Chatbot greeting message examples: 36 website chat welcome messages by industry and situation
These are opening lines for the chat bubble on your website, the first thing a visitor reads before they decide whether to type. Copy the ones that fit, swap in your details, and use the short formula below to write your own. If you want openings for WhatsApp instead, we cover those in our WhatsApp greeting message guide.
Quick answer
A good chatbot greeting does three things in under 30 words: says it is an automated assistant, names two or three specific things it can help with, and asks one easy question. Example: "Hi, I'm the clinic's virtual assistant. I can check prices, opening hours and free appointment slots. What can I help you with?" Match the greeting to the page the visitor is on.
What should a chatbot greeting say?
It should tell the visitor who they are talking to, what they can get, and how to start. Everything else can wait for the second message.
1. Who: automated, and for whom
"I'm the [business] virtual assistant." Saying it is automated is honest, sets expectations, and in some places is required (see the FAQ). Nielsen Norman Group's chatbot usability research found users were more satisfied when bots said they were bots.
2. What: two or three real tasks
"I can check prices, delivery times and stock." The same research found people often cannot tell what a bot can do. Naming tasks fixes that. Only list what the assistant can actually do.
3. How: one easy question
"What are you looking for today?" or "Which treatment are you interested in?" One question, not three. Short questions get typed answers; long ones get ignored.
Optional: a way to a person
"A team member can take over any time." Worth adding for high-value or sensitive businesses, where visitors hesitate to type to software.
Keep it under 30 words. On a phone, anything longer covers the page the visitor came to read.
Greetings by the page the visitor is on
The page tells you what the visitor is thinking about, so the best greeting continues that thought. If your chat tool lets you set a different opening per page, start here.
| # | Page | Greeting |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Home page | "Hi, I'm the [business] virtual assistant. I can answer questions about our services, prices and opening hours. What brings you here today?" |
| 2 | Pricing page | "Comparing plans? I can explain what each one includes or help you pick one in two questions. Want to try?" |
| 3 | Single service page | "Questions about [service]? I can tell you the price, how long it takes and the next free slot." |
| 4 | Contact page | "Before you fill in the form: I can answer most questions right now, or pass a message to the team. What do you need?" |
| 5 | Booking page | "I can find you a time. Which day suits you best this week?" |
| 6 | Product page | "Want to know sizes, stock or delivery time for this item? Ask me here." |
| 7 | Cart or checkout | "Any questions before you order? I can answer delivery, returns and payment questions." |
| 8 | Blog article | "Reading about [topic]? If you'd like to know how we handle it for clients, ask me anything." |
| 9 | Careers page | "Hi, I'm an automated assistant. I can tell you about open roles and how to apply. For anything else, I'll pass you to HR." |
| 10 | Location or "visit us" page | "Need directions, parking details or today's hours? Ask me." |
Greetings by industry
These use the formula with the tasks each kind of business gets asked about most. Replace the brackets.
- Dental clinic: "Hi, I'm [Clinic]'s virtual assistant. I can share treatment prices, check open appointment slots, or answer insurance questions. How can I help?"
- Aesthetic clinic: "Welcome. I'm an automated assistant and can explain treatments, prices and downtime, or book a consultation. What are you considering?"
- Hair or beauty salon: "Hi there. I can check prices, find a free slot with your favorite stylist, or answer questions about treatments. What would you like done?"
- Gym or fitness studio: "Hi, I'm the [Gym] assistant. Ask me about memberships, class times or booking a free trial session."
- Restaurant or cafe: "Hello. I can share today's menu, opening hours or help you reserve a table. How many people are you?"
- Online shop: "Hi. I can help with sizes, stock, delivery times and returns. What are you shopping for?"
- Property agent: "Hi, I'm [Agency]'s virtual assistant. Looking to buy, rent or sell? Tell me the area and budget and I'll show you what fits."
- Tuition or training center: "Hello. I can share class schedules, fees and trial lesson dates. Which subject and level are you looking for?"
- Home services (plumber, cleaner, aircon): "Hi. Tell me what needs doing and your area, and I'll give you a price range and the next available visit."
- Accountant or law firm: "Welcome. I'm an automated assistant. I can explain our services and fees, or book a consultation with the team. What do you need help with?"
- Hotel or homestay: "Hi. I can check room types, rates and what's included. Which dates are you looking at?"
- Car workshop: "Hello. I can quote common services, check parts and book your car in. What's the make, model and problem?"
- Software or SaaS: "Hi, I'm the [Product] assistant. I can answer pricing and feature questions, or point you to the right setup guide."
- Travel agency: "Hi. Where are you thinking of going, and roughly when? I can share packages and prices that fit."
- Pet groomer or vet: "Hello. I can share grooming prices by breed, opening hours and free appointment times. What's your pet's name and breed?"
- Event or wedding vendor: "Congratulations on the plans. Tell me your date and guest count, and I'll check availability and share packages."
Greetings for special situations
Some moments need a different opening: nobody is in the office, the visitor has been before, or something is wrong on your side.
- After hours: "Our team is offline until 9am, but I can answer most questions now and book you a slot. What do you need?"
- Weekend: "We're closed today, but I'm here. Ask me about prices or book for next week."
- Returning visitor: "Welcome back. Want to pick up where you left off, or ask something new?"
- Visitor who has been on the page a while: "Still deciding? Happy to answer any questions about [service]."
- Holiday closure: "We're closed from [date] to [date]. I can still answer questions and take bookings for when we reopen."
- Promotion running: "Our [promotion] runs until [date]. Want to know if it applies to what you're looking for?"
- Service disruption: "We're aware of [issue] and working on it. I can share the latest update or take your details so the team can follow up."
- Visitor from an ad: "Saw our offer on [platform]? I can tell you exactly what's included and how to claim it."
- Multilingual audience: "Hi, I'm the [business] assistant. You can write to me in English, Malay or Chinese. How can I help?"
- High-value or sensitive service: "Hello. I'm an automated assistant and can answer general questions privately. A member of our team can take over whenever you'd like."
For greetings after someone has already become a customer, such as after a first booking or purchase, see welcome messages for new customers.
Five greetings that make people close the chat
Most bad greetings fail for the same reason: they make the visitor work before they get anything back.
| Greeting | Why it fails | Better |
|---|---|---|
| "Hi! How can I help you?" | Says nothing about what the bot can do, so visitors guess or leave | Name two or three tasks (examples 1 to 3) |
| "Hi, I'm Sarah!" with a stock photo, on a bot | Implies a person; feels like a trick when the answers sound automated | "I'm [Business]'s virtual assistant" |
| "Before we start, what's your name, email and phone?" | Asks for contact details before giving any value | Answer first; ask for details when booking or handing over |
| A pop-up that opens itself within seconds of landing | Covers the page before the visitor has read anything | Wait until they have scrolled or spent a little time |
| A 60-word paragraph with links and emoji | Too long to read in a bubble, especially on a phone | Under 30 words, one question |
Notice the second row. If you want to give your assistant a name, that is fine, but pair it with a clear "virtual assistant" label. Our chatbot name ideas article has naming rules and examples.
How to choose between two greetings
Run each for two weeks and compare one number: the share of chats where the visitor typed a real question after the greeting. That is the only job the greeting has.
- Pick one page with steady traffic, usually the home page or your top service page.
- Run greeting A for two weeks. Count chats opened and chats where the visitor asked something real (not "hi" and leave).
- Run greeting B for the next two weeks, same page, and count the same way.
- Keep the winner, then test the next page. Change one thing at a time: the task list, or the question, not both.
Read the conversations as well as the counts. If people keep asking something the greeting does not mention, add it to the task list. If they ask things the assistant cannot answer, the problem is the knowledge, not the greeting; see instructions for a website chat assistant.
Where ReplyKit fits
A greeting only works if what comes next is good. ReplyKit adds an AI assistant to your website with one line of code, and it answers from your own website, PDFs, price lists and Q&A pairs. When the answer is not in that knowledge, it says so and alerts you instead of guessing, and it can offer real open appointment slots and book them in the chat.
Each website assistant has its own instructions and knowledge, so a business with two sites (say, a clinic and a separate training academy) can give each one its own tone and focus. The same agent can also answer your WhatsApp number. Plans start at $29 a month with one website assistant included; see pricing, start a free trial, or try the live demo on our homepage to see how a sample clinic assistant opens and replies.
When it is not the right fit: if you want a live-chat tool for staff to answer every website visitor by hand, with no AI, a dedicated live chat tool is simpler. And if your site gets a handful of visitors a week, a WhatsApp button or a contact form may be all you need.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good welcome message for a chatbot?
One that says it is an automated assistant, names two or three things it can help with, and asks one simple question, all in under 30 words. For example: "Hi, I'm the shop's virtual assistant. I can help with sizes, stock and delivery. What are you looking for?"
Should a chatbot greeting say it is a bot?
Yes. It sets honest expectations and, in some places, the law asks for it. California's bot disclosure law covers bots used to encourage a sale while misleading people about being a bot, and the EU AI Act requires people to be told they are interacting with an AI system unless it is obvious. A simple "virtual assistant" label does the job.
How long should a chatbot greeting be?
Under 30 words, ideally one or two short sentences and a question. On a phone, longer greetings cover the page and get closed before they are read.
Should the chat window open automatically?
Usually not straight away. Let visitors read first, and only show a greeting bubble after they have scrolled or spent a little time on the page. An instant pop-up on landing is the most common reason people close a chat.
Can I use the same greeting on my website and on WhatsApp?
Not quite. A website visitor is often anonymous and just browsing, while a WhatsApp message usually means the person already has a question. Use page-specific greetings on the website and a shorter, answer-first reply on WhatsApp.
Should I ask for the visitor's email in the greeting?
No. Asking for details before giving anything back makes people leave. Answer their question first, then ask for a name and contact when they want to book, get a quote, or speak to a person.
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Sources and further reading
- Nielsen Norman Group, The User Experience of Chatbots (Raluca Budiu, 2018) · users struggle to tell what a bot can do; users were more satisfied when bots disclosed they were bots
- EU AI Act, Article 50: transparency obligations · people must be informed they are interacting with an AI system unless it is obvious
- California SB 1001, Bots: disclosure (Business and Professions Code 17940 to 17943) · disclosure rules for bots used to encourage a sale
ReplyKit is an independent product and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Meta or WhatsApp. Third-party information was checked in October 2026 and may change. This article is general guidance, not legal advice; check the rules that apply where you operate.