A guide on enabling, customizing, and getting the embed code for the Aloha web chat widget for patient communication and lead captures on your website.
✨ When You Need This Guide
This guide is your go-to resource for adding a chat feature to your website. Use this if:
You want to give existing patients a quick way to ask questions from your website.
You want to provide an easy way for potential new patients (leads) to contact you.
You need to find the embed code for the chat widget to install on your site.
You want to customize the appearance and automated replies for your chat bot.
How It Works: From Web Chat to Text Conversation
The web chat widget is designed to be a starting point for a conversation. A patient or lead enters their information and initial message on your website. This information is instantly sent to your Aloha Conversations Inbox, and your automated reply is sent to their cell phone via text message. The rest of the conversation continues via text, allowing both you and the patient to respond at your convenience.
What This Covers (And What It Doesn't)
✅ This article explains how to configure the chat widget, set up automated responses, and generate the code within Aloha.
❌ It does not cover the final step of installing the code on your specific website platform (e.g., WordPress, Squarespace), as that process can vary.
You'll Need:
Access to edit your website's HTML, or the contact information for your website developer.
✅ How to Set Up and Customize Your Web Chat Widget
Navigate to Chat Settings. In your Aloha account, go to Contacts > Chat Settings.
Configure Your Auto-Responses. You can set up different initial automatic replies for new vs. existing patients.
Current Patient Reply: This message is sent to anyone who enters a phone number that is already in your Aloha contact list.
Pro Tip: We suggest using this reply to direct existing patients to helpful resources, like the scheduling app for booking their next appointment.
New Patient Reply: This message is sent to anyone whose phone number is not recognized in your system.
Pro Tip: We suggest using this reply to welcome potential new patients and provide a link to your online scheduler.
Customize the Widget's Appearance.
Position: Choose where the chat button will appear on your site (e.g., bottom-right).
Image and Color: Customize the chat box image and color to match your practice's branding.
Generate and Get the Code.
Once you are happy with your settings, click the GENERATE CODE button.
Copy the code to paste onto your website, or use the email field to send it directly to your web developer.
💡 Common Questions
What You Might Notice | Why It's Happening | What to Do |
I installed the code, but the chat widget isn't showing up on my website. | This is most often caused by browser caching, or the code may have been pasted into the wrong section of your website's editor. | First, clear your browser's cache (see our guide linked below on this). If it's still not visible, contact your web developer. Ensure the code is pasted into a global element like the site's footer so it appears on every page. |
How does the system know if someone is a "New" or "Existing" patient? | The system automatically checks the phone number that the person enters when they start a chat. | If the phone number exists in your Aloha contacts, they will receive the Current Patient Reply. If the number is not found, they are considered a new lead and will receive the New Patient Reply. |
Can I change the auto-responses or colors later? | Yes. The chat widget is dynamic and updates automatically. | Simply return to the Contacts > Chat Settings page (for color edits) or Saved Messages (for auto-response edits), make your desired changes, and they will be reflected on your live website widget without needing to reinstall the code. |
🎉 You'll Know It's Working When:
The chat widget icon appears correctly on your live website.
When you start a test chat, you receive the correct automated reply as a text message to your phone.
New conversations initiated from the widget appear in your main Conversations inbox in Aloha.
💬 Need Help? We're Here!
If you have other questions about the web chat widget, our support team is ready to help. Contact us at 800-563-0469 or support@getaloha.com.