Every minute your website doesn't have a chatbot is a minute a potential customer is reading "Contact us" and leaving instead. A chatbot answers immediately. At midnight. On Christmas Eve. For zero extra labor. This guide installs one in 45 minutes.

What You'll Need

  • A business website (any platform)
  • A Tidio account (free at tidio.com)
  • Your top 5 FAQ answers written out
  • 15 minutes for writing + 30 min for setup

What You'll Have When Done

  • Live chatbot on your website
  • Auto-answers for your 5 top questions
  • Lead capture flow (name + email)
  • Mobile notifications when humans need you

Before You Start: Write Your 5 FAQ Answers

Don't open Tidio yet. Spend 10 minutes first writing answers to these 5 questions that every local business gets asked constantly. These become your chatbot's foundation.

FAQ #1: "What are your hours?"
Example: "We're open Monday–Friday 8am–6pm and Saturday 9am–3pm. For emergencies, call [phone] anytime, we have 24/7 emergency service!"
FAQ #2: "Do you service [area]?" / "Where are you located?"
Example: "We're based in Austin, TX and serve all of Travis County and surrounding areas. Not sure if we come to you? Drop your zip code and I'll check!"
FAQ #3: "How much does it cost?"
Example: "Pricing depends on the job, a standard drain cleaning starts at $89, and new installations vary. The best way to get an accurate quote is to [book a free call / fill out our form]."
FAQ #4: "How do I book an appointment?"
Example: "Easy! You can book online at [your booking link], call us at [phone], or I can grab your info right here and we'll reach out to schedule. Which do you prefer?"
FAQ #5: Your most business-specific question
Plumbers: "Do you fix [X]?" | Salons: "Do you do [service]?" | Dentists: "Do you accept [insurance]?", Write YOUR version here.
💡 Write like you talk. The chatbot says what you write. Avoid corporate-speak. "Happy to help!" is better than "I'd be delighted to assist you with your inquiry." Your chatbot should sound like YOU picking up the phone.

Step-by-Step: 45-Minute Chatbot Setup

1

Create Your Free Tidio Account (5 minutes)

Go to tidio.com and click "Sign Up Free." Use your business email. Choose "Small Business" when asked about your use case. Enter your website URL and business name. Don't start a free trial of paid features, the free plan is all you need to start.

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Screenshot: Tidio signup form showing business name, website URL, and email fields with "Free Plan" selected

2

Install the Chat Widget on Your Website (10 minutes)

Once you're in the Tidio dashboard, click "Integrate" → "Installation." You'll see two options:

  • Option A
    WordPress: Search "Tidio Live Chat" in your WordPress plugins, install, activate, connect with your Tidio credentials. Done in 3 minutes.
  • Option B
    Any other website: Copy the code snippet Tidio gives you and paste it just before the </body> tag in your site's HTML. Your web host support can help if needed.
<!-- Tidio Chat Widget -->
<script src="//code.tidio.co/[YOUR_ID].js" async></script>

After installing, visit your website in a new tab. You should see a chat bubble in the bottom corner. If it's there, you're installed!

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Screenshot: Tidio "Install" screen showing code snippet with WordPress plugin button and manual code option

3

Build Your FAQ Chatbot Flow (15 minutes)

In Tidio dashboard, go to "Flows" → "New Flow" → "Start from scratch." This is the visual drag-and-drop builder where you design what your bot says and does.

Build this simple structure:

  • 1. Trigger: "Visitor opens chat"
  • 2. Message: "Hey! I'm [Business Name]'s helper bot 👋 What can I help you with today?"
  • 3. Buttons: Hours | Pricing | Book Appointment | Service Area | Something Else
  • 4. Each button → triggers the answer you wrote in your FAQ prep
  • 5. Every answer → ends with "Was that helpful? Is there anything else I can help with?"
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Screenshot: Tidio flow builder showing trigger → greeting message → 5 choice buttons → individual answer nodes

4

Add Your Lead Capture Flow (5 minutes)

After your FAQ answers, add a lead capture node. When someone asks about pricing or booking, after giving the answer, have the bot say:

"Want me to have someone reach out to give you an exact quote? Just leave your name and email and we'll be in touch within a few hours!"

In the flow builder, add "Ask for Name" and "Ask for Email" nodes after this message. Tidio will store these contacts and email you when someone fills out their info.

💡 Pro tip: Even if a visitor doesn't fill out the form, Tidio captures their email if they typed it in the chat window, even before hitting send. These recovered leads are often your best ones.
5

Set Up Notifications and Go Live (10 minutes)

Go to Settings → Notifications. Turn on email and mobile push notifications for: "New chat started" and "Visitor leaves email address." Download the Tidio mobile app (iOS + Android) so you get pings on your phone when customers chat.

Test before you go live: Open your website in a private browser window and go through every chatbot flow as if you were a customer. Fix anything that sounds robotic or gives wrong info. Then click "Publish", your chatbot is live!

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Screenshot: Tidio mobile app notification for "New visitor started a chat" with preview of message

Recommended Tool

Try Tidio Free, No Credit Card Needed

The free plan handles up to 50 conversations per month, plenty for most small businesses starting out. Upgrade when you're ready to handle more volume.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a chatbot cost for a small business website?
Tidio's free plan covers most small businesses starting out, up to 50 conversations per month, basic FAQ automation, and live chat capability. The paid Communicator plan ($19/month) adds unlimited conversations and more operators. Most businesses with under 500 monthly website visitors do fine on the free plan for their first 3–6 months.
Do I need to know how to code to install a chatbot?
No. For WordPress sites, Tidio has a one-click plugin that installs in under a minute, no code involved. For non-WordPress sites, you paste one line of code (Tidio gives you the exact code to copy) into your website's HTML. If that sounds scary, your web host's support team can do it for you in 5 minutes.
What questions should my chatbot answer?
Start with your top 5 most-asked questions: (1) business hours, (2) service area or location, (3) pricing or how to get a quote, (4) how to book an appointment, (5) your most common service question specific to your industry. These 5 answers handle 70–80% of website chat conversations for most local businesses.
Will a chatbot feel robotic to my customers?
Not if you write it in your own voice. The chatbot says exactly what you write. Use the same words you'd use on a phone call, friendly, clear, and specific to your business. Avoid generic phrases like "How may I assist you today?" Instead write: "Hey! I'm [Business Name]'s helper bot, what brings you here today?" Customers respond much better to that.
What happens when someone asks something my chatbot can't answer?
You set up a fallback message, something like "That's a great question, let me connect you with our team!", and the chatbot captures their contact info and sends you a notification. This is the handoff flow: bot handles the easy stuff, you handle the nuanced conversations. It's the best of both worlds.
What to Automate Next →

Your Chatbot is Live, Now What?

Natural Next Step

Connect Your Chatbot to Booking

Let the chatbot show your calendar and book appointments directly in the chat window →
Power Move

Send Chatbot Leads to Your Email List

Use Zapier to add every chatbot lead directly to Mailchimp automatically →
Full Guide

Complete AI Chatbots Guide

Compare all chatbot tools, see industry examples, and learn advanced features →