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TL;DR — Set up in Sites → Chat Widget: choose SMS chat (visitor leaves name + number, conversation continues by text), brand it, embed it (toggle on GHL pages, script tag on WordPress), and wire a workflow for instant reply + team alert. The point: live chat needs staffing; SMS chat needs a phone number — and captures one into your CRM every time. US texting requires A2P 10DLC registration first.
What it is
A website chat bubble that converts conversations into CRM contacts with phone numbers. In its default SMS mode, the visitor types a question with their name and mobile number; your reply lands as a text on their phone. The conversation lives in GoHighLevel's unified inbox alongside email, Facebook, and Instagram messages — and because the visitor is now a contact, workflows fire: instant acknowledgment, staff notification, pipeline stage. Live-chat and WhatsApp modes exist too; SMS is the one that fits how small businesses actually operate.
Setup (10 minutes)
- Sites → Chat Widget — create a widget.
- Pick SMS/Text mode (or live chat if you truly staff it).
- Brand it — avatar, color, greeting, and the consent text under the form (this is your SMS opt-in language; keep it clear).
- Install — toggle on GoHighLevel pages; embed code in the footer for WordPress or any external site.
- Wire the workflow — trigger: chat widget submission → instant SMS reply ("Got your message — back to you within the hour"), notify the team, add to pipeline.
- Test — message yourself, confirm the contact, the text, and the inbox thread.
Why SMS chat beats live chat for small business
- Live chat assumes someone's watching. Nights, weekends, lunch — unstaffed live chat is a broken promise. SMS chat makes "reply in a few minutes" the expected experience.
- The visitor leaves; the number stays. A closed tab ends a live chat forever. An SMS thread — and the follow-up automation behind it — continues.
- It feeds the machine. Every chat is a contact for speed-to-lead automation, review requests, and reactivation campaigns later.
Honest limits
- US texting requires A2P registration. No shortcut — register first or replies won't deliver.
- SMS costs are usage-based. Cents per message through your connected number; trivial for most, real at volume.
- It's not a support-desk. No ticketing, SLAs, or knowledge-base deflection — that's Zendesk/Intercom territory. This is a lead-capture tool that chats.
Frequently asked questions
How does it work?
Visitor leaves name + number; reply arrives as a text; conversation lives in the unified inbox with automation attached.
Why not live chat?
Unstaffed live chat = silence. SMS chat captures the number and sets a realistic reply expectation.
Works on WordPress?
Yes — embed code in the footer of any site.
Extra cost?
Included in all plans; SMS usage billed per message; US requires A2P 10DLC.