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GHL MCP Guide
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Live Chat & Typing

Conversations & Messaging · Intermediate · Updated March 2026

Send typing indicators for live chat conversations and manage real-time chat interactions. Powers responsive chat widget experiences on websites.

Live chat is the real-time conversation channel. Unlike SMS or email where delays are normal, chat visitors expect instant responses. The typing indicator is what bridges the gap — it tells the visitor someone (or something) is working on a response. Managing this through MCP means you can build custom chat handling logic, integrate AI responders that feel human, and control the chat experience beyond what GHL’s native tools offer.

What This MCP Tool Does

Send typing indicators to live chat conversations, signaling to the visitor that a response is being prepared. This is primarily used when building custom chat response systems — either AI-powered or external handler-based — where you need to simulate natural conversation timing.

Endpoint Reference

Send typing indicator: POST /conversations/messages/typing Sends a typing indicator (”…” animation) to the chat widget for a specific conversation. The indicator displays for a short duration and then fades.

Authentication

Requires a Private Integration Token (PIT) with the conversations scope enabled.

Key Parameters

  • conversationId — the chat conversation to show the typing indicator in

Important Notes

Typing indicators are cosmetic but psychologically important. Research consistently shows that seeing a typing indicator makes people wait longer and perceive the experience as more responsive. If you’re building an AI chat handler that takes 3-5 seconds to generate a response, sending a typing indicator immediately makes the wait feel intentional rather than broken.

The typing indicator automatically disappears after a timeout period. If your response takes longer than the indicator duration, send multiple typing indicators at intervals.

This tool is most useful when combined with SMS Operations or Message Manager for the actual message delivery. The flow is: receive inbound chat message via webhook, send typing indicator, process/generate response, send response message.

Live chat conversations use the same conversation system as SMS and email. Messages sent to a live chat conversation via MCP appear in the chat widget on the visitor’s side.

Common Questions

When should I use typing indicators? Anytime there’s a processing delay before sending a response in a live chat context. If an AI is generating a response, if an external system is being queried, or if you’re routing the chat to a human and need to buy time.

How long does the typing indicator stay visible? The indicator displays for a few seconds. For longer processing times, send additional typing indicator requests at intervals.

Can I use this with AI chatbots? Yes, and you should. The pattern is: inbound message arrives via webhook, immediately send typing indicator via MCP, process the message through your AI system, then send the response via SMS Operations or a message endpoint. The visitor sees a natural-feeling chat experience.

Does this work with the GHL chat widget only? Yes. Typing indicators are specific to the web chat widget. SMS and email don’t have typing indicator concepts.

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