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Setting up Chat Triggers

Updated Oct 20, 20266 min read
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Chat triggers are proactive messages the website widget shows when a visitor matches the conditions you set. You configure them per live chat inbox: name, message and conditions (time on page, URL contains, returning visitor). On desktop the chat window opens with your message; on phones the launcher shows a badge instead. Used well, triggers turn passive browsers into active conversations; used badly, they're annoying. Restraint matters more than volume.

Introduction

Chat Triggers are proactive messages that appear to website visitors based on conditions you define. Instead of waiting for customers to start a conversation, triggers let you reach out at just the right moment. Welcoming new visitors, offering help on specific pages, or re-engaging users who have been browsing for a while. When configured thoughtfully, chat triggers can significantly boost engagement and reduce support response times.

Creating a Trigger

Follow these steps to set up your first chat trigger:

  1. Navigate to Settings > Inboxes, open your live chat inbox and switch to the Configuration tab. The Chat triggers section is there.
  2. Click "Add trigger" and give the trigger a name.
  3. Compose the message you want visitors to see. Keep it concise, friendly, and action-oriented.
  4. Under Conditions, set Time on page to control how many seconds after the page loads the message should appear. A new trigger starts with 20 seconds.
  5. Optionally, click Add condition and pick URL contains to show the trigger only on matching pages (for example, your pricing page or checkout flow), or Returning visitor: someone who opened your chat or wrote to you before, in the same browser. Visiting your site before without opening the chat does not count. Every condition has to match.
  6. Leave Show at most once per visit on, click Save chat triggers and verify the trigger by visiting your website in an incognito or private browser window.

Best-Practice Tips

  • Don't fire too early. A time on page of at least 5 to 10 seconds gives visitors time to orient themselves before a message pops up. Messages that appear instantly can feel intrusive.
  • Tailor the message to the page. A generic "How can we help?" works on a homepage, but on a product or pricing page you can be more specific. For example, "Have questions about our plans? We're happy to help."
  • Limit the number of triggers per session. Bombarding a visitor with multiple proactive messages across pages creates a poor experience. Start with one or two well-placed triggers and measure the results before adding more.
  • Review performance regularly. Check how often triggers lead to actual conversations and adjust wording, timing, or targeting as needed.

Common Pitfalls & Troubleshooting

  • Trigger not appearing: Make sure the Deskwoot chat widget is correctly installed on the page you are targeting and Trigger enabled is on. Triggers also pause while the visitor already has a conversation in the widget. Test in an incognito window to rule out browser caching issues.
  • Message shows on every page: Add a URL contains condition. Without one, the trigger fires on every page where the widget loads.
  • Delay feels too long or too short: Revisit the Time on page value. Consider the average time a visitor spends on the targeted page and adjust accordingly.

Frequently asked questions

Can I have multiple chat triggers active at the same time?
Yes. You can create several triggers (up to 20 per inbox) with different conditions. Just be mindful of visitor experience. Avoid stacking multiple triggers on the same page.
Will a trigger fire again if a visitor has already dismissed it?
With Show at most once per visit switched on, a trigger shows once per visit, even when the visitor opens more pages. With it off, the trigger can fire again on every page the visitor opens.
What conditions can I trigger on?
Three: Time on page (seconds), URL contains (the text appears anywhere in the page address, upper or lower case does not matter) and Returning visitor. Every condition of a trigger has to match. Other behaviour-based conditions you'll see in fancier tools (referrer matching, scroll depth, exit intent) aren't supported today.
How long should the delay be?
5 to 10 seconds is the standard sweet spot. Below 5s feels intrusive; above 30s, visitors have either bounced or gotten what they needed. Pricing pages can push to 20 to 30s since visitors spend longer there.
Will the trigger refire on every page load?
Not with Show at most once per visit switched on (the default for a new trigger): the trigger then shows once per visit. Switched off, it can fire again on every page the visitor opens, at most once per page. Multiple distinct triggers can each show.
How do I scope a trigger to specific pages?
Add a URL contains condition, for example /pricing, /blog or ?plan=pro. It matches when the text appears anywhere in the full page address, so a part of the path, a query parameter or a subdomain all work. Without a URL condition the trigger fires on every page where the widget loads.
Do triggers work on mobile?
Yes, wherever the chat widget loads. On phones the launcher shows a badge instead of opening the chat window over the page. Keep mobile messages short (one sentence, one call to action) since the chat takes up the whole screen once the visitor opens it.
Can I A/B test trigger copy?
Not natively. Workaround: create two triggers with similar conditions, ship both for a week, and look at which produces more replies in the inbox they target. There's no built-in split tester.
What metrics does Deskwoot track for triggers?
No dedicated trigger analytics dashboard today. To measure performance, count the new conversations that come in with the trigger-injected first message vs. the baseline. If trigger response volume matters to your business, file feedback so we can prioritise built-in stats.
How is this different from campaigns?
Chat triggers fire client-side on the widget for anonymous visitors based on the page they are on and their time on it. Campaigns are server-side broadcasts to a known contact list. Triggers reach people you don't know yet; campaigns reach people you already do.
Can I use placeholders like the visitor's name?
No. The widget shows the message exactly as you wrote it. Keep the copy generic. 'Welcome back' assumes a returning visitor (use the Returning visitor condition for that); 'Hi there' doesn't.
Will the trigger interrupt an active conversation?
No. Triggers pause while the visitor already has a conversation in the widget, and only one trigger message shows at a time. If the chat window is already open, the message waits in the chat without pulling the visitor away from an article they are reading.
Should I have a trigger on every page?
No. One or two well-placed triggers (pricing, checkout, key product page) outperform a dozen scattered ones. Less is more.

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