Can You Delete a Google Review? Here’s What You Can Do Instead

Negative Google reviews can be stressful, especially when they’re fake, unfair, or harming your business’s reputation. 

These reviews don’t just influence customer trust. They can also impact where your business appears in the Google search results.

The truth is that you usually can’t delete reviews left by others. But there are ways to deal with them so that they don’t have an impact on your bottom line.

In this guide, I’ll show you what to do when you can’t remove a Google review, how to report fake ones, and how to turn feedback into a chance to build trust with customers.

I’ll also explore practical ways to manage your online reputation and showcase positive reviews on your website.

💡 Quick Answer: You Can’t Delete Google Reviews ( But Here’s What You Can Do)

Unfortunately, you can’t manually delete reviews that other people post on your Google Business Profile — only the reviewer or Google itself can remove them.

Here’s what you can do instead:

• Report fake or misleading reviews that violate Google’s content policy.
• Respond professionally to show customers you care about feedback.
• Use Smash Balloon’s Reviews Feed plugin to filter out negative or irrelevant reviews on your own website.

This way, you stay in control of your brand’s image — even when you can’t control every review.

Here is a quick overview of all the topics that I’ll be covering in this guide:

• Can Negative Google Reviews Hurt Your Business?
• Can You Actually Delete Google Reviews? (The Truth)
• How to Report a Google Review With Your Business Profile
• The Real Solution: Filter and Display Google Reviews with Smash Balloon
• Best Practices for Managing Your Online Reputation
• Frequently Asked Questions About Google Reviews

Can Negative Google Reviews Hurt Your Business?

Business owners often want to delete negative Google reviews because they directly impact how customers see their brand. When a review is fake, overly harsh, or personal, it can feel unfair and damaging.

Here are the most common reasons business owners want certain reviews gone—and why it’s risky to ignore them:

• Fake or Misleading Reviews Confuse Customers: When a review doesn’t reflect a real experience, it can make people doubt your business before they ever visit your website.
• Personal Attacks and Rude Comments Damage Credibility: Reviews that cross the line or include personal insults can make your profile look unprofessional.
• Unfair Criticism Overshadows Real Feedback: A single negative review can outweigh multiple positive ones, especially if it appears at the top of your listing.
• Bad Reviews Can Hurt SEO and Sales: Studies show that around 95% of shoppers read online reviews before making a purchase. Even one or two low ratings can reduce conversions and clicks.
• Google Factors Reviews Into Local Rankings: Your average rating, review count, and how often you reply all affect how your business appears in Google Maps and local search results.

In short, negative reviews can shape both public perception and search performance, which is why learning how to manage them is so important.

Can You Actually Delete Google Reviews? (The Truth)

The short answer is no. You can’t delete reviews left by others unless they clearly break Google’s policies.

Google allows honest feedback from real customers, even when it’s negative. You can’t remove a review just because you disagree with it or think it’s unfair.

However, if it clearly violates Google’s rules — for example, if it’s spam, fake, or abusive — you can flag it for removal.

Here’s a quick checklist you can use to see if a review might violate Google’s policies:

✅ Reviews Google may remove:

• Spam or fake reviews not linked to a real customer experience.
• Hate speech, threats, or offensive language.
• Harassment or personal attacks against you, your team, or your business.
• Conflicts of interest, such as reviews from competitors or former employees.
• Illegal content or links to harmful websites.

❌ Reviews Google won’t remove:

• Genuine customer complaints about product quality, pricing, or service.
• Opinions you disagree with, even if they feel exaggerated or unfair.
• Short or vague reviews that don’t violate any rules.
• Low-star ratings without written feedback.

It can be discouraging to see negative feedback, but Google’s main goal is to protect authentic customer voices. If a review clearly crosses the line, you can report it for removal.

If not, the best approach is to reply calmly and focus on getting more positive reviews to balance things out.

How to Report a Google Review With Your Business Profile

If you come across a review that clearly breaks Google’s rules, like spam, fake claims, or personal attacks, you can report it for removal right from your Google Business Profile.

I’ve found this process to be quick and straightforward.

First, search for your Google Business Profile. The easiest way is to type ‘my business’ directly into Google Search while logged into your account.

Once you do that, you’ll see your business profile appear right at the top of the search results.

From here, click the ‘View Profile’ button.

This will open a section titled ‘Your Business on Google’, where you can edit your profile, manage bookings, add a Q&A section, and read your customer reviews.

