Step by Step Guide - How to build a chat website using Bubble

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The utter popularity of various messenger apps has seen an unprecedented rise since the pandemic. Also, easy access to the internet, the boom in smartphone production, and an explosion of mobile apps have led more users to join the bandwagon of online chatting. Free or low-cost chat and social messaging apps have proven to be a cheap resort over SMS services. However, the candid use of WhatsApp and Facebook became questionable when the social platforms came under the scanner for privacy issues, data sharing, and hate speech controversies. 

Hence, users have begun to fall back on the safe and convenient option of good old chat websites. Chat websites and chatrooms not only help personal connections thrive but also help businesses prosper. 

So, let’s look at the benefits of a chat website and how AtomChat can help you build one.

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Benefits of a chat website

A chatting website or a chatroom is an online service that allows users to communicate in real-time. Such interactive web services allow both one-to-one and one-to-many communications via texts, emojis, images, and often audio and video calling. 

Chat websites let users from all parts of the world share thoughts, ideas, and opinions on common interests. Plus, they are a great way to build active communities for businesses looking to boost customer engagement. 

Here are the manifold benefits of a chat website:

Independent of third-party platforms

A chat plugin integrated into your website will keep users hooked to your site. But linking up with a third-party chat platform will redirect traffic there and create disruptions in communication.

Constant connectivity across geographical barriers

A chatroom is one of the best ways to connect a global user base. The real-time communication that a chat plugin offers transcends all barriers and time zones, offering round-the-clock connectivity.

Increased user engagement

When your website has a chat feature, your user base is bound to increase and remain engaged with your brand. Chat features will create a good brand image. People will know that instead of using some AI bot to respond, you’ve made an effort to let real humans connect and create a community.

More user retention

Users will come back to your website when they feel that there are other humans with whom they can form social bonds. Users who feel ‘at home’ with the website community will be encouraged to share opinions and initiate conversations. In a way, they will engage more with your brand if they have a reason to stay on your website.

Ample scope for customizations

With a built-in chat feature on your website, you can have greater control over what you offer your users. Being the admin, you can easily manage the chat settings without any third-party control. Plus, you can take the help of moderation tools to ensure a safe experience for your users.

Opportunities to monetize

Lastly, chat plugins come with monetization features so that you can generate profits from your website. There are many ways to make money from a website - you can create membership levels, charge money per message, or do affiliate marketing by running ads.

Why choose AtomChat for your chat website?

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Whether you want to build a chat website, a forum, an online community, or a social network, AtomChat is a no-code platform that can help you get started.

Here are the top reasons why you should choose AtomChat:

• HD audio and video calling features for an immersive user experience

• Secure group and private text chat with real-time chat notifications

• Multilingual integration with real-time translation and support for over 30 languages in text chat

• Screen share and whiteboard features to let users collaborate and ideate in real-time

• Send chat attachments like docs, images, PDFs, and PPTs

• Create white-label apps and customize the chat window with your brand name, logo, and theme

• Monetize through tiered access and privileges, credit deduction system, and ads

• Powerful admin panel with the freedom to define user behavior and access to website features

• Automatically import and sync your users, their roles, and friend relationships

• White-glove integration assistance to set up your website and get it running

How to install AtomChat on Bubble?

AtomChat integrates with over 30 platforms, including Bubble. In the steps below, we’ll show how you can install AtomChat on your Bubble-powered website.

1. Select a plan from the AtomChat Pricing page.

2. Note your API keys

Sign in to your AtomChat account on the Client Area page. Then, click on Manage and note down the API keys (API Key, License Key, App ID, Auth Key) for future reference.

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3. Choose a layout

You can choose from two layout options AtomChat offers:

• The docked layout will create a floating chat widget at the bottom left/right corner of your website.

• The embedded layout will embed the chat layout inside any page of your website.

Setting up the docked layout

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1. Copy the code and replace the ‘APP_ID’ and ‘AUTH_KEY’ with your unique keys.

2. Log in to your Bubble Dashboard. There, choose the App you would like to add AtomChat to.

3. Select the SEO/metatags tab under the Settings option.

4. Add the above code snippet in the Script in the body text box.

5. Preview the changes once done.

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Setting up the embedded layout

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1. Log in to your Bubble Dashboard. There, choose the App you would like to add AtomChat to.

2. Select the General tab under the Settings option.

3. Enable the option “Expose the option to add an ID attribute to HTML elements“.

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4. Next, click on the Design option from the Bubble Dashboard and open the page where you want to add the embedded layout.

5. Select the HTML option from the Visual elements drop-down list (under the Design option). Adjust the height and width.

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6. Double click on the added HTML element to open the content box. Under the Appearance tab, scroll down to the bottom and add “chatWindow” as the ID Attribute of the element.

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7. Ensure that the option Display as an iFrame under the Appearance tab is unchecked.

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8. Under the Appearance tab, add the following code in the HTML editor block. Replace ‘APP_ID’ and ‘AUTH_KEY’ with your unique API keys.

9. Preview the changes once done.

4. Contact Sync  

After AtomChat installation, your users will be visible on the contact list once they log in to your site using their credentials.

5. Security

Make sure to go through AtomChat’s Security guide before you go live.

And voila! You’re done installing AtomChat on your website!

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You can find out more information about how to set up chat on your platform, be it WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, or Shopify here. 

So don’t wait around and install AtomChat to increase your user engagement and retention today!