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Proactive Messages with Triggers on Your Website

Engaging visitors with timely and relevant messages can significantly enhance the user experience on your website and your conversion rate. By setting up triggers, you can proactively send messages based on specific actions performed by your visitors. This guide will walk you through creating triggers within your AI Assistant dashboard, providing practical examples to help you understand how to effectively use this feature.

Accessing Trigger Settings​

To begin, navigate to the AI Assistant dashboard and locate the Settings tab. From there, find the Triggers tab. Here, you can define various rules for when and how your AI Assistant should initiate conversations with site visitors.

Understanding Trigger Types​

Triggers can be set based on a wide range of criteria, such as time spent on a page, specific actions (like clicks or mouseovers), or even the number of visits to the site. Below are detailed explanations and examples for each type of trigger:

1. User Actions Triggers​

Definition: Triggers a message when a specified event occurs on a targeted element.

Example: You want to send a message when a visitor clicks on a "Special Offers" section.

  • CSS Selector: .special-offers
  • Event Type: click
  • Action: Sends a message like "Looking for special offers? Here are some exclusive deals just for you!"

2. Query String In Url Triggers​

Definition: Activates a trigger based on specific query parameters in the URL.

Example: You wish to trigger a welcome message for visitors coming from a particular campaign.

  • Query Parameter: utm_campaign
  • Parameter Value: summer_sale
  • Action: Shows a message saying, "Welcome to our Summer Sale! How can I assist you today?"

3. Time on Page Triggers​

Definition: Sends a message after the visitor has spent a certain amount of time on a page.

Example: Engaging visitors who are spending time reading your blog.

  • Time: 60 seconds
  • Action: Displays a message like "Enjoying our articles? Subscribe to our newsletter for more updates!"

4. Number of Visits Triggers​

Definition: Triggers a message based on the total number of times a visitor has come to your site.

Example: Rewarding frequent visitors.

  • Number of Visits: 5
  • Action: "Thank you for visiting us again! Here's a 10% discount on your next purchase."

5. Browsing History Triggers​

Definition: Sends a message based on the visitor's browsing sequence or specific pages visited.

Example: Targeting visitors who checked out your services page and then pricing.

  • URL Sequence: Visits to /services followed by /pricing
  • Action: "Questions about our pricing? Let me help you with a personalized quote."

6. Device Type Triggers​

Definition: Tailors messages based on the device being used (desktop or mobile).

Example: Offering assistance to mobile users.

  • Device: Mobile
  • Action: "Navigating on mobile? Tap here for a quick guide to our site."

Creating a Trigger​

  1. Give yout Trigger a Name: set an unique name for your trigger to distinct them by the other triggers
  2. Set the Message: Choose the message you want to send by AI Assistant when the trigger conditions are met. You can configure also buttons that will be attached to the message for a better user experience
  3. Select the Trigger Type: Begin by choosing the type of trigger from the options provided, such as time on page, event listeners, or query strings.
  4. Define the Trigger Conditions: Depending on the trigger type, specify the conditions, like the CSS selector for an event listener or the time limit for a time-on-page trigger.

Other Options in Trigger Settings​

In addition to the main trigger configurations, there are a couple of advanced options that give you further control over how and when your proactive messages are displayed to your visitors. These options help in fine-tuning the interaction to avoid overwhelming your users and to simulate a more natural conversation flow. Below, we'll dive into what these options mean and how to use them effectively.

Minimum Time Between Story Activations by This Trigger​

Definition: This setting allows you to define a cooldown period between activations of the same trigger for an individual user. It's designed to prevent the trigger from firing too frequently, which could potentially annoy visitors with repetitive messages.

How It Works: Once a trigger activates and sends a message to a visitor, it will not activate again until the specified cooldown period has passed. This ensures that your messages remain helpful and relevant, rather than becoming a nuisance.

Practical Example: Suppose you have a trigger set up to offer assistance on your product page after a visitor has been there for 30 seconds. If the visitor navigates away and then returns to the product page, you might not want to immediately offer assistance again. Setting a minimum time between activations (e.g., 10 minutes) means the message will only reappear if the visitor spends another 30 seconds on the product page after at least 10 minutes have passed since the last activation.

Simulate User-Sent Message in Conversation​

Definition: This unique feature allows you to craft a message that appears in the chat as if it were sent by the user. This can create a more dynamic and engaging conversation flow, as it simulates the user taking an active role in the dialogue.

