What It Is
A live chat widget is the little chat bubble you often see in the corner of a website. Clicking it opens a message window where visitors can ask questions without calling or filling out a form. Replies come from a team member using an app or dashboard, or from an automated assistant that answers common questions. Most chat tools are added to a site with a short snippet of code or a plugin.
Why It Matters for Your Business
Chat helps when visitors are close to a decision but have one question left. Someone looking at a roofing company’s site at lunch might ask whether the company works in their suburb. A quick answer can turn that visit into a quote request. Chat also captures the visitor’s contact details, so you can follow up if you cannot reply right away.
Good to Know
Common mistake: adding chat and then not staffing it. An unanswered chat feels worse than no chat. Set office hours, show an away message with an email or form outside those hours, and route messages to a phone app so replies are fast. Also check that the widget does not slow your pages or cover buttons on mobile.