When a visitor starts a live chat on your website, Social Intents automatically captures a wealth of contextual information and displays it to your agents in real time. Knowing where a visitor is located, what page they are viewing, how they found your website, and any custom data passed through your JavaScript integration gives your agents the context they need to personalize responses, qualify leads, and resolve issues faster. Below we walk through every piece of visitor data available during a chat, how to access it, and how to use it.
The Visitor Information Panel
In the Social Intents web dashboard chat console, visitor information is displayed in a sidebar panel titled "Visitor Info" alongside the active chat conversation. This panel is automatically populated when the chat begins and updates in real time as new data becomes available.
The Visitor Info panel includes the following data points:
| Field | Description | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Nombre | The visitor's name. Collected from the pre-chat form, JavaScript API, or defaults to "Visitor from [IP location]" if not provided. | Pre-chat form or JS API |
| Correo electrónico | The visitor's email address. Collected from the pre-chat form or JavaScript API. | Pre-chat form or JS API |
| Teléfono | The visitor's phone number, if provided. Shown conditionally - only appears if a phone number was collected. | Pre-chat form or JS API |
| Location | Geographic location derived from the visitor's IP address. For US visitors, shows city and state (e.g., "San Francisco, CA"). For international visitors, shows city and country (e.g., "London, United Kingdom"). | IP geolocation lookup |
| Current Page | The URL of the page where the visitor initiated the chat. Helps agents understand what the visitor was looking at when they had a question. | Automatic (JavaScript) |
| Last Page | The last page the visitor viewed before the current page. Provides browsing context. | Automatic (JavaScript) |
| Referrer | The referring URL that brought the visitor to your website. Could be a Google search, a social media link, an email campaign, or a direct visit. | Browser referrer header |
| Group | The department or group the visitor selected before starting the chat (if groups are configured). Shown conditionally. | Pre-chat form selection |
| Language | The visitor's browser language. Includes a translate dropdown supporting 20+ languages for real-time message translation. | Browser settings |
| Visit Count | The number of times this visitor has been to your site, helping you distinguish first-time visitors from returning visitors. | Tracking cookie |
| Custom 1-6 | Up to six custom variable fields with configurable labels. Shown conditionally - only appear if custom data has been passed via the JavaScript API. | JavaScript API |
| Custom Parameters | Additional key-value parameters passed through the JavaScript API. Displayed in the Params section of the Visitor Info panel. | JavaScript API |
Automatic Data Collection
Several visitor data points are captured automatically without any configuration or visitor action. These give your agents instant context the moment a chat starts.
Location (IP Geolocation)
Social Intents uses IP address lookup to determine the visitor's geographic location. The system detects the visitor's IP from the request headers and runs it through a geolocation service that resolves the IP to a city, region, and country. The location is formatted for readability: US visitors see "City, State" (e.g., "Austin, TX") while international visitors see "City, Country" (e.g., "Toronto, Canada").
This information is valuable for:
- Sales qualification - Know whether a lead is in your target market or service area
- Time zone awareness - Understand when follow-up calls would be appropriate
- Language adaptation - Anticipate language preferences for non-English speaking regions
- Regional offers - Mention location-specific promotions, pricing, or services
Current Page URL
The page URL tells you exactly what the visitor was looking at when they started the chat. This is one of the most useful data points for agents because it provides immediate context. If a visitor starts a chat from your pricing page, they are likely comparing plans. If they are on a support article, they are probably troubleshooting a specific issue. If they are on a product page, they may have pre-sales questions.
Use the page URL to:
- Skip general questions - you already know what topic they are interested in
- Proactively reference the content on that page
- Identify whether the visitor is a prospect (marketing pages) or a customer (app/support pages)
Referrer
The referrer shows how the visitor arrived at your website. Common referrer values include:
| Referrer | What It Tells You |
|---|---|
| google.com | Visitor found you through a Google search. They may be comparing solutions. |
| linkedin.com / twitter.com | Visitor came from social media. They may have seen a post or ad. |
| Email campaign URL | Visitor clicked a link in your email newsletter or marketing campaign. |
| (Direct / blank) | Visitor typed your URL directly or used a bookmark. Likely a returning visitor. |
| Partner website | Visitor was referred by a partner, directory, or review site. |
Browser User Agent
The system captures the visitor's browser and operating system information. While not prominently displayed in the Visitor Info panel, this data is stored with the chat record and used for troubleshooting technical issues. Knowing whether a visitor uses Chrome on Windows or Safari on macOS helps support agents provide accurate, browser-specific instructions.
Data from Pre-Chat Forms
When you enable a pre-chat form on your widget, visitors enter their information before the conversation begins. This data flows directly into the Visitor Info panel. Common pre-chat form fields include name, email, phone number, and department selection.
Pre-chat forms are especially valuable because:
- You know who you are talking to before the first message - greet them by name
- You have their email for follow-up - even if the chat disconnects
- Department routing ensures the right agent gets the conversation
- Lead data is captured automatically for your CRM or sales pipeline
Custom Variables via JavaScript API
For advanced use cases, you can pass custom data from your website to Social Intents using the JavaScript API. This allows you to send information from your application - such as a customer ID, subscription plan, or account status - directly into the Visitor Info panel where agents can see it during the chat.
How to Pass Custom Variables
Custom variables are passed through the chat initialization using recognized parameter names in the JavaScript configuration. The Social Intents JavaScript API recognizes several standard parameters:
| Parameter Name | What It Populates |
|---|---|
nombre o si_name | Visitor name field |
correo electrónico o si_email | Visitor email field |
teléfono | Visitor phone field |
page o url | Current page URL (overrides automatic detection) |
Additional custom parameters beyond these standard names are displayed in the Params section of the Visitor Info panel. You can pass up to 6 custom variables (Custom 1 through Custom 6) with configurable labels, plus any number of additional key-value parameters.
Example Use Cases for Custom Variables
| Use Case | Custom Variable | Agent Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| SaaS application | Customer ID, plan name, subscription status | Agent immediately knows the customer's account details without asking |
| Comercio electrónico | Cart total, items in cart, customer tier | Agent can reference what the visitor is about to purchase |
| B2B platform | Company name, industry, number of employees | Agent can qualify the lead instantly |
| Support portal | Ticket number, last issue category, support tier | Agent has full context before the visitor explains the issue |
Real-Time Language Translation
The Visitor Info panel includes a Language field showing the visitor's browser language, along with a translation dropdown that supports 20+ languages. When you select a language from the dropdown, the system can translate incoming visitor messages in real time, allowing agents to communicate with visitors who speak a different language.
This feature is valuable for businesses serving international audiences. An agent who speaks only English can effectively chat with a visitor whose browser language is Spanish, French, German, Japanese, or any other supported language.
Visitor Information in Platform Integrations
When using Social Intents through Microsoft Teams, Slack, or Google Chat, visitor information is included in the chat notification message that appears in your platform channel. While the presentation is more compact than the full Visitor Info panel in the web dashboard, the essential data is available:
- Visitor name and email (if provided)
- Location (from IP geolocation)
- Current page URL
- Department/group (if selected)
- Custom parameters (if passed)
For the full Visitor Info panel experience with all fields, custom variables, and the translation dropdown, use the web dashboard chat console alongside your platform integration.
How Visitor Data Is Stored
All visitor data collected during a chat is stored with the conversation record. This means that when you review chat transcripts in the reporting section, you can see the visitor's information at the time of the conversation. Data includes the visitor's name, email, phone, IP address, location, pages viewed, referrer, user agent, group selection, custom variables, and the number of site visits.
Visitor data is also available through the Social Intents API, allowing you to integrate chat data with your CRM, analytics tools, or data warehouse for deeper customer insights.
Best Practices for Using Visitor Information
Personalize Your Greeting
If the visitor's name is available, use it in your opening message. "Hi Sarah, how can I help you today?" is significantly more engaging than "Hello, how can I help you?" Personalization creates an immediate connection and signals to the visitor that they are talking to a real person who cares about their experience.
Reference the Current Page
Acknowledge what the visitor was looking at. "I see you are on our pricing page - do you have any questions about our plans?" instantly shows the visitor that you understand their context and can help with what they were already researching. This proactive approach often resolves questions faster than waiting for the visitor to explain what they need.
Use Location for Relevance
If you serve specific regions or have location-dependent information (shipping zones, local office details, time zone–specific scheduling), reference the visitor's location naturally. "I see you are in Austin - our closest office is in Dallas" or "Since you are in the UK, I should note that our pricing is in USD."
Use Custom Variables for VIP Treatment
If you pass subscription tier or customer lifetime value as custom variables, agents can prioritize accordingly. A visitor with an Enterprise plan who starts a chat deserves immediate, priority support. A free trial user browsing the pricing page is a hot lead that deserves careful attention. Custom variables make this intelligence automatic.
Respect Privacy
While visitor information is powerful, use it responsibly. Do not reference data in ways that feel invasive - for example, avoid saying "I see you are in [very specific neighborhood]." Stick to city-level or regional references that feel natural. Always comply with your privacy policy regarding data collection and usage.
Preguntas frecuentes
Where do I see visitor information?
In the web dashboard's chat console, visitor info appears in the sidebar panel next to the active conversation. In platform integrations (Slack, Teams), visitor data is included in the notification message when the chat starts.
How accurate is the location data?
Location data is derived from IP geolocation, which is accurate to the city level in most cases. Visitors using VPNs or proxy servers may show inaccurate locations. The data is best used for general geographic context rather than precise location tracking.
Can I pass custom variables from my website?
Yes. Use the Social Intents JavaScript API to pass custom key-value pairs during chat initialization. Standard parameters like nombre, correo electrónicoy teléfono populate specific fields, while additional parameters appear in the Params section. Up to 6 custom labeled fields (Custom 1-6) are supported.
Is visitor information stored after the chat ends?
Yes. All visitor data is stored with the conversation record and is available in chat transcripts, reports, and through the API. This allows you to review historical context for returning visitors.
Can visitors opt out of data collection?
Visitor data collection is part of the live chat functionality. IP geolocation, page URL, and referrer data are automatically captured from the browser request. Pre-chat form data is voluntarily provided by the visitor. Ensure your privacy policy discloses what data the live chat widget collects.
Does visitor info work on WhatsApp and SMS channels?
For WhatsApp and SMS conversations, the available data differs. Phone number is always available (it is the communication channel). Name and email may be available if previously collected. Location, page URL, and referrer are not available since the visitor is not on your website. Custom variables are not applicable to WhatsApp and SMS channels.
Can I customize the labels for Custom 1-6 fields?
Yes. The custom variable field labels can be configured to show meaningful names instead of "Custom 1," "Custom 2," etc. This makes the Visitor Info panel more informative for agents - for example, showing "Plan" instead of "Custom 1" or "Company" instead of "Custom 2."