Send a proactive chat message to visitors

Updated May 22, 2026

A proactive chat message is the simplest outreach you can run in Yaplet. You write a message, set a trigger, and Yaplet sends it directly into the widget chat — as if a team member reached out first. No code required.

1. Open the Messages campaign list

In the dashboard, go to Outreach → Messages. You'll see any existing message campaigns here. Click New message to create one.

2. Write the message content

Type your message in the editor. A few tips:

  • Keep it short — one or two sentences work best. Visitors skim.
  • Ask a question to invite a reply. "Can I help you find the right plan?" converts better than a statement.
  • Use the visitor's name if you're identifying users with Yaplet.identify() — just include {{name}} and Yaplet fills it in.

3. Set the trigger

The trigger controls when the message appears. You have three trigger events to choose from:

Trigger event When it fires
Session start The first time a visitor loads a page in a new session (sessions reset after 3 hours of inactivity).
Page view Every time a visitor navigates to a page matching your page rules.
Custom event When your app calls Yaplet.trackEvent("event-name"). Useful for behaviour-based triggers like "user viewed the pricing page three times".

You can also add a delay (in seconds) so the message appears after the visitor has been on the page for a moment rather than instantly.

4. Narrow the audience with page and visitor rules

By default the message goes to every visitor. To target a specific segment, add rules:

  • Page rules — restrict to visitors on a specific URL or URL pattern. For example, only visitors on /pricing.
  • Visitor rules — restrict by country, plan, email domain, time since first visit, or any custom attribute you pass with Yaplet.identify().

For a detailed breakdown of every rule type, see Trigger rules.

5. Set a frequency cap

Decide how often the same visitor should see this message. The most common setting is Show once per visitor — the message fires once and never repeats. See Frequency caps for the full options.

6. Publish the campaign

Toggle the campaign to Published and click Save. The message will start appearing to qualifying visitors immediately.

What happens when a visitor replies?

Any reply lands in your Yaplet inbox just like a visitor-initiated conversation. Assign it, reply, or let your Vex AI chatbot handle it — the workflow is identical to any other conversation.

What's next?

Proactive messages are the simplest outreach format. Once you're comfortable, try in-app banners for richer visual campaigns, or product tours to walk new users through your product step by step.

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