Widget for Zendesk Chat via API

This plugin offers a better way to load the Zendesk Chat Widget than the Standard Zendesk Chat Plugin. The plugin loads the Zendesk Chat Widget via API and uses a time delay setting to load the Chat Widget. Using this Trick, the Zendesk Chat Widget is loaded AFTER the website is fully loaded. Therefore the loading of the Chat Widget does not consume valuable time anymore on initial page load. Quick and easy to implement. Improves Page Load Time for SEO!

Why do you need this Plugin?

One common problem is that the standard Zendesk Chat plugin adds time required to load the widget at the end of each page load. Based on our page load measurements using GTmetrix, loading the Zendesk Chat Widget via the standard Zendesk Plugin adds 103- 691 ms to the time required for loading of a website. Of course the time varies from website to website but the point is, loading Zendesk Chat Widget the standard way, consumes unnecessary time you don’t have. This can lead to quite poor page load metrics which can affect your SEO scores.

How does it work?

The Plugin Widget for Zendesk Chat via API uses the API offered by Zendesk to call the chat widget from the background. The plugin then uses a setting to add a chosen time delay when the Chat Widget will be loaded.

This allows that the initial loading of the website can happen without the Zendesk Chat plugin giving a chance to block page load. The Chat plugin is simply loaded separately by waiting first until the initial page has been fully loaded (in GT Metrix Time to Interactive), then loading the Zendesk Chat Widget in a second step via API (e.g. 10 seconds later). Problem solved! No more blocking of page load by Zendesk. Now suddenly, your SEO Metrics start to look much better!

API and Time Delay – Simple and Quick to Setup

The plugin has a Settings Page located on your WordPress Dashboard with the Settings Menu. Follow the instructions to enter your Zendesk Chat API Key, and you are done. Quick and easy, a very straightforward plugin to use!

Here some more information about the two settings needed to make this plugin work correctly:

• API Key – simply follow the instructions to get the API Key from your Zendesk Account. Ensure you obtain confirmation that the Key is valid. Once valid, the Zendesk Chat Widget will be loaded via API Key. No other plugin is needed anymore.
• Loading Delay Time – Per default, the plugin will delay the loading of the Zendesk Chat Widget by 10 seconds. For most websites, this should work. If your website is very slow or faster, then you increase/decrease the time delay as you wish.

Please note the loading delay works as follows:

• Webpage is loaded but left still – The Zendesk Chat Widget will wait for a minimum of 10 seconds before loading and opening.
• Webpage is loaded and scrolled upon – The Zendesk Chat Widget will wait 3 seconds before loading and opening.

Clear Caching when you Install or Update the Plugin

Please clear all your page caches whenever you update the settings to ensure the loading of the Zendesk Chat Widget is executed correctly.

Hiding Zendesk Chat Widget on Select Pages

Additionally, we have added a meta-box on all page and post types in WordPress that allows you to Disable the Chat Widget on select pages. You can open the target page in the edit modus, locate the Widget for Zendesk Chat, and tick the box to disable the Chat Widget.

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