Service to connect instant messaging (msn/icq gtalk etc) with your websites visitors?

Question

Basically, I want my users to be able to just click a button and get a small popup-window that puts them in contact with me through one of the major communicationstools.

Does anyone know about any such services?

Answer 1

Make a link with the following href format:

<a href="im:<username>@<host>">SendMessage</a>

Note: requires the client have the IM client installed, and is not supported by all IM clients.

For AOL:

<a href="aim:goim?screenname=yourusername">Send Message</a>

For Yahoo:

<a href="ymsgr:sendIM?yourusername">Send Message</a>

For Google:

<a href="gtalk:[email protected]">Send Message</a>

For MSN/Windows Live:

<a href="msnim:[email protected]">Send Message</a>

For ICQ:

<a href="icq:send_message?uin=12345">Send Message</a>

Answer 2

You'd need to cover a lot of different services, and hope they were running that app when they visited your site.

Use Live Chat or similar - you've probably seen the type of thing around:

http://www.imsupporting.com/

http://www.livezilla.net/home/en/ - free

http://www.chat4support.com/ - free version

http://www.craftysyntax.com/ - free (plus pointless following eyes on homepage).

I've not tested them so can't give any info on how good they are...hope this helps.