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Proactive message: get visitors' attention before they open the chat

Anna P Updated by Anna P

A proactive message is a short message that pops up above the chat launcher on your website a few seconds after the page loads, so visitors notice your agent before they open it. Turn it on and write it in Launch > Embed into your website, then publish the agent. Your visitors see it the next time they load the page.

Where does the proactive message show?

The proactive message shows only on a website where your agent is embedded as a Webchat, with either Webchat type:

● Floating: the chat opens in a window in the corner of the page.

● Overlay: the chat opens as a modal over the page.

The proactive message doesn't show when the agent is embedded as Full page or Embed, or on its share link. In those, the chat is already open, so there's nothing for the message to point to.

Embed into your website settings with Webchat selected, launcher type Bubble and webchat type Floating
The builder's Preview doesn't show the proactive message. To see it, publish the agent and open a page where it's embedded as a Webchat.

How to turn on the proactive message

To turn on the proactive message, switch it on in the agent's Launch settings and publish:

1️⃣ Open your agent and go to Launch > Embed into your website.

2️⃣ Under How do you want to display it?, select Webchat.

3️⃣ Under Advanced embedding options, turn on Proactive message.

4️⃣ Write the message in the Messages card, and set Seconds until the proactive message is sent.

5️⃣ Click APPLY CHANGES, then Publish.

APPLY CHANGES alone doesn't update your website. Visitors see a new or changed proactive message only after you Publish the agent.

How to write the proactive message

Write the proactive message in the Messages card under Advanced embedding options. It's the one line visitors read before they decide to open the chat, so keep it short and give them a reason to click, like an offer or a question about what they came for.

The proactive message is separate from your agent's flow. Clicking it opens the chat, and the conversation starts from the agent's greeting, not from the proactive message.

In this example, a bakery, Crumb & Co., uses its agent's proactive message to promote croissant pre-orders:

● Proactive message: "Fresh croissants until 11 am 🥐 Want to pre-order a box?"

● Seconds until the proactive message is sent: 5

Proactive message switched on with a 5-second delay and the message "Fresh croissants until 11 am, want to pre-order a box?"

On the Crumb & Co. website, the proactive message pops up above the brown launcher 5 seconds after the page loads:

Bakery website with the proactive message "Fresh croissants until 11 am" above a brown chat launcher

A visitor who clicks the Crumb & Co. proactive message gets the chat open at the agent's greeting, "Hi, welcome to Crumb & Co. 🥐 Our croissants come out of the oven every morning until 11 am. How can we help?":

The proactive message appears on the bakery website and opens the chat at the agent's greeting when clicked

How to change when the proactive message appears

To change when the proactive message appears, set Seconds until the proactive message is sent in Launch > Embed into your website > Advanced embedding options. The proactive message pops up that many seconds after your website finishes loading:

● 0 (the default): right after the page loads.

● 5: 5 seconds after the page loads, as in the Crumb & Co. example.

A short delay catches visitors early. A longer one gives them time to look around first, so the message lands when they may be wondering where to start.

How often do visitors see the proactive message?

How often a visitor sees the proactive message depends on the agent's Second visit setting, in Settings > General:

● Always start a new conversation (the default for new agents): the proactive message shows every time the visitor loads the page, even after they've chatted.

● Always continue the conversation: the proactive message stops showing once the visitor has had a conversation with the agent.

Second Visit Settings explains when to use each option.

Do you need to copy the embed code again after a change?

No, the embed code on your website stays the same when you change the proactive message, its delay or the Second visit setting. The code only points to your agent's published settings, so the change reaches your website as soon as you apply it and Publish the agent.

How to change the launcher under the proactive message

To change the launcher that sits under the proactive message, go to Design > Layout > Launcher icon and pick its style:

● Bubble + icon: the icon inside a colored bubble. Pick the color in Bubble color.

● Icon: the icon on its own, with no bubble.

To use your own image, upload it in Icon. Result shows the launcher as visitors will see it, so you can check it before you click APPLY and Publish. For more ways to style the launcher and the chat window, see Widget customizations with JavaScript and CSS.

The Crumb & Co. agent uses Bubble + icon with a warm brown Bubble color that matches the bakery's website:

Launcher icon settings with Bubble + icon selected, a brown bubble color and a preview of the launcher
The proactive message has no avatar: it shows as a text bubble above the launcher. Logo Image, in Design > Layout > Header, changes the logo in the chat's header, not the proactive message.

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