Connecting Your First Channel
Choose and connect your first communication channel — WhatsApp, website chat, email, Instagram, or Messenger — to start receiving messages.
Which Channel Should I Connect First?
Bugalou supports multiple channels. Here's a quick comparison to help you choose your first one. For a detailed breakdown, see Choosing the Right Channel.
| Channel | Best For | Setup Time | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Website Chat | Capturing leads on your website | ~5 minutes | Access to your website's HTML or CMS |
| WhatsApp Business API | Direct customer communication at scale | ~15 minutes | Meta Business account, verified phone number |
| Managing email conversations in one place | ~2 minutes | Gmail, Outlook, or IMAP credentials | |
| Responding to Instagram DMs | ~5 minutes | Instagram Business account linked to Facebook | |
| Facebook Messenger | Facebook page messaging | ~5 minutes | Facebook Business page |
Our recommendation: If you're an e-commerce business, start with WhatsApp. For service businesses, Website Chat is the fastest to set up. For existing email workflows, connect your Gmail or Outlook.
Where to Find Channels
Go to Channels in the sidebar. You'll see all available channels organized by category:
- Messaging — Website Chat, WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, Gmail, Outlook, Email Campaigns
- E-commerce — WooCommerce, Shopify, bol.com
Click on any channel card to go to its setup page.
Quick Setup: Website Chat
The fastest channel to connect:
- Go to Channels → Website Chat
- Customize the widget appearance (colors, position, greeting)
- Copy the JavaScript embed code
- Paste it in your website's HTML before
</body> - Visitors can now chat with you — messages appear in your inbox!
Quick Setup: WhatsApp
The most powerful channel. For a full walkthrough, see How to Connect WhatsApp Business.
- Go to Channels → WhatsApp
- Follow the 7-step setup wizard: Requirements → Meta Account → Phone Number → Verification → PIN → Configuration → Complete
- Connect your Meta Business account and verify your phone number
- Once verified, you can send and receive WhatsApp messages directly from Bugalou
Quick Setup: Email
- Go to Channels → Gmail or Outlook
- Click "Connect" and authorize with your Google or Microsoft account
- Your emails start syncing automatically every 5 minutes
What Happens After Connecting?
Once connected, incoming messages appear in your Inbox. You can see which channel each message came from by the channel icon next to the conversation. Go to Inbox to start replying!
Important
You need an active subscription (Starter plan or higher) to connect channels. Free accounts cannot connect communication channels.