How It Works: When this option is enabled and configured, the AI Assistant will display the pre-defined message as though the user typed it themselves. Following this simulated user message, the AI Assistant can then respond according to its programming, creating an interactive exchange that can guide the user more effectively.

Practical Example: Let's say you want to prompt users to ask about your return policy without waiting for them to bring it up. You could set a trigger that, after a user has been on the FAQ page for a certain amount of time, simulates a user message like, "Can you tell me about your return policy?" The AI Assistant can then immediately respond with the return policy information, streamlining the user's experience and providing the information proactively.

Implementing These Options​

When setting up or editing a trigger, look for the sections labeled Minimum time between story activations by this trigger and Simulate user-sent message in conversation. Adjust these settings according to your specific needs to optimize the effectiveness of your AI Assistant's interactions with site visitors.

Remember, the goal of these options is to enhance the user experience by making interactions with your AI Assistant as helpful and natural as possible. Experiment with different settings to find the best balance for your website and audience.

Incremental Implementation Strategy​

Start by setting the triggers with a limited scope or on less critical pages to monitor how visitors respond. Gradually, as you refine the messages and triggers based on feedback and performance, expand their use across your site.

Example: Begin by implementing a time-on-page trigger on a blog post with a 30-second delay. Monitor engagement rates and tweak the message or delay as needed before applying similar triggers to other parts of your site.

Tips & Tricks for Optimizing AI Assistant Triggers​

Crafting engaging and helpful interactions with your AI Assistant involves not just understanding your audience but also leveraging the full capabilities of triggers. Here are some tips and tricks, including a guide for setting up test triggers, to help you refine your strategy and enhance user experience on your website.

Testing Before Going Live​

Why Test? Testing allows you to fine-tune the timing, messaging, and conditions of your triggers to ensure they meet your objectives without disrupting the user experience. By setting up test triggers, you can observe how they work in a controlled environment and make necessary adjustments before rolling them out to all users.

Setting Up a Test Trigger​

Using Query Parameters​

  1. Objective: Set up a trigger that activates only when a specific query parameter is present in the URL. This approach is ideal for testing how a trigger behaves under certain conditions without exposing it to all site visitors.

  2. Steps:

    • Navigate to the Triggers tab in your AI Assistant's dashboard.
    • Create a new trigger or edit an existing one.
    • In the trigger conditions, select Trigger if specific query string parameters are present in the URL.
    • Enter the query parameter you will use for testing, such as ?test_trigger=1, for Query Parameter you should set test_trigger and for Parameter Value you should set 1. When you navigate your site adding the parameter in url https://your-website.com?test_trigger=1 the proactive message will be sent
    • Configure the rest of your trigger settings according to what you wish to test.

  3. Testing:

    • To test the trigger, visit your site and append ?test_trigger=1 (or the parameter you chose) to the URL. For example, https://yourwebsite.com?test_trigger=1.
    • The trigger should activate under the conditions you've set, allowing you to evaluate its performance.

Targeting a Specific Page​

  1. Objective: Create a trigger that fires only on a specific page. This method is useful for testing triggers meant to enhance the user experience on particular sections of your website.

  2. Steps:

    • Within the trigger settings, choose Trigger based on browsing history.
    • Add the URL or path of the page you want to target.
    • Configure the trigger to activate based on the presence of that URL in the visitor's browsing history.

  3. Considerations:

    • Ensure the URL or path specified matches exactly with the page you intend to target.
    • This setup allows you to see how triggers perform on high-traffic pages or pages with specific user intents without affecting the entire site.

Additional Tips​

  • Keep It Relevant: Ensure your triggers are contextually relevant to the page or action. Irrelevant messages can deter users from engaging further.
  • Mind the Frequency: Use the Minimum time between story activations by this trigger setting to avoid bombarding users with repetitive messages.
  • Personalize When Possible: Tailor messages based on the user's journey. Use browsing history and device type conditions to customize interactions.
  • Gather Feedback: After testing, gather user feedback through surveys or analytics to understand the impact of your triggers on the user experience.

By incorporating these tips and strategically testing your triggers, you can create a more engaging and responsive website that anticipates and meets the needs of your visitors. Remember, the goal is to enhance the user experience and increase your conversion rate, so continuous testing and optimization are key to success.