Tutorial · WordPress
Adding an AI chatbot to WordPress takes about 10 minutes, with no developer. This guide walks through the exact steps and the two ways to add it: the free BotDesk AI Chat plugin, or pasting the install code into a footer code box.
Two ways to install, both quick. The free BotDesk AI Chat plugin only asks for your key. Or, if you already use a code snippets plugin, paste the install code into its footer box. Either way the chat loads on every page, and you never edit your theme's files.
Go to botdesk.studio and start free. During setup you type your WordPress site's address, and BotDesk reads your site and learns your business name, services, hours and FAQs on its own, so the chatbot knows your business before you type anything.
The scan usually takes under a minute. Then you pick what the bot should do, try it out, and fix anything it got wrong in your dashboard.
In your BotDesk dashboard, open the Install tab and choose WordPress under "Where is your website?" to see the short version of these steps. Click Copy your install code. It looks like this:
Your copy has your own key where this one says YOUR_API_KEY. Using the plugin? It only needs the key: open Site key (used in your install code) further down the Install on your site page and click Copy. The key starts with bd_.
There are two ways to do this. Pick the one that matches your setup:
Go to Plugins → Add New, search for BotDesk AI Chat, click Install Now, then Activate. Then go to Settings → BotDesk, paste your key into the API key box, keep Show widget checked, and click Save Changes.
If you already use a code snippets plugin such as WPCode (once called Insert Headers and Footers), paste your full install code into its Footer box and save. This puts the code just before the closing </body> tag on every page.
Either way, skip the theme editor. Pasting code into your theme's files (like header.php or footer.php) is easy to get wrong, and a theme update can erase it. The plugin and footer box methods both survive theme updates.
Open your WordPress site in a private browser window (so you don't see an old cached copy). You should see the BotDesk chat bubble in the bottom corner of the page. Click it and ask a question to make sure it answers.
You can also go back to Install on your site, type your site's address and click Check if it's live. If the bubble doesn't appear, see the troubleshooting tips below.
Back in your BotDesk dashboard, you can:
Changes reach your site automatically within a few minutes. You don't need to paste the code again. Send a few test messages to confirm it answers correctly. Service area and pricing questions are the two most worth double-checking.
The most common cause is a caching plugin. If you use WP Super Cache, W3 Total Cache, WP Rocket or similar, clear its cache after installing. With the plugin, check that Show widget is ticked in Settings → BotDesk. With a footer box, check you pasted the whole code, from <script to </script>.
This usually means the key was copied only partly. Go back to your BotDesk dashboard, copy the key or the full install code again, and replace the one on your site. If the chat says "not enabled for this website", your bot is set up for a different web address than the one you installed it on: email hello@botdesk.studio and we'll sort it out.
Usually a page cache is still serving an older copy of those pages, so clear your caching plugin's cache. Both the plugin and the footer box methods load the chat on every page that uses your theme's normal footer.
BotDesk works with all page builders. Use the plugin or a footer code box rather than an HTML block on one page. The chat loads on its own, separately from your page builder.
Running a WooCommerce store? The plugin and footer box methods put the chat on your product and cart pages too, where shoppers have the most questions. See the WooCommerce install guide for store-specific tips.
Use the BotDesk plugin if you're comfortable in the WordPress admin but would rather not handle code: it only needs your key. Use a footer code box if you already have WPCode or a similar plugin and don't want another one. Both load the same chat. If you're comparing other chatbot plugins too, see our guide to the best AI chatbot plugins for WordPress.
See it work on your own site first. BotDesk scans your WordPress site and builds a working bot in about 20 seconds. Then install it in a few minutes. Free plan, no card required.
Try the live demo → Start free →