Simply click the ‘Read Reviews’ button to open the reviews panel.

Here, you’ll see a list of all your customer reviews.

To report a specific one, just click the ‘Report Review’ icon on the right side of the screen.

Google will then ask why you’re reporting it.

Be sure to choose the most relevant reason — for example, spam, off-topic content, conflict of interest, profanity, or harassment.

Picking the right category increases the chances of Google removing the review. Once you’ve selected the reason, click ‘Send Report’ to submit it.

That’s it. You’ve successfully reported a review to Google for evaluation.

What Happens After You Report a Review

Once you’ve reported a review, Google will send you an email confirming that they’ve received your report.

In that email, Google will mention that the review is under evaluation to see whether it violates their content policies

From here, it’s mostly a waiting game. Google’s review process can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, depending on the volume of reports they’re handling.

During this time, their team will check if the review contains spam, fake information, offensive language, or any other policy violations.

You can check the status of your report by visiting your Google Business Profile and opening the ‘Reviews Management’ section.

This area shows which reviews are currently under review and which have already been processed.

If Google finds that the review breaks their guidelines, they’ll remove it automatically, and you’ll usually get another email confirming the action.

However, if Google determines that the review doesn’t violate their policies, it will stay visible on your profile.

⭐ The Real Solution: Control Which Google Reviews Appear on Your Website

You can’t always delete negative Google reviews, but you can control which ones appear on your website. That’s where Smash Balloon’s Reviews Feed Pro comes in.

It’s the best Google reviews plugin for WordPress that lets you display reviews from Google, Yelp, and Facebook in one beautiful feed on your business website.

With its powerful filtering options, you can choose to show only positive reviews or specific star ratings — giving you complete control over what visitors see on your site.

I really like how simple it is to use. You just connect your Google account, customize the layout, and your best reviews automatically appear on your website. It’s a great way to protect your brand image while building trust with new visitors.

If you need more information about the tool’s features, then take a look at our complete Smash Balloon review.

Step 1: Install And Activate Smash Balloon Reviews Feed Pro

First, you’ll need to install and activate the Smash Balloon Reviews Feed plugin on your WordPress website.

For instructions, see our tutorial on how to install a WordPress plugin.

📌Note: The Reviews Feed plugin has a free version that lets you display Google reviews on your site. However, to unlock advanced features like review filtering and multi-platform support, you’ll need the pro plan.

Once the plugin is activated, go to your WordPress dashboard and navigate to Reviews Feed » Settings. Here, you’ll see a field to enter your license key.

You can find this key in your account on the Smash Balloon website. Just copy it, paste it into the field, and click the ‘Activate License’ button.

Step 2: Create a Review Feed and Select Google as Your Source

Once your license is activated, it’s time to create your first review feed.

From your WordPress dashboard, go to the Reviews Feed » All Feeds page and click the ‘+ Add New’ button.

This will open a setup screen where you can choose your review source.

Simply select Google from the list of available platforms.

Smash Balloon also supports Yelp, Facebook, and TripAdvisor reviews, but for this guide, we’ll be focusing on connecting your Google reviews.

After that, click ‘Next.’

Step 3: Add Your Google Business Profile (Using API Key And Place ID)

Smash Balloon will now ask you to link your Google Business Profile. This helps the plugin know exactly which business reviews to pull.

To do that, you’ll need two things — your Place ID and Google API key (optional).

The Google API key helps the plugin fetch and refresh your reviews automatically and more frequently. However, it’s an optional step for more advanced users.

Your reviews will still display even without an API key, but the updates might be less frequent.

If you’d like to add one, you can create it in the Google Cloud Console by creating a new project and enabling the Places API.

Copy the key, paste it into the popup in Smash Balloon, and click ‘Next’ to continue.

But don’t worry if this seems too complicated—the plugin will still work perfectly without it.

Next, you’ll need your Google Place ID, which tells Smash Balloon exactly which business profile to pull reviews from.

Think of it like a unique street address for your business on Google Maps.

For this, go to the Google Place ID Finder website and scroll to the section titled ‘Find the ID of a particular place.’

In the search bar, type your business name and address. When it appears in the dropdown, click on it.

A small popup will appear on the map showing your Place ID.

Simply copy that code, go back to your WordPress dashboard, and paste it into the ‘Place ID’ field in Smash Balloon.

Then, click the ‘Finish’ button.

At this point, your Google Business Profile is successfully linked, and Smash Balloon will start automatically pulling in your reviews.

