click Save at the top right. Messages from this widget show up in Conversations. Search for Conversations to reply.

Compare

Placement and starter text

Three small choices change how visitors meet your chat.

A bubble in the corner

Sticky floats the bubble in the corner of every page. It is the right pick for most people.

Chat inside the page

Embedded puts the chat right inside the page where you place it, instead of floating.

Starter text in the box

A prefilled message puts text in the message box, so the visitor does not face a blank screen.

Key terms

Definitions

Tap any term to expand it.

A widget type that sends visitor messages to your inbox as text or email conversations.
A placement that floats the chat bubble in the corner of every page.
A placement that puts the chat inside the page where you place it.
The part of the chat window where a visitor leaves their name and details.
Help me do it

Things To Do

Finish these before moving to the next lesson. They only take a few minutes.

0 of 3 done

⚡ Tips

  • Do not spend an hour on styling. Pick a theme, an icon, and one welcome line, then move on.
  • A real face or logo as the avatar makes people more willing to type.
  • A name plus a phone number or email is the heart of the contact form.
  • Search for Conversations to see where a message from this widget lands, and how it is labeled.
Check yourself

Quick Knowledge Check

Answer a few quick questions to lock in what you just learned. Miss one and we'll show you the right answer.

0 of 4 answered

What does the Email and SMS widget do with a visitor's message?

Which placement floats the bubble in the corner of every page?

An ____ placement puts the chat right inside the page where you place it.

After a visitor sends a message, you reply to it in ____.

Help me apply it

Try This With Your Favorite AI

Copy a prompt below and paste it into ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, or whatever AI tool you use. Fill in the bracketed details and it'll help you write your own version for your business.

✍️ Write my welcome and intro

You are a friendly web copywriter helping me write the short text for my Email and SMS chat widget. My context: - [my business and what I sell] - [how quickly I usually reply] - [the tone I like: casual, warm, or professional] Give me: - Three welcome message options under 12 words each - An intro message that tells visitors how I will reply - A chat window title under 4 words Use plain words and no pressure language. Finish by asking me: "Which welcome line sounds most like me?"

📝 Plan my contact form

You are an organized setup helper helping me decide which contact form fields to turn on. My context: - [my business] - [what I need to know to reply] - [whether I prefer to reply by text or email] Give me: - A short list of fields to turn on, and why - A suggested prefilled message for the box - A quick test checklist after I save Keep it to settings in the builder. Finish by asking me: "Which field do I need most to be able to reply?"

You built a widget that lets visitors reach you without a phone call. Go make one in your own account, and keep it simple. Next, you will build a live chat widget.