What Is Social Chat? #
Social Chat is a lightweight, user-friendly WordPress plugin that lets you add chat buttons for popular messaging apps (WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber, Signal, LINE, iMessage, and SMS) to your website. Visitors can start a chat with your team directly from your site – no extra steps, no third-party accounts required.
You can install Social Chat in two ways:
- Download it from our Add-ons page and upload it as a regular WordPress plugin.
- Install it directly from the Add-ons page inside Easy Social Share Buttons for WordPress. Learn how to install and activate add-ons here (includes a video guide).
Most features are available for free, with advanced options marked as Pro for users who need more flexibility.
Getting Started #
After activating Social Chat, you’ll find a new menu item called Social Chat in your WordPress admin dashboard. Here, you can manage everything in four simple tabs:
- Display – Control where and how chat widgets appear on your site.
- Chat Widgets – Design and configure your chat buttons (floating or inline).
- Operators – Add your team members and their messaging app details.
- Options – Import, export, or reset your settings.
Recommended Workflow #
- Start with Operators – Add your team members (name, platform, contact details, avatar, etc.).
- Create a Widget – Choose a widget style (e.g., floating button, popup, or direct chat link) and assign operators to it.
- Set Up Display Rules – Decide where the widget appears: automatically on specific pages, via shortcode, or on WooCommerce pages.
Setting Up Operators #
Operators are the team members your visitors can chat with. Each operator can be configured with a name, role, messaging app, contact details, and more.
How to Add an Operator #
- Go to the Operators tab in Social Chat.
- Click Add Operator.
- Fill in the details (see below for field descriptions).
- Click Save All Operators.
Operator Fields Explained #
| Field | Description | Required |
|---|---|---|
| Name | The display name shown to visitors (e.g., “John Doe”). | Yes |
| Role / Title | Job title (e.g., “Support Agent” or “Sales Manager”). | No |
| Platform | Messaging app (WhatsApp, Viber, Telegram, Signal, LINE, iMessage, or SMS). | Yes |
| Phone / Username | Phone number or username for the selected platform (e.g., +1234567890 for WhatsApp). | Yes |
| Default Message | Pre-filled message when a chat starts. Use {{title}} and {{url}} as placeholders for the page title and URL. | No |
| Avatar URL | Link to an image for the operator’s avatar. Leave empty to show their initials. | No |
| Status Text | Custom text shown next to the operator (e.g., “Available” or “Ask me anything!”). | No |
| Availability | Controls when the operator is visible (see below). | Yes |
Availability Modes #
| Mode | Free | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Always Online | Yes | Yes |
| Always Offline | No | Yes |
| Follow Schedule | No | Yes |
Pro Features for Availability:
- Set a weekly schedule for each operator (e.g., 9 AM–5 PM, Monday to Friday).
- Assign a timezone to each operator (GMT-12 to GMT+14).
- Enable Hide When Offline to hide the widget if all assigned operators are unavailable.
Free vs. Pro Limits #
| Limit | Free | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum Operators | 3 | Unlimited |
Creating Chat Widgets #
Widgets define how your chat buttons look and behave on the frontend. You can create floating buttons, popups, or inline elements.
How to Add a Widget #
- Go to the Chat Widgets tab.
- Click Add Widget.
- Choose a widget mode and configure its options.
- Click Save All Widgets.
Widget Modes #
| Mode | Description | Free | Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chat Popup (Same Network) | A floating button that opens a popup listing operators using the same messaging app (e.g., all WhatsApp operators). | Yes | Yes |
| Chat Popup (Different Networks) | A floating button that opens a popup with operators from different apps, each with a distinct accent color. | Yes | Yes |
| Direct Chat Button | A single button that links directly to one operator’s chat without a popup. | Yes | Yes |
| Operator Popup | A full popup interface with a welcome message, suggested replies, and an input field for visitors to start a chat. | Yes | Yes |
| Person Card | A styled card displaying one operator with their platform badge. | No | Yes |
| Person Card Group | Multiple person cards displayed inline or grouped together. | No | Yes |
Widget Settings #
General Settings (All Widgets) #
| Field | Description | Free | Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Widget Name | Internal name for identification (e.g., “Main Support Widget”). | Yes | Yes |
| Type | Choose between Floating (fixed position) or Static/Inline (placed in content). | Yes | Yes |
| Network | Filter operators by platform. “All / Auto” shows all assigned operators. | Yes | Yes |
| Button Shape | Round, Pill, Rounded Edges, or Square. | Yes | Yes |
| Button Label Type | Icon only or Icon + Label (e.g., “Chat with us”). | Yes | Yes |
| Button Text | Text shown when “Icon + Label” is selected. | Yes | Yes |
| Text Above Button | Small label displayed above the chat button (e.g., “Need help?”). | No | Yes |
| Default Message | Pre-filled message sent to the messenger. Supports {title} and {url} placeholders. | Yes | Yes |
| Entrance Animation | Subtle animation when the page loads. | Yes | Yes |
| Auto-open Chat | Automatically opens the chat popup after a set delay. | No | Yes |
| Auto-open Timeout | Number of seconds before the chat opens automatically. | No | Yes |
Operator Popup Settings #
Available when Operator Popup mode is selected.
| Field | Description | Free | Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Popup Title | Title displayed in the popup header (e.g., “Chat with Us”). | Yes | Yes |
| Popup Message | Subtitle or description shown below the title. | Yes | Yes |
| Default Message | Pre-filled message when a user sends a chat. | Yes | Yes |
| Welcome/Greeting Message | Message shown when the popup first opens (e.g., “How can we help you today?”). | No | Yes |
| Suggested Messages | Pre-defined reply buttons (one per line, e.g., “I have a question” or “Get a quote”). | No | Yes |
| Input Placeholder | Placeholder text in the message input field (e.g., “Type your message…”). | Yes | Yes |
| Popup Corner | Corner style: Default, Round, or Square. | Yes | Yes |
| Popup Operator | The operator assigned to receive messages from this popup. | Yes | Yes |
| Assigned Operators | Which operators appear in the popup. | Yes | Yes |
Person Card Settings (Pro Only) #
Available when Person Card or Person Card Group mode is selected.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Card Type | Choose between Default or Compact layout. |
| Direct Chat Operator | The operator linked to the card. |
| Display on Same Line | (Group only) Show cards horizontally instead of stacked. |
Free vs. Pro Limits #
| Limit | Free | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum Widgets | 1 | Unlimited |
Display Rules: Where and When Widgets Appear #
Display rules control where and when your chat widgets are shown. You can set up automatic placement, manual shortcode insertion, or WooCommerce-specific rules.
Display Types #
| Type | Description | Free | Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Automatic | Widget appears automatically on matching pages (e.g., entire site or specific post types). | Yes | Yes |
| Manual | Widget is placed via shortcode: [essb_chat display="display_id"]. | Yes | Yes |
| WooCommerce | Widget appears on WooCommerce pages (shop, product, cart, checkout). | Yes | Yes |
Automatic Display Settings #
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Location Type | Choose between Entire Website or Selected Locations. |
| Locations | If “Selected Locations” is chosen, pick specific pages (e.g., Homepage, Posts, or custom post types). |
| Exclude URLs | Add URL fragments (one per line). If the current page URL contains any of these, the widget is hidden. |
WooCommerce Display Settings #
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Floating Locations | Choose where the widget appears: Shop, Single Product, Checkout, or Cart. |
| Products from Category | Show the widget only on products from a specific category. |
| Static Locations | For inline widgets: Below Product Price or Below Product Description. |
| Exclude URLs | URL fragments to exclude (e.g., /checkout/pay/). |
Free vs. Pro Limits #
| Limit | Free | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum Display Rules | 1 | Unlimited |
Importing, Exporting, and Resetting Settings #
The Options tab lets you manage your Social Chat settings with three simple tools:
- Export Settings – Download a JSON file containing all your operators, widgets, and display rules. Useful for backups or transferring settings to another site.
- Import Settings – Upload a JSON file to restore or transfer settings. Note: This overwrites all current settings.
- Reset Everything – Permanently delete all Social Chat settings and start fresh.
All options are available in both Free and Pro versions.
Integrations #
Social Chat works seamlessly with other WordPress tools and platforms.
| Integration | Description | Free | Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shortcode | Use [essb_chat display="display_id"] to manually place widgets anywhere on your site. | Yes | Yes |
| Gutenberg Block | Add a “Social Chat Widget” block directly in the WordPress block editor. | No | Yes |
| Elementor Widget | Drag-and-drop widget for the Elementor page builder. | No | Yes |
| WooCommerce | Display chat buttons on shop, product, cart, and checkout pages. | Yes | Yes |
Using Shortcodes #
Automatic Display Shortcode #
To manually place a widget, use the following shortcode:
[essb_chat display="display_id"]Replace display_id with the ID of your display rule. You can find the display ID in the Display tab—each rule includes its shortcode with the correct ID.
Important: Shortcodes can only be used to display widgets set to Manual display type. If the widget is set to Automatic, it will not appear via shortcode. The shortcode can be copied directly from the widget settings for convenience.
Customizing Frontend Styling #
Social Chat automatically loads its CSS and JavaScript files when needed. Assets are enqueued in the following cases:
- An automatic or WooCommerce display rule matches the current page.
- A page contains the
[essb_chat]shortcode. - A page contains the Gutenberg block (Pro only).
Key CSS Classes #
Use these classes to customize the appearance of your chat widgets via your theme’s CSS:
| Class | Purpose |
|---|---|
.essb-ctc-widget | Main widget container. |
.essb-ctc-btn | Chat button. |
.essb-ctc-round | Round button shape. |
.essb-ctc-pill | Pill-shaped button. |
.essb-ctc-rounded | Button with rounded edges. |
.essb-ctc-rect | Square button shape. |
.essb-ctc-btn-mode-icon | Icon-only button mode. |
.essb-ctc-btn-mode-icon-label | Button with icon + label. |
.essb-ctc-floating | Floating widget position. |
.essb-ctc-inline | Inline/static widget position. |
.essb-ctc-popup | Chat popup container. |
.essb-ctc-operator | Operator item in the popup. |
.essb-ctc-person | Person card (Pro only). |
.essb-ctc-powered | “Powered by” link (Free version only). |
Frequently Asked Questions #
Which messaging apps are supported? #
Social Chat supports WhatsApp, Viber, Telegram, Signal, LINE, iMessage, and SMS.
Is Social Chat GDPR compliant? #
Yes! The plugin does not set cookies, track users, or store personal data. All chat links open directly in the messaging app, so no user data is processed by your website.
Can I set business hours for my operators? #
Yes, but this is a Pro feature. The Pro version includes:
- Per-operator weekly schedules (e.g., 9 AM–5 PM, Monday to Friday).
- Timezone support for each operator.
- Hide When Offline option to hide widgets if all assigned operators are unavailable.
Free vs. Pro Comparison #
Below is a detailed comparison of the features available in the Free and Pro versions of Social Chat.
Operators #
| Feature | Free | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Number of operators | 3 max | Unlimited |
| Operator avatar & role | ✅ | ✅ |
| Availability: Always Online | ✅ | ✅ |
| Availability: Always Offline | ❌ | ✅ |
| Availability: Follow Schedule | ❌ | ✅ |
| Weekly schedule with timezone | ❌ | ✅ |
| Hide widget when operator is offline | ❌ | ✅ |
Widgets #
| Feature | Free | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Number of widgets | 1 | Unlimited |
| Floating & static/inline widgets | ✅ | ✅ |
| Chat popup (same network) | ✅ | ✅ |
| Chat popup (different networks) | ✅ | ✅ |
| Operator popup | ✅ | ✅ |
| Direct chat button | ✅ | ✅ |
| Person card | ❌ | ✅ |
| Person card group | ❌ | ✅ |
| Button shapes (round, pill, rounded, square) | ✅ | ✅ |
| Button label types (icon / icon+label) | ✅ | ✅ |
| Text above button | ❌ | ✅ |
| Auto-open chat (with timeout) | ❌ | ✅ |
| Entrance animation | ✅ | ✅ |
Operator Popup #
| Feature | Free | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome / greeting message | ❌ | ✅ |
| Suggested reply messages | ❌ | ✅ |
| Custom input placeholder | ✅ | ✅ |
| Popup corner style | ✅ | ✅ |
Display Rules #
| Feature | Free | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Number of display rules | 1 | Unlimited |
| Automatic (entire site) | ✅ | ✅ |
| Automatic (selected locations) | ✅ | ✅ |
| Manual shortcode | ✅ | ✅ |
| WooCommerce display rules | ✅ | ✅ |
| Exclude URLs | ✅ | ✅ |
Integrations & Extras #
| Feature | Free | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Shortcode support | ✅ | ✅ |
| Gutenberg block | ❌ | ✅ |
| Elementor widget | ❌ | ✅ |
| Export / Import settings | ✅ | ✅ |
| GDPR ready (no cookies, no tracking) | ✅ | ✅ |