Drift

What is Drift?

Drift is a conversational marketing and sales platform that uses AI-powered chatbots and live chat to engage website visitors in real-time. Founded in 2015, Drift pioneered the concept of conversational marketing, arguing that traditional forms and lead capture create friction that delays the buying process. Instead, Drift enables instant conversations that qualify prospects and book meetings without forcing visitors through lengthy form fills.

What distinguishes Drift is its focus on accelerating the buying process through real-time engagement. The platform combines AI chatbots that can qualify and route conversations with live chat for human handoff, meeting scheduling that connects prospects directly to sales calendars, and account intelligence that personalizes conversations based on visitor data. This creates a buying experience that feels more like a conversation than a marketing funnel.

Now part of Salesloft following acquisition, Drift serves thousands of B2B organizations seeking to improve website conversion rates and accelerate pipeline. The platform has expanded beyond chat to include email, video, and other engagement channels, creating a comprehensive conversational platform for revenue teams.

Key Features

• AI Chatbots: Intelligent bots that engage visitors, qualify interest, and route conversations based on configurable rules and AI
• Live Chat: Real-time chat enabling sales and support teams to engage high-value visitors with personal conversations
• Meeting Scheduling: Direct calendar integration allowing qualified visitors to book meetings without back-and-forth emails
• Account Intelligence: Identifies visiting companies and personalizes conversations based on firmographic data
• Playbooks: Configurable conversation flows that guide bot interactions based on visitor behavior and attributes
• Drift Email: Conversational email sequences designed for higher engagement than traditional marketing emails
• Drift Video: Personalized video messaging for sales outreach and relationship building
• Bionic Chatbot: AI that learns from successful conversations to improve responses and conversion over time
• Revenue Orchestration: Coordinates engagement across chat, email, and video for cohesive buyer experience
• Analytics: Comprehensive reporting on conversation performance, conversion rates, and revenue attribution

Latest Updates

Drift continues to enhance its conversational platform with advanced AI and deeper integration with Salesloft’s sales engagement capabilities.

• Salesloft Integration: Deep integration with Salesloft platform for unified sales engagement across channels
• Enhanced AI: Improved chatbot AI using GPT-powered responses for more natural conversations
• Drift Engage: New features for identifying and engaging target accounts with personalized experiences
• Conversation Intelligence: Analysis of chat conversations to surface insights and coaching opportunities
• Improved Personalization: Better visitor identification and experience customization for known accounts
• Mobile Experience: Enhanced mobile apps for sales teams to engage from anywhere
• Privacy Updates: Improved consent management and privacy controls for global compliance
• API Enhancements: Extended APIs for custom integrations and data synchronization

System Requirements

Website Installation

• Modern website with JavaScript support
• Ability to add chat widget script to site
• SSL certificate (HTTPS) recommended

Integrations

• CRM: Salesforce, HubSpot, Microsoft Dynamics
• Marketing: Marketo, HubSpot, Pardot
• Calendars: Google Calendar, Outlook, Calendly
• Sales Engagement: Salesloft, Outreach

Mobile Apps

• iOS: Version 13.0 or later
• Android: Version 8.0 or later

How to Install Drift

Basic Setup

1. Sign up for Drift account
2. Install Drift widget code on website
3. Configure welcome message and bot greeting
4. Connect team calendars for meeting scheduling
5. Integrate with CRM system
6. Create playbooks for different visitor segments
7. Train team on live chat best practices

Widget Installation

// Add Drift widget to website
<script>
!function() {
  var t = window.driftt = window.drift = window.driftt || [];
  if (!t.init) {
    t.invoked = !0;
    t.methods = ["identify", "config", "track"];
    t.factory = function(e) {
      return function() {
        var n = Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments);
        n.unshift(e);
        t.push(n);
        return t;
      };
    };
    t.load = function(t) {
      var e = document.createElement("script");
      e.async = !0;
      e.src = "https://js.driftt.com/include/" + t + ".js";
      document.head.appendChild(e);
    };
  }
}();
drift.load('YOUR-DRIFT-ID');
</script>

CRM Integration

1. Navigate to Settings in Drift
2. Select and authorize CRM connection
3. Map conversation and contact fields
4. Configure sync rules and automation
5. Test data flow between systems

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Instant Engagement: Enables real-time conversations that accelerate the buying process significantly
• Meeting Booking: Direct calendar integration eliminates friction between interest and scheduled meeting
• AI-Powered: Intelligent bots handle qualification and routing without requiring constant human attention
• Account Intelligence: Identifies visiting companies for personalized engagement and prioritization
• Salesloft Integration: Deep connection with Salesloft creates unified conversational sales platform
• Easy Implementation: Simple JavaScript installation gets chat live quickly without development resources
• Multi-Channel: Expands beyond chat to include email and video for comprehensive engagement

Cons

• Premium Pricing: Advanced features require higher-tier plans that can be expensive for smaller teams
• Feature Complexity: Full platform capabilities require significant configuration and optimization
• Bot Limitations: AI chatbots still struggle with complex or off-script conversations
• Staff Availability: Live chat effectiveness depends on having staff available to respond quickly
• B2B Focus: Platform designed for B2B; may not suit high-volume B2C support scenarios

Drift vs Alternatives

Who Should Use Drift?

Drift is ideal for:

• B2B Sales Teams: Organizations seeking to accelerate pipeline by engaging website visitors in real-time
• High-Value Sales: Companies with considered purchases where personal engagement drives conversion
• Salesloft Users: Organizations using Salesloft seeking integrated conversational capabilities
• ABM Programs: Teams running account-based programs wanting personalized chat for target accounts
• Fast-Moving Markets: Competitive industries where responding quickly to interest provides advantage
• Demo-Heavy Sales: Products requiring demonstrations where meeting scheduling is the primary goal

Drift may not be ideal for:

• High-Volume Support: Organizations with primarily support use cases may find Intercom better suited
• Budget-Conscious Teams: Smaller organizations may find Drift’s pricing challenging to justify
• B2C Companies: Platform optimized for B2B; consumer-focused businesses have other options
• Low-Traffic Sites: Organizations without significant website traffic may not see enough conversations

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Drift’s AI chatbot work?

Drift’s AI chatbots use natural language processing to understand visitor intent and respond appropriately. You create playbooks that define conversation flows, and the AI handles variations in how visitors express themselves. The bot can qualify visitors, answer common questions, and route conversations to the right team members or schedule meetings directly.

Does Drift require someone always online?

No, Drift’s AI chatbots can engage visitors 24/7 without human intervention. However, live chat components work best when team members are available to respond. Many organizations use bots to qualify and engage during off-hours, then route to live chat during business hours for high-value conversations.

How much does Drift cost?

Drift pricing starts around $2,500 per month for basic plans and increases significantly for advanced features like AI, ABM, and revenue orchestration. Enterprise plans with full capabilities often exceed $50,000 annually. Contact Drift for customized pricing based on your requirements and team size.

Can Drift integrate with my CRM?

Yes, Drift offers native integrations with major CRM platforms including Salesforce, HubSpot, and Microsoft Dynamics. These integrations sync conversations, create leads, and update records automatically. Additional integrations are available for marketing automation, calendar systems, and sales engagement platforms.

What happened with Drift and Salesloft?

Salesloft acquired Drift in early 2024, combining conversational marketing with sales engagement. The acquisition creates a unified platform for revenue teams spanning outbound prospecting, inbound engagement, and deal execution. Drift continues operating as a product within the broader Salesloft platform.

Final Verdict

Drift has established itself as the leading conversational marketing platform for B2B organizations seeking to accelerate pipeline through real-time