How to convince website owners to use our free Chat Widget?

[Michael Zyskowski]

Dear Forum,

We've recently built a new chat website based on push technology (no plugins). We've now finished building a widget (mini chat window) which can be embedded on website owner's websites, all free.

However, How do we actually get people to use the widget? Any widget connected to the e-chat (main) system is visible to the others, so that the traffic is shared. But since noone is using it so far, there is no traffic to share?

Please let us know. The widget is available at [EDIT: link moved to the URL box for review].
Kind Regards,

Michael Zyskowski.

[Webzarus]

#1. Client have to actually have a valid need for it... Just because you made something doesn't mean people want or need it.

#2. Most clients that have used a chat applet on their site already know its not free.... Regardless of if you charge for it or not, someone has to be at the other end to answer to answer the chat questions ( that's a cost to the client ).

#3. I suspect you're not running it in SSL ( which means the entire conversation can be see by those that might be snffing traffic )...

so answer this .... Why would a potential client want something that may or may not work, is not secure, and has a cost associated even if you don't charge for it ?

im kinda leaning towards, this was a shill posting under the guise of wanting comments... And link dropping the site so you might get some traffic...

[TheGAME1264]

I'm going to allow for one of the posts, since it appears that at least a semi-legitimate attempt to ask for a review was made. I don't think it's a shill post, either...it's not from one of the usual shill posting suspect countries. But Michael, please be advised that posting twice asking for advice and criticism is bad form in general.

To be blunt, I don't think there's a way that you can convince webmasters to use this as it stands right now. The only selling feature is that it's free, and even guys like LiveZilla are offering free trials and from what I've seen of yours offer a lot more features (not the least of which is the fact that the chat can be reduced to a bar as opposed to a 250 x 500 pixel window). It also doesn't indicate whether or not the chats can be monitored by an admin (again, LiveZilla offers this) or it's a straight one-on-one chat. And as WZ said, there's a client cost. Chats are generally effective in limited circumstances at best, and I don't think yours brings anything to the table.

I'm also wondering about your use of Pac-Man. I'm not sure on this, but you may be running afoul of trademark law.

[Michael Zyskowski]

Dear Forum,

Thanks for the replies, I do appreciate it.

What you're saying is completely true, but on the other hand I've had people asking me for more features for the widget itself, which I believe it is a good thing.

In the long run I'd like people to be able to create their own 'channels' and be able to administer them to their wishes, be responsible for it and so on.

Any clues what functionality should I program for the widget to have enough benefit for people to adopt ?

I'd give up on E-Chat project long time ago, had it not been for the fact that I've had about 20 users out of 600 visitors who would log in every day for weeks, asking me to give them more traffic. Personally I only care about two things: building an excellent, simple and relevant chat portal, and also make it sustainable.

Thanks for your comments.

[Webzarus]

If you have users wanting more traffic, changing and enhancing the chat tool is not going to give you anything.

You need to increase your visitor base to the site that the chat tool is on... Period.

its a game of numbers, there's only a small percentage of people that will use an online chat tool... To get more users that will use it, get more people to visit the site ... Adding mor functions or whatever to the chat tool won't get you much... If anything.

[TheGAME1264]

Exactly...their traffic and your chat tool are mutually exclusive. Their traffic is their problem. The functionality of the chat tool is yours. Even if you make it the greatest chat widget in the world, it's not going to get them millions of visitors.