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As of March 2024 we have renamed Apexchat to Blazeo. We are excited to share the next part of our journey with our customers and partners.
The name ApexChat implies that we are primarily a chat company, which is no longer true. Now we have many offerings, such as call center services, AI, Appointment setting, SMS Enablement, Market Automation, and Sales acceleration (Q2 2024), that go beyond chat. The new name will not only allow us to convey the breadth of our offering but will also better convey our company’s mission and values.
Blazeo, which is derived from the word Blaze, evokes a sense of passion, speed, and energy. A “Blaze” is captivating, illuminates, and represents explosive growth. Blazeo encapsulates our mission to ignite such growth for our customers and partners by delivering innovation with passion, speed, and energy.
(Updated on 3/19/2025)
In today’s digital landscape, live chat has become a crucial tool for improving user experience and customer support. Businesses use it to engage website visitors, provide instant assistance, and even increase conversions. But many website owners and marketers wonder: What is the live chat impact on SEO?
The short answer: Yes, live chat can influence your SEO performance—but how you implement it makes all the difference. If executed properly, it can enhance user engagement, improve dwell time, and reduce bounce rates—all of which contribute positively to search rankings. However, if not optimized correctly, live chat can slow down your website and create intrusive pop-ups that hurt SEO.
In this guide, we’ll explore how live chat affects Google rankings and share best practices to ensure it benefits rather than harms your search visibility.
Before diving into live chat’s impact, let’s quickly recap how Google ranks websites. Google’s algorithm considers hundreds of ranking factors, but some of the most critical include:
Where does live chat fit into all of this? If integrated correctly, live chat can improve user engagement and indirectly boost SEO. But live chat can also impact SEO by introducing challenges if poorly implemented.
When used effectively, live chat can enhance multiple SEO factors, including:
One of Google’s key ranking signals is dwell time—the amount of time a visitor spends on your page before returning to search results. A well-placed live chat widget can:
✅ Example: A study by Forrester Research found that 44% of online consumers say live chat is one of the most important features a website can offer.
Google rewards websites that prioritize user experience (UX). Live chat can:
Live chat isn't just about support—it also drives conversions. Research by Kayako shows that 79% of businesses say offering live chat has positively impacted sales, while 38% of consumers are more likely to buy if a website offers live chat.
By increasing conversions, live chat indirectly impacts SEO since Google tracks engagement signals.
(Read also: Tips for Increasing Website Engagement)
While live chat has many benefits, it can hurt SEO if not optimized properly. Here’s how to avoid common pitfalls:
Poorly optimized live chat plugins can slow down your website, negatively affecting rankings. Page speed is a confirmed Google ranking factor, so it’s crucial to:
🔍 Tip: Use a service like Google’s Lighthouse to analyze how your live chat impacts performance.
Google penalizes websites that use intrusive interstitials—pop-ups that block content. If your live chat widget covers too much of the screen, it could hurt mobile rankings.
✅ Solution:
Google’s mobile-first indexing means websites are ranked primarily based on their mobile versions. If your live chat isn’t optimized for mobile devices, it could create frustrating experiences and increase bounce rates.
🔍 Check:
To ensure live chat boosts rather than hinders SEO, follow these best practices:
Opt for live chat providers with minimal impact on page speed. Some recommended options include:
Make sure the chat script loads after the main content, so it doesn’t slow down the site.
Ensure chat boxes are easy to access but not intrusive on mobile screens.
AI-powered chatbots keep visitors engaged, helping with lead generation even outside business hours.
Track how live chat affects user engagement using tools like:
(Read also: Want to Add Chat to Your Website? Consider These Factors)
Verdict: Live chat can be a powerful asset for SEO when implemented correctly. It enhances user experience, engagement, and conversion rates, all of which can indirectly improve rankings. However, if done poorly—slowing down pages or causing intrusive pop-ups—it can hurt your site’s performance.
Key Takeaways:
Boost Sales: How Live Chat Increases Conversions for Your Website
3 Ways to Improve Live Chat Conversion Rates
23 Must-Know Live Chat Statistics for 2025
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