Chatbots have rapidly grown in popularity and adoption among businesses, with up to 80% of companies expected to be using AI chatbots by 2024, according to Oracle. With chatbots offering numerous benefits like 24/7 automated customer service, lead generation and improved user experience for sites, choosing the right software is key for implementation success.
In this comprehensive guide, we evaluated 14 of the top chatbot platforms available based on core features, integrations, channels supported, pricing and other factors.
As a WordPress expert with over 15 years of webmaster experience, I‘ll also provide unique insights on deploying and optimizing chatbots for WordPress sites. From hosting configurations to content strategies, this guide will help you maximize value.
Let‘s dive in to the world of conversational AI…
Contents
Chatbot Adoption Stats
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80% of businesses expected to utilize chatbots by 2024, up from just 20% in 2018 [Oracle]
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45% of people prefer messaging a business rather than calling [Zendesk]
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$142 million in cost savings realized by companies deploying AI assistants [Gartner]
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Chatbots can reduce customer support costs by up to 30% [IBM]
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Chatbots improve customer satisfaction by 10-20% on average [Nuance]
Top 14 Chatbot Software Platforms
1. Chatfuel
Overview: Chatfuel enables anyone to build Messenger chatbots visually with no coding needed. It powers over 470,000 pages with features like conversation templates, drag-and-drop editing, and NLP.
Key Features:
- Chatbot templates for common uses
- Easy drag-and-drop builder
- Natural language processing
- Email, analytics, payments integrations
- Built for Facebook Messenger
Pricing: Free plan. Pro plan from $15/month.
2. MobileMonkey
Overview: MobileMonkey is an omnichannel chatbot platform allowing you to engage customers via Web, Facebook Messenger, SMS and more channels.
Key Features:
- Single bot platform across web, Facebook, SMS
- Drag-and-drop conversation builder
- Email and SMS marketing integrations
- Web analytics integrations
- Mobile app for managing bots
Pricing: Starts at $15/month annually. Free plan available.
3. Botsify
Overview: Botsify provides an AI-powered chatbot builder combining conversational flows and advanced NLP features like semantic analysis and sentiment detection.
Key Features:
- Drag-and-drop visual bot builder
- Advanced natural language processing
- Chatbot analytics dashboard
- Multi-channel support
- Shopify, Mailchimp, Slack integrations
Pricing: Starts at $19/month. 14-day free trial.
4. Intercom
Overview: Intercom combines chatbots with live chat support across web, mobile and social media. It focuses on sales and marketing rather than just customer service queries.
Key Features:
- Chatbots with live chat takeovers
- Lead gen bots and drip campaigns
- Integration with email, analytics, calendars
- Team collaboration features
- Customizable bot interface
Pricing: Starts at $49/month. 14-day free trial.
5. Conversica
Overview: Conversica uses conversational AI to engage potential customers via email and web. It specializes in assisting sales teams with lead engagement and follow ups.
Key Features:
- AI sales assistants for email & web
- Lead nurturing and engagement bots
- Natural language conversations
- CRM integration with Salesforce etc.
- Email tracking and analytics
Pricing: Custom quotes based on needs.
6. Flow XO
Overview: Flow XO enables anyone to build chatbots via intuitive drag-and-drop flows combined with robust natural language processing and machine learning.
Key Features:
- Hybrid bot approach with structured flows and NLP
- Easy drag-and-drop bot designer
- Library of pre-built templates
- Analytics dashboard to track bot metrics
- Integrates with Facebook, Slack, SMS
Pricing: Plans start at $17/month. 14-day free trial.
7. Chatfuel
See overview and details above.
8. HubSpot Conversations
Overview: HubSpot Conversations allows you to create chatbots alongside live chat support. Integrates directly with HubSpot CRM and marketing tools.
Key Features:
- Drag-and-drop conversation builder
- Email and SMS capabilities
- Direct integration with HubSpot CRM
- Chatbot optimization using A/B testing
- Real-time analytics dashboard
Pricing: Included with Sales Starter tier, $50/month. Free trial available.
9. ChattyPeople
Overview: ChattyPeople provides an intuitive bot builder alongside live chat support. It focuses heavily on ease of use and UX.
Key Features:
- Visual chatbot designer
- Customizable themes and widgets
- Chat handoff to live agents
- Real-time analytics and reports
- Email and SMS capabilities
Pricing: Plans from $15/month. Free version available.
10. BotSociety
Overview: BotSociety enables designing highly conversational chatbots using advanced NLP, sentiment analysis and AI to make interactions more natural.
Key Features:
- Sophisticated natural language processing
- Conversation editor for crafting dialog flows
- Testing tools to refine conversations
- Email, SMS integration
- Slack integration
Pricing: Starts at $19/month. 14-day free trial.
11. Acobot
Overview: Acobot builds custom-tailored chatbots focused on hyper-personalized experiences across web, mobile and messaging.
Key Features:
- Custom chatbots matched to brand
- Omnichannel support
- Visitor tracking across devices
- CRM integrations and lead scoring
- Team collaboration features
- 24/7 support
Pricing: Custom quotes. No free trial.
12. Chatkit
Overview: Chatkit from Instabot provides a visual editor for creating messaging marketing campaigns over Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp.
Key Features:
- Visual drag-and-drop conversation editor
- Messaging marketing templates
- Auto-response triggers
- Sequences, reminders, promotions
- Team collaboration tools
- Real-time analytics
Pricing: Starts at $15/month. Free trial available.
13. Chatbase
Overview: Chatbase provides in-depth analytics and insights into the performance of bots built on Dialogflow, Facebook Messenger and Slack.
Key Features:
- Bot analytics for Dialogflow, Facebook, Slack
- Conversation transcripts and reports
- Missed intent analysis
- Smart tagging for conversations
- Custom metrics and bot optimization
Pricing: Free version. Paid plans from $12/month.
14. Pandorabots
Overview: Pandorabots provides hosted chatbot solutions on the cloud. It allows building and integrating bots on websites, mobile apps and messaging platforms.
Key Features:
- Cloud-hosted AI chatbots
- Q&A bot development
- Flexible APIs for integration
- 5,000+ NLP sentences per trained bot
- Built-in Telegram, Slack integrations
Pricing: Free developer plan. Paid options from $24/month.
Key Factors to Consider When Choosing a Chatbot Platform
From channel support and integrations to AI capabilities and ease of use, here are some of the most important criteria to factor when selecting chatbot software for your website:
Channels Supported – What conversational interfaces does the platform support? Web, Facebook Messenger, SMS, Alexa?
Integrations – Does the chatbot integrate with marketing tools like email services, CRMs, analytics and more?
Ease of Use – Can you build bots without coding? Are there pre-made templates and workflows?
AI & NLP – How accurate is the natural language processing for understanding conversations?
Analytics – Does it provide a dashboard to track KPIs and optimize the bot?
Customization – Can you tailor the bot‘s personality, responses and workflows?
Scalability – Can the platform easily scale to handle high volumes of conversations?
Support – Is onboarding, ongoing support and maintenance provided?
Pricing – Is there a free trial? What are the subscription costs?
Optimizing Chatbots for WordPress Sites
As an experienced WordPress webmaster, here are my tips for maximizing chatbot success:
Choose the Right WordPress Theme
Pick a fast, modern theme with a clean design and ability to highlight your chatbot. Avoid cluttered themes. Popular options include GeneratePress, Astra, OceanWP.
Optimize Page Layout
Make the chatbot widget/icon prominent on pages. Avoid distractions and ensure it grabs attention.
Enhance Server Performance
Chatbots require fast servers. Utilize a dedicated WordPress host with SSD storage, CDN and caching.
Create Dedicated FAQ Pages
Well-organized FAQ pages allow chatbots to better find answers and solve queries confidently.
Write Conversational Content
Optimize your content for conversational queries. Use common words people would use.
Monitor and Update Regularly
Analyze chatbot metrics to identify areas of improvement. Continuously refine responses.
The Future of Chatbots on WordPress
Some exciting developments on the horizon for WordPress chatbots:
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Tighter Gutenberg integration – Allowing easy insertion and custom styling of chatbots.
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Migration to progressive web apps – Blurring lines between websites and apps, providing more engaging experience.
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Evolution of hosted solutions – Services like HubSpot Conversations more seamlessly blending with WordPress.
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Expansion into voice – WordPress chatbots expanding into Alexa skills, Google Home actions.
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Better analytics – Chatbot platforms offering more actionable site-specific analytics.
The chatbot landscape will continue rapidly evolving. As a WordPress pro, staying on top of these trends will ensure you can maximize value for your site and clients through conversational interfaces.
Final Thoughts
Chatbots present an immense opportunity to boost customer experience, qualify leads and drive more sales for your website. With options like Chatfuel, MobileMonkey and Flow XO, there are highly capable yet affordable platforms available.
As with any marketing technology, the key is finding the right solution tailored to your specific needs and use cases. With the insights in this guide around leading chatbot tools and optimizing them for WordPress, you‘re well equipped to explore the possibilities of conversational AI.
References
https://www.oracle.com/a/ocom/docs/applications/popular-chatbot-statistics.pdf
https://www.zendesk.com/messaging/#primary
https://www.gartner.com/smarterwithgartner/how-to-get-started-with-ai-powered-virtual-agents
https://www.ibm.com/blogs/watson/2017/10/the-business-case-for-ai-powered-customer-self-service/
https://www.nuance.com/omni-channel-customer-engagement/digital/virtual-assistant-solutions.html
