Increase Reader Participation on Your Blog with cbox Chat Widget

I just added a new feature to TypePad Hacks— It's a live chat window in the sidebar that allows readers to talk amongst themselves in real time! I think it will prove to be a pretty valuable addition, adding some of the forum functionality that many people have asked for. If you've got a question about how to do something, you can now type it into the chat window and see if any readers who are currently online have an answer for you.

Last night I tested a half dozen different chat widgets (all of which I found via Phil Bradley's excellent link blog, I want To). Out of the free offerings, I found cbox to be the easiest to set up, the most functional and customizable, and the least intrusive when it comes to built-in advertising.

Cbox comes in both a free and paid version. To see the difference between them, take a look at their comparison chart. For now, I'm going with the free version which looks plenty robust. If it turns out that more bandwidth is needed, then maybe I'll upgrade to the paid version.

The one feature I would love to see included is an RSS feed for the chat window. That way, if you asked a question and someone answered it later in the day you'd know about it without having to check back. It would also make it easier for me to check in on the conversation. Realistically, I expect my contributions to the chat window will be minimal… I much prefer email, skype and comments to chat and forums. I just don't type fast enough to enjoy IM.

Please try it out and let me know what you think in the poll below!

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