Placeholder reference
Placeholders let you write one answer and keep it correct when your details change. Write them in curly braces; Mikabot replaces them when the reply is sent.
The same list is shown in the app, with your current values, on the Available Placeholders card under Settings → AI smart responses.
Store placeholders
| Placeholder | Renders | Set in |
|---|---|---|
{site_name} | Your website name as plain text | Site info → Site Name |
{bot_name} | The chatbot’s name as plain text | Appearance → Bot Name |
{email} | A clickable mailto: link | Site info → Contact Email |
{contact_url} | A clickable link to your contact page | Site info → Contact Page Url |
{chat_url} | A clickable link to your WhatsApp or live chat | Site info → Chat URL |
{webshop_description} | Your description of what the site sells | Site info → What does your website sell/do? |
{ai_expertise} | Your expertise areas as plain text | Bot personality → AI Expertise |
{email}, {contact_url}, and {chat_url} render as links, not as bare text. Do not wrap them in your own markup.
The chat button
{chat_button} renders a styled button instead of a plain link:
Prefer a quick chat? {chat_button}Add your own label after a colon:
Prefer a quick chat? {chat_button:Message us on WhatsApp}Without a label the button reads Chat with us.
Product placeholders
| Placeholder | Renders | Used in |
|---|---|---|
{count} | Number of products found | Product suggestions intro, Category suggestions intro |
{category} | Name of the matched category | Category suggestions intro |
These only work in the responses that produce them. {count} in a welcome message is left as-is.
What happens when a field is empty
Two behaviours, depending on the placeholder:
Replaced with a generic default
| Placeholder | Falls back to |
|---|---|
{site_name} | Our Store |
{bot_name} | Botanical Assistant |
{email} | [email protected] |
{webshop_description} | We provide quality products and excellent service |
{ai_expertise} | General product assistance and customer support |
If you see any of this generic wording in a real conversation, the matching field in Site info or Bot personality is empty.
Removed entirely
{contact_url}, {chat_url}, and {chat_button} are replaced with nothing when their field is empty. The rest of the sentence stays, so write sentences that still make sense without the link.
Rules to remember
- Placeholders are lowercase and exact:
{site_name}, never{Site_Name}or{ site_name } - An unknown placeholder is left in the text and your visitor sees the braces
- The same placeholders work in every language — write the sentence per language, keep the placeholder identical
- After changing Site info, no republish is needed; the next reply already uses the new value
Test before trusting
Open the Demo page and ask a question that triggers each answer. Anything still showing braces points at a typo.
Related
Related articles
AI responses explained
The difference between canned and smart responses, and how the bot decides which to use.
Site info and AI context
Fill in the fields that tell the AI who you are, what you sell, and how to sound.
Appearance and branding
Set the bot name, avatar, colour, and corner radius so the widget matches your store.
Contact us
Our support team is ready to give you fast, personal help when you need it.