Discussion Widget

The Discussion Widget is one of several "Community Widgets" available to all users on ShinePages.  

While ALL community widgets offer the ability to create interactive discussions or "commenting" on your pages, they each have slightly different aesthetics, structure and functionality - lending themselves to slightly different uses.

All Community Widgets (Discussion Widget, Wall/Forum Widget, Comment Area Widget, Reviews Widget) require users to "login" (or create an account) as a "Member" of your site in order to participate/comment.  

The “Discussion” Widget is probably best used in a way that is similar to Discord or Slack - allowing you as the site owner to create discussion "Channels" (aka: Topics or Discussion Threads) and allowing your members to comment or chat with others within that Channel. 

Along with their comment they will also be able to upload images or create polls for others to vote on. 

Please note: Visitors/Members are not able to create their own Channel, they can simply "comment" on the Channels or "Discussion Threads" you have created as the Site Owner. 

Key Features of the Discussion Widget:

• Multi-threaded chats – Organize conversations into distinct discussion topics.
• Interactive polls – Create polls that trigger automations, streamlining decision-making and engagement.
• @ Mentions – Tag members easily to notify them of important updates or direct replies.
• Seamless navigation – Quickly switch between different chat threads with a single click.

Discussion Widgets (like all "Community Widgets") are versatile and can be placed anywhere within your project, ensuring seamless integration across different content types. You can embed them into:

• Pages – Keep conversations relevant within structured content.
• Blogs – Encourage discussions around articles and shared insights.
• Funnels – Allow interaction within sales and conversion journeys.
• Community Circles – Foster engagement within dedicated member spaces.

This flexibility ensures members can participate wherever it makes the most sense, keeping discussions fluid and interactive across your platform.

🔧 Configuring the Widget

Once the Discussion Widget is added to your page (simply drag the widget where you'd like from the Widgets menu), the system will open the Discussion Threads panel and immediately prompt you to create/Add your first "Channel" and "Enter channel name". 

Type your OWN Channel Name in the Box (overwrite/replace the "Default-XXXXXXXXX"  Channel Name with your OWN Channel Name - ie: Your Channel Topic or Thread) 

If you already have existing Channels created - a Drop-Down list of Channels will appear when you place your cursor into the Channel Name box.  You can "Select" a Channel from this list to display in this Discussion widget instead. 

You'll also be able to select WHO can message on this Channel within this "Enter Channel Name" popup.  Your choices are:

• Only Admins
• Admins & Moderators
• All Members

Even when “All Members” is selected, members must be logged in to interact with the Discussion Widget. If a visitor is not logged in, they will still see the Discussion, but will be prompted to Register or Log In as a Member of your site before commenting or reacting.

(Note: When a visitor Registers - they will become a "Website Member" of your site (part of your Default Member Group). If the widget is within a Community Circle, they will also become a "Circle Member")

Successfully creating or selecting a Channel will bring up the rest of the widget options, located under the “Discussion Threads” panel, which can also be accessed through the settings of the widget (gear icon on the widget's popup toolbar) .

The initial setup of the widget always defaults to the "Multiple Channels" view, but you can switch to a single-channel setup at any time. 

Depending on your selection, different customization options will be available within the "Discussion Threads" area. See below:

🎨 Customizing your Discussion Widget

After configuring the basic settings of your discussion widget, you can further personalize it's design and functionality. This section outlines the various customization options available in the widget, with examples of each to help you choose the one that best suits your needs. 

VIEW STYLE:

Choose how the discussion board is displayed. You can choose:

Row View*:

Column View*:

Sidebar View: 

*NOTE: In "Row View" and "Column View" you will have the additional option to add an Image, Description and Color to each Channel via the Channel's Settings. See below:

FIXED HEIGHT (Relative to Viewport)

Fixed Height option enabled:

Fixed Height option disabled:

USE DARK THEME:

Switches the widget’s appearance to a dark mode, offering an alternative to the light theme.

Dark mode enabled:

Dark mode disabled:

🏅 Best Practices

Moderate When Necessary: Regularly review messages to ensure appropriate and constructive conversations.

Encourage Engagement: Use polls and images to keep discussions active and interesting.

Keep Channels Organized: Create separate channels for different topics to avoid cluttered conversations.