# Proactive Messages: Start Chats From the Robylon Chatbot Launcher

Show short messages above the chatbot launcher before visitors open the chat, target them by page, and build the workflow that answers when a visitor clicks one.

> Source: https://www.robylon.ai/docs/outbound/proactive-messages
> Section: Outbound

Proactive messages (also called nudges or suggested messages) appear above the chatbot launcher before a visitor opens the chat. When the visitor clicks one, the chat opens and the conversation starts from that message. They turn a passive launcher into an invitation, for example "Need help choosing a size?" on a product page.

Open them from **Outbound → Robylon Chat** in the left sidebar. The page is called **Webchat Proactive Messaging**.

## How do I create a proactive message?

Create the message, set its timing and target pages, then build a workflow that handles replies.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Start a new message">
    Go to **Outbound → Robylon Chat** and click **Create Proactive message**.
  </Step>
  <Step title="Fill in the basic details">
    Name the message, choose its type and write the text. See [the fields below](#what-can-i-set-in-a-proactive-message).
  </Step>
  <Step title="Continue">
    Messages are always sent and handed over to the AI agent, so there is nothing to set on this step. Click **Next**.
  </Step>
  <Step title="Set the delay and display conditions">
    Choose a **Delay Type**: **Time** shows the message after a delay in seconds, and **Scroll** shows it once the visitor scrolls a set number of pixels. Then choose on which pages it appears, and click **Save**.
  </Step>
  <Step title="Build the reply workflow">
    Create a workflow that starts when a visitor replies to the message. See [How do I answer visitors who click a proactive message?](#how-do-i-answer-visitors-who-click-a-proactive-message)
  </Step>
</Steps>

## What can I set in a proactive message?

### Basic details

| Field | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| **Name of the message** | An internal name, for example "Pricing page nudge". Names must be unique. |
| **Message Type** | **Text** shows the message in a rounded bubble. **Button** shows it as a pill-shaped button. Both open the chat when clicked. |
| **Type of Text for Nudges** | **Fixed Text** shows exactly what you write. **AI Generated Nudge** writes the message for each page, following a guideline you give it. |
| **Background Color** | The colour of the message bubble. |
| **Message** | The text of the message, with formatting and emoji. |
| **Add message** | Adds another message, so the visitor sees more than one suggestion. You can add up to 6. |

AI generated nudges are written from the content of the page the visitor is on and your company information, and are kept under 40 characters.

### Delay and display conditions

| Field | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| **Delay Type** | **Time**: wait a number of seconds (0 to 120). **Scroll**: wait until the visitor scrolls a number of pixels (0 to 500). |
| **Display Conditions** | Show the message only on pages whose URL matches your conditions. |

Each display condition uses **Visitor's URL** with one of these comparisons: **is**, **is not**, **contains**, **does not contain**, **starts with** or **ends with**. Use **Add Logic** to add more conditions and join them with **AND** or **OR**.

For example, **Visitor's URL** · **contains** · `/pricing` shows the message only on pricing pages.

<Tip>
Write a different message for each important page. A nudge that matches what the visitor is looking at gets far more clicks than a generic "How can I help?".
</Tip>

## How do I preview a proactive message on my site?

On the **Webchat Proactive Messaging** page, enter a page address under **Preview** and click **See Preview**. The preview shows which message would appear on that URL.

## How do I answer visitors who click a proactive message?

Build a workflow whose trigger is **When user replies to a proactive message**, and pick the proactive message in the trigger. When a visitor clicks the message, the chat opens and this workflow runs, so you can skip the general greeting and go straight to the right flow. A "Free shipping" nudge could lead into a flow that checks the visitor's cart, for example.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create a workflow">
    Go to **Settings → Workflows & AI Agents → Workflows** and create a new workflow. See [Workflows](https://www.robylon.ai/docs/product/product).
  </Step>
  <Step title="Add the trigger">
    Choose the Robylon Chat channel and the trigger **When user replies to a proactive message**, then select your proactive message. See [Triggers](https://www.robylon.ai/docs/product/triggers).
  </Step>
  <Step title="Add the next steps">
    Add what should happen next: send a follow-up message, ask for details with a [form](https://www.robylon.ai/docs/chatbot/forms), hand over to an [AI agent](https://www.robylon.ai/docs/ai-agents/custom-ai-agents), or assign the chat to your team.
  </Step>
  <Step title="Publish">
    Publish the workflow to make it live.
  </Step>
</Steps>

If a proactive message has several messages, each one can lead to its own branch of the workflow. A proactive message can be linked to only one live trigger at a time.

If no workflow is linked to the proactive message, clicking it opens the chat and runs the chatbot's usual **When a new chat is created** workflow.

## How do I see how proactive messages perform?

The **Chat Widget Engagement** section of the [Analytics dashboard](https://www.robylon.ai/docs/analytics) shows proactive message performance, alongside the web chatbot funnel and trend.