Hey @Max ,
I wanted to share an example of why I don’t think this option is the best approach. I’m also using an example with a custom icon to better illustrate my point.
Image 1:
In Image 1, you can see that the icon is large and prominent, allowing businesses to showcase their branding effectively. It is well-formatted and fits the launcher button perfectly. Another advantage is that the launcher button’s layout remains consistent. Once the user closes the “Need Help?” greeting, the launcher button stays true to its normal size without leaving an extended text button that takes up additional space or potentially overlaps other UI elements.
Image 1:
Image 2:
In Image 2, the icon is much smaller, positioned too close to the text, and doesn’t appear as polished or properly formatted. In addition, the text remains permanently visible instead of disappearing after the greeting is dismissed.
The purpose of a Greeting Display, in my opinion, is to create an immediate visual notification that catches the visitor’s attention. The “Need Help?” message briefly appears, giving the visitor two simple choices:
- Click the greeting to open the chat.
- Click the X to dismiss it.
After dismissing it, the launcher stays the same unlike “Text Button”
I’m not looking for an additional chat bubble. The request is actually very simple:
Greeting Display ≠ Welcome Message
These should be treated as two separate features.
This separation would allow much greater flexibility. For example, the Greeting Display could simply say “Need Help?”, while the Welcome Message inside the chat window could contain a longer introduction. This level of customization gives businesses more control over how visitors interact with the AI chatbot and allows them to create a much more intentional user experience.
Overall, I believe the Greeting Display shown in Image 1 feels much more natural, is easier to notice, and provides a cleaner experience than a permanently expanded text button, it just also looks very awkward as a button.
The new Text Button option is a nice addition when using the default launcher icons, since those icons are already designed to fit the layout. However, for users who upload custom icons to match their branding are punished using this option.
Prime Example: (Website Translator Overlapping AI Chatbot On Mobile)
Many users, including myself, have multiple website widgets, not just an AI chatbot. In the example, the website translator and AI chatbot both occupy the bottom of the screen.
This is a perfect example of why separate launcher behavior and ideally separate launcher styles depending on the device would be beneficial.
Also, Notice how the Greeting Display naturally appears above the chatbot launcher without permanently increasing its size. This avoids interfering with nearby widgets while still drawing the visitor’s attention.
If the launcher is permanently expanded into a text button instead, it consumes more horizontal space and increases the chances of overlapping or conflicting with other website widgets on mobile devices where screen space is limited.
This is another reason I believe the Greeting Display and Welcome Message should remain separate features. The Greeting Display acts as a temporary notification above the launcher, while the Welcome Message belongs inside the chat window. Keeping these experiences separate results in a cleaner interface, better compatibility with other website widgets, and more flexibility for businesses customizing their chatbot.
Test, test, test!
Hurrah!