Step 4: Customize Your Google Reviews

Once your Google account is connected, Smash Balloon will automatically add your Google Business Profile as a source.

Make sure the box next to it is checked, and then click ‘Next.’

Now you can choose a starting design for your feed. Reviews Feed Pro offers several templates, including carousels, grids, and simple lists.

I recommend choosing a layout that matches your website’s overall style — for example, use a carousel for a dynamic homepage display or a simple list for a clean, minimal look.

After selecting a template, click ‘Next’ to open the visual feed editor.

Once the editor opens, you’ll see a live preview of your reviews feed on the right and all the customization settings on the left.

This visual interface makes it super easy to design your reviews section exactly how you want, no coding required.

You can adjust everything, including the layout, header style, review elements, and button design, and instantly see your changes in real time.

If you’d like to explore more customization options, I recommend checking out our step-by-step guide on how to show Google, Facebook, and Yelp reviews in WordPress.

This tutorial covers more advanced styling tips and design ideas to help you create a reviews section that perfectly fits your website’s look and feel.

Step 5: Filter and Control Which Reviews Show Up

After customizing the look of your reviews feed, the next step is to control which reviews actually appear on your website.

This is where Smash Balloon really shines — all the filtering and moderation tools are built right into the visual editor, so you don’t need to jump between different settings pages.

Smash Balloon gives you three main tools to manage your reviews:

• ⭐ Star Rating Filters – Show reviews with specific ratings.
• 🔍 Keyword Filters – Include or exclude reviews based on certain words.
• 🧩 Manual Moderation – Handpick exactly which reviews to display.

I recommend exploring all these options before publishing your feed — it’s the easiest way to make sure only the most positive and relevant reviews appear on your site.

1. Filter by Star Ratings

You can start with the star rating filter. From the left-hand menu, open the ‘Settings’ tab and click on ‘Filters.’

Here, you’ll see options to show only reviews with specific star ratings. For instance, if you’d like your reviews feed to highlight satisfied customers, you can display only 4- and 5-star reviews.

This simple step helps create a positive impression and keeps your website focused on genuine, high-quality feedback.

2. Filter by Keywords

Next, you can use the keyword filter to refine things even further.

Still in the same section, scroll down to find two boxes — one only to show reviews containing certain words, and another to hide reviews that contain specific keywords.

This is helpful if you want to feature reviews that mention phrases like ‘great experience,’ ‘highly recommended,’ or ‘excellent service,’ while excluding reviews that use words like ‘delay’ or ‘issue.’

I recommend combining the keyword and star filters because they give you fine-tuned control over which reviews appear on your site.

3. Manually Moderate Reviews

If you want even more control, you can turn on the manual moderation feature. To do this, open the ‘Settings’ tab inside the visual editor and select ‘Moderation.’

This will take you to a new screen where you can toggle the switch to enable moderation for your feed. Once it’s on, you’ll be able to manually choose which Google reviews appear on your website.

There are two modes you can use here:

• Allow List – This option hides all reviews by default, allowing you to handpick which to display. It’s great if you prefer to personally approve every review before it goes live.
• Block List – This option shows all reviews automatically, but lets you hide specific ones that don’t meet your standards. I suggest using this if you only want to remove the occasional review rather than filtering everything manually.

As soon as moderation is active, you’ll see all your reviews listed on the right side of the editor in a live preview.

From here, you can simply click to select or deselect reviews. You can also search or filter by keywords, star rating, or date to quickly find specific reviews.

Once you’ve picked the ones you want to display, click ‘Save,’ and your feed will instantly update with the selected reviews.

Step 6: Embed the Filtered Google Reviews on Your WordPress Site

Once you’re happy with how your Google reviews look, it’s time to display them on your website.

The good news is that Smash Balloon makes embedding your reviews super easy, and you can do it right from the WordPress block editor.

Simply open the page or post where you want to display your reviews and click the ‘Add Block’ (+) button. Once the block menu opens up, locate and add the ‘Reviews Feed’ block from the list.

As soon as you do that, your Google reviews feed will appear inside the editor — complete with your custom layout, filters, and design.

If you’re happy with how it looks, go ahead and click the ‘Update’ or ‘Publish’ button to store your settings.

That’s it! Your Google reviews will now appear live on your website for everyone to see.

I recommend opening your page in a new tab afterward to make sure everything looks just the way you want.

You’ll see your filtered and fully customized reviews feed, beautifully displayed for your visitors.

Best Practices for Managing Your Online Reputation

Deleting reviews isn’t always possible, but managing your online reputation the right way can make a huge difference. The key is to stay proactive, not reactive.

Instead of panicking when you get a bad review, I recommend focusing on building a steady stream of positive feedback that reflects your business’s real customer experience.

Here are some tips.

1. Get More 5-Star Reviews (The Ethical Way)

In my experience, the best way to handle a few bad reviews is to consistently earn more positive ones. However, always keep your approach ethical — never buy or fake reviews, as this violates Google’s policies and can hurt your reputation.

Instead, you can follow the same simple tips many of our partner brands use to earn genuine 5-star reviews:

• Send a friendly follow-up email after a successful purchase or service, thanking the customer and including a direct link to the Google review form.
• Highlight top reviews on the website and social media. This not only builds credibility but also inspires others to share their experiences.
• Gently remind loyal customers that their feedback helps small businesses grow. Many appreciate the transparency and take a few seconds to leave a review.

This approach not only helps you maintain control over what appears on your site but also encourages more people to leave reviews since it’s quick and convenient.

2. Respond Professionally to Every Review

Replying to reviews, whether they’re glowing or critical, shows customers that you care about their experience.

I’ve noticed that how you respond often matters more than the review itself. A thoughtful, professional reply can turn a bad situation around or reinforce a positive impression.

Here’s a simple structure you can use for different situations:

For negative reviews:

Hi [Name], thanks for sharing your experience. I’m sorry to hear things didn’t go as expected. Please reach out at [email/contact info] so we can make things right.

For positive reviews:

Thank you so much, [Name]! We’re happy to hear you enjoyed your experience — your support means a lot.

Public responses like these help potential customers see that you take feedback seriously and genuinely care about improving.

That transparency naturally builds trust and leads to more conversions over time.

3. Collect Reviews Directly on Your Website

Another smart way to get more genuine 5-star reviews is by collecting feedback right on your website. For this, I recommend WPForms, which is one of the best survey plugins available.

With WPForms, you can quickly create survey forms using its drag-and-drop builder, pre-built review templates, and AI-assisted form creation.

You can also customize the design to match your branding, making forms feel like a natural part of your website.

Some useful WPForms templates include:

• Client Testimonial Form – Showcase your customer success stories.
• Customer Testimonial Collection Form – Gather written testimonials easily.
• Product Review Form – Collect feedback on specific products.

My favorite is the ‘Video Testimonial’ Form, which lets customers record short, authentic videos directly on their computers or phones.

These forms can be displayed on key pages like checkout or order confirmation pages to capture feedback immediately after a purchase.

For a detailed walkthrough on designing and customizing your own forms, check out our tutorial on creating surveys in WordPress.

Frequently Asked Questions About Google Reviews

If you’re still unsure about what you can and can’t do with Google reviews, you’re not alone. These are some of the most common questions business owners have asked me:

Can I delete a Google review I wrote?

Yes, you can remove your own review anytime. Just sign in to your Google account and go to the Google Maps » Your Contributions » Reviews section. Here, find the review you want to delete, click the three dots icon, and select the ‘Delete’ option.

How long does it take for Google to review a report?

Google’s review process can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. If they find the review goes against their guidelines, they’ll remove it automatically.

If not, the review will stay visible on your business profile.

Can I turn off Google reviews entirely?

No, Google doesn’t let businesses turn off reviews. A better approach is to highlight your best ones on your website using a plugin like Smash Balloon Reviews Feed Pro.

You should also focus on collecting more positive feedback to balance out any negatives.

Is it okay to pay customers for Google reviews?

No — paying or offering incentives for reviews goes against Google’s policies and could get your Business Profile suspended. It’s always best to collect genuine feedback from real customers who’ve actually used your products or services.

I hope this article helped you learn how to delete Google reviews and what to do if you cannot. You may also want to see our guide on how to embed a YouTube playlist in WordPress and our tutorial on displaying recent tweets on your website.

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

The post Can You Delete a Google Review? Here’s What You Can Do Instead first appeared on WPBeginner.

from WPBeginner https://ift.tt/JTd9wlV
More links is https://mwktutor.com

I added WhatsApp chat to WordPress and engagement instantly went up

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

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

The post I added WhatsApp chat to WordPress and engagement instantly went up first appeared on WPBeginner.

from WPBeginner https://ift.tt/O8YfH4x
More links is https://mwktutor.com