Most of your visitors already use WhatsApp every day to talk with friends and family. So giving them that same simple way to reach your business just makes sense. When contacting you feels as easy as sending a quick message, people are far more likely to reach out.
On my own WordPress websites, I’ve seen that visitors aren’t always ready to fill out a form or make a phone call. Sometimes they just need a moment to think, compare options, or feel more comfortable before taking the next step.
That’s where WhatsApp helps. A chat widget gives them a friendly, low-pressure way to start a conversation, and it usually leads to more engagement.
In this guide, I’ll show you how to add a WhatsApp click-to-chat widget to your WordPress site in five simple steps. It’s an easy way to start more conversations and keep them going even after visitors leave. 📲
TL;DR: The easiest way to add a click-to-chat WhatsApp widget in WordPress is with WPChat. This plugin seamlessly connects your WordPress website with your WhatsApp account, along with other messaging platforms like Telegram and Facebook Messenger.
Why Add a Click-to-Chat WhatsApp Widget to Your WordPress Site?
Adding a click-to-chat WhatsApp widget to your WordPress site makes it easy for visitors to contact you instantly. With just one click or tap, users can reach you directly on WhatsApp – one of the world’s most popular chat and messaging apps.
This immediate, familiar way to communicate can help build trust and encourage people to connect. Since many people already use WhatsApp daily, giving them this option feels natural and convenient.
Here are some benefits of connecting WhatsApp and WordPress for user communication:
- ⚡ Faster responses – Visitors get instant access to chat instead of waiting hours or days for email replies.
- 🧑💻 Personal touch – Direct messaging feels more natural than filling out contact forms or sending formal emails.
- 📈 Increased engagement – When visitors know they can get quick help, they’re more likely to reach out and stay connected with your brand.
Plus, I’ve found that real-time chat significantly improves user engagement across many different websites.
Depending on the type of website you run, a WhatsApp widget can help in different ways. Let’s see a few examples:
| Website Type | How a Click-to-Chat WhatsApp Button Helps |
|---|---|
| Online Store | Answer product questions instantly, helping customers make faster buying decisions. |
| Service Business | Let customers book consultations or appointments on the spot. |
| Event Organizers | Handle last-minute questions about registrations, schedules, or logistics. |
| Support Teams | Troubleshoot issues in real time instead of going back and forth through email. |
Overall, this works much like a live chat feature, but WhatsApp has the added benefit of being an app your visitors already use every day.
Now, let’s walk you through the steps to add a click-to-chat WhatsApp widget in WordPress.
Here’s a quick overview of all the things I’ll cover in this guide:
- Step 1: Installing and Activating the WPChat Plugin
- Step 2: Setting Up the WPChat Plugin
- Step 3: Customizing Your Click-to-Chat WhatsApp Button
- Step 4: Configuring the WhatsApp Button Visibility Settings
- Step 5: Adding Chat Agents
- Step 6: Adding FAQs to the Chat Widget (Optional)
- Bonus Tip: Adding WhatsApp Share Buttons in WordPress
- FAQs: Adding a Click-to-Chat Button in WordPress
- Next Steps for Using Social Media and Chat Features in WordPress
Step 1: Installing and Activating the WPChat Plugin
In this guide, I’m going to use WPChat, which is the best and easiest-to-use chat plugin for WordPress.
It connects your WordPress website directly to your customers’ favorite messaging apps, including WhatsApp. This way, you can keep the conversation going even after they leave your site.
For more information about the plugin, see our complete WPChat review.
First, you’ll need to create your WPChat account.
On the WPChat website, click the ‘Get WPChat Now’ button to start the signup process. From there, choose your plan and complete the checkout.
📝 Note: I’m using WPChat Pro because it includes all the color palettes, FAQ features, and multiple agent support. However, there’s also a free WPChat version you can install and activate on WordPress.
After you register, you’ll get access to your WPChat dashboard, where you can find your license key. You’ll need this later to upgrade the free WPChat plugin inside WordPress.
With your account ready, go to Plugins » Add New Plugin in your WordPress admin area.
Next, type “WPChat” in the search box and press ‘Enter’ to quickly find it.
Once you find the WPChat plugin, click the ‘Install Now’ button next to it. After the installation completes, click the ‘Activate’ button to enable the plugin on your site.
For more detailed instructions, you can check out our beginner’s guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.
Step 2: Setting Up the WPChat Plugin
Once WPChat is activated, it will open the main configuration page where you can set up your WhatsApp integration.
First, enter your business phone number in the configuration field.
Make sure to use the phone number associated with your WhatsApp account so visitors can reach you directly. Remember also to enter the correct country code for your WhatsApp account.
Next, you’ll want to select a theme for your chat button.
WPChat offers three options to match different website styles:
- Basic – A clean look that works well with most WordPress themes.
- Night – A dark theme perfect for modern websites.
- Pastel – Soft colors that create a friendly appearance.
I recommend choosing a theme that complements your existing brand design. For example, if your site uses darker colors or has a sleek, modern feel, the Night theme would fit naturally.
That said, you can always change it later if you want to try a different style or match seasonal design updates. This is similar to how you might add dark mode to your website for a better user experience.
Now, you need to choose where the click-to-chat button will appear on your WordPress website.
WPChat lets you choose from two main options for button placement:
- Display on all pages – Launch the click-to-chat button right after setup and show it across your entire site.
- Don’t display on any pages – Keep the chat assistant hidden while you finish setting things up.
I recommend showing the button on every page to maximize visibility. But if you don’t want to go live immediately, you can pick the other option and change it later once you’ve finished customizing your click-to-chat button.
After that, you’ll see an additional features page.
You can skip this for now, as you can always upgrade your plan later if you need it.
Now, you’ll get to the final setup step, where you’ll see a review of all the things you’ve configured during the process.
And if you scroll down, you’ll find a field to enter and verify your license key. Go ahead and type in your key if you signed up for WPChat Pro.
Don’t forget to click the ‘Complete Setup’ button to save your settings.
Step 3: Customizing Your Click-to-Chat WhatsApp Button
After configuring your visibility settings, you’ll be redirected to the WPChat dashboard inside your WordPress admin area.
Let’s click on the ‘Customise’ button to access the live editor. This is where you can adjust the appearance of your WhatsApp chat widget to match your site’s design.
In the customization panel, you can modify the color palette, header settings, and more.
Here’s what the visual editor looks like, as well as all the customization options:
Let’s explore them from top to bottom.
WPChat offers five color presets that you can choose from. Alternatively, you can create a custom palette that perfectly matches your site’s color scheme.
Next, you can set a welcoming header message that appears when visitors interact with the widget. I recommend using something friendly and inviting, like “We’re here to help!” or “Chat with us now!”
You can also use this space to set expectations, such as “We typically reply within an hour.” This simple message lets visitors know you’re ready to assist and when they can expect a response.
This header message is your first impression, similar to how you’d craft a call-to-action button. It should make visitors feel comfortable reaching out and let them know you’re ready to assist.
🧑💻 Pro Tip: The right header message can encourage more people to start a conversation. Keep it short, clear, and action-oriented so that visitors know exactly what to expect when they click.
After that, you can select an icon for your click-to-chat button to match your site’s style.
Lastly, WPChat also lets you pick an assistant avatar from 6 built-in options.
That said, you can upload a photo, too, if you want the chat to feel more personal and aligned with your brand.
Just click the ‘Add Your Own’ button to open the file uploader.
When you’re done, you can go ahead and hit ‘Save.’
Step 4: Configuring the WhatsApp Button Visibility Settings
If you want more control, WPChat includes built-in filters that let you include or exclude the button from specific pages, categories, or tags. This is helpful if you only want the chat button on product pages or blog posts, for example.
I find it works best to show the chat button on pages where visitors are most likely to have questions. For instance, on a sales page, customers might want quick answers before making a purchase decision.
To set this up, go to WPChat » Visibility in your WordPress admin dashboard.
On the next screen, you’ll see two choices: show the button everywhere or only on specific pages.
Let’s look at ‘Display only on specific pages’ first.
After that, you can click the ‘+ Add Page’ button.
Here, I set it up for my Shop page.
Alternatively, you can select the ‘Display on all pages’ option.
This is a good choice if you want the chat button to be visible everywhere, so visitors can reach you on any page.
Even with this option, you can still exclude the widget from certain pages. For example, you might hide it on your privacy policy page or terms and conditions page to keep the focus on the important legal text.
Simply click the ‘+’ button and select on which pages, categories, tags, or custom post types you want to disable the WhatsApp click-to-chat button.
Once you’ve configured your visibility settings, you can click the ‘Save Changes’ button to keep your configuration.
Step 5: Adding Chat Agents
To manage who can respond to the WhatsApp messages, navigate to WPChat » Agents in your WordPress dashboard. This section lets you set up individual team members who will handle customer conversations.
From here, let’s click on the ‘Edit’ button next to an existing agent to customize their profile.
On the next screen, you’ll see a prompt to add your profile picture.
I’ve found that showing real team members with photos makes the chat experience feel more personal and trustworthy. Visitors are more likely to reach out when they see an actual person rather than a generic icon or gravatar.
Simply click the button to upload a profile picture, then use the file uploader to select an existing file or add a new one.
Next, you can enter the agent’s name so visitors know who they’re chatting with.
For example, here I included the name of the agent and my company name.
Under ‘Agent Name,’ you’ll find fields to connect to other messaging apps, including Telegram, Facebook Messenger, and Instagram.
If you also use these platforms for customer communication, you can enter your contact details here. If not, simply leave them blank and click ‘Save’ to store your changes.
You can even add new agents as your team grows.
Simply click the ‘New Agent’ button to add another agent and fill in their details the same way you did for the first one.
🧑💻 Pro Tip: If different team members handle specific types of inquiries from their own devices, you can enter the WhatsApp number for each agent. This way, sales questions can go to your sales team, while support issues route to your customer service staff.
From here, feel free to add as many agents as you need. Once you’re done, you’ll see all of them listed on the Agents page, like this:
After setting up your agents, you can configure individual availability times so chats are automatically routed to the right person when they’re online.
To do this, you can edit an agent’s details by clicking on the ‘Edit’ button.
On the next screen, you can set their working hours – including the specific days and times they’re available.
Just make sure to click ‘Save Changes’ when you’re finished.
When an agent is offline, you can decide how the chat widget should behave. You can either:
- Show your regular business hours, or
- Route new clicks to another available agent so customers still get help.
To configure this, click ‘Agent Settings’ at the top of the ‘Agents’ page.
On the next screen, the first step is to enable ‘Timings.’
After that, you’ll see settings for displaying business hours and redirecting chats. For this tutorial, I’ll select ‘Redirect to an off-hours agent.’
Simply use the dropdown menu to choose which agent should receive chats when someone is unavailable.
Once you’ve set up all your agents and their schedules, click ‘Save Changes.’
Step 6: Adding FAQs to the Chat Widget (Optional)
At this point, your WhatsApp click-to-chat button is good to go. But if you want to give visitors quick answers before they even have to message you, you can add an FAQ section to the widget.
For example, an online store might add FAQs about shipping or delivery times, while a service-based business, such as a salon or repair service, could list its operating hours, pricing, or how long it typically takes to respond.
It’s a simple way to reduce repetitive questions and help visitors get the information they need faster.
To set this up, go to WPChat » Frequent Questions in your WordPress dashboard. Then, click ‘Add Question’ to create a new FAQ entry.
On the next screen, you’ll see the visual editor.
Just type your question into the ‘Question’ field and write a short, helpful answer in the ‘Answer’ field. As you type, the live preview on the right shows exactly how it will look on your site.
If you want to add a screenshot or image to make things clearer, go ahead and click the ‘Image’ icon.
This opens the file uploader so you can attach a photo or diagram to your FAQ.
When everything looks good, click ‘Save Changes’.
Once your first FAQ is published, adding more is easy.
Just click ‘New Question’ and repeat the process to grow your FAQ library. All your questions will appear in a table on the ‘Frequent Questions’ page.
📝 Note: Frequent Questions uses AI Smart Search to ensure users find answers even if they don’t use exact keywords. However, note that this feature uses AI credits (tokens), and once you run out, the search reverts to basic keyword matching.
From there, you can:
- Edit – Update the text or replace images.
- Clone – Duplicate a similar question so you don’t start from scratch.
- Delete – Remove FAQs you no longer need.
Your FAQ widget is now ready to help visitors find answers on their own and cut down on support messages. You can come back any time to add new questions or reorganize things as your business grows.
Now, when you visit your WordPress site, your WhatsApp widget is ready to receive messages and display helpful FAQs to your visitors.
Bonus Tip: Adding WhatsApp Share Buttons in WordPress
While the click-to-chat button helps visitors reach you directly, adding a WhatsApp share button makes it simple for visitors to share your blog posts, products, or pages with their friends and family.
This can help increase your content’s reach and bring more traffic to your site.
To add WhatsApp share buttons to your website, you can use the free Sassy Social Share plugin. Once configured, you can display it automatically on all posts and pages, or add it only to specific content using a shortcode.
I recommend placing WhatsApp share buttons where they’ll be most used.
For example, at the end of blog posts where readers have just finished your content, in your sidebar for easy access from any page, or on product pages to encourage customers to share items with friends.
For details, you can refer to our guide on how to add WhatsApp share buttons in WordPress.
FAQs: Adding a Click-to-Chat Button in WordPress
To help you even further, here are some frequently asked questions about adding a click-to-chat button in WordPress:
How do I add a WhatsApp chat button to WordPress?
You can add a WhatsApp chat button to WordPress by installing the WPChat plugin, entering your WhatsApp phone number in the settings, and customizing the button’s appearance and placement on your site.
How do I add a chat box to my website?
To add a chat box to your website, you can use a chat plugin like WPChat or a live chat solution like LiveChat. You’ll only need to configure it with your contact details, customize the look and feel, and choose where you want the chat box to appear on your pages.
How do I add a chat box using HTML?
Adding a chat box using HTML requires inserting WhatsApp’s click-to-chat link code directly into your theme files or using a custom HTML widget. Using a plugin like WPChat is much easier and doesn’t require coding knowledge.
Is a click-to-chat button better than a click-to-chat link?
Yes, a click-to-chat button is generally better than a simple link because it stays visible as visitors scroll through your site. This makes it easier for them to reach out at any time without having to search for contact information.
Does adding a WhatsApp chat widget affect my site’s privacy policy?
When a visitor uses the chat widget, they will share their phone number with you via WhatsApp. It’s always a good practice to be transparent about how you handle user data. You may want to ensure your website’s privacy policy mentions that you offer support via third-party apps like WhatsApp and that conversations take place on their platform.
Next Steps for Using Social Media and Chat Features in WordPress
Next, you might want to explore other ways to boost engagement and connect with your audience through social media and communication tools.
Here are some helpful tutorials to enhance your WordPress site’s social features:
- How to Add Social Share Buttons in WordPress
- How to Add a Facebook Like Button in WordPress
- How to Add Twitter Share and Retweet Button in WordPress
- How I Show Google, Facebook, and Yelp Reviews in WordPress
- The Easy Way to Embed TripAdvisor Reviews in WordPress
- How to Create Chat Rooms in WordPress for Your Users
- Best Live Chat Software for Small Business Compared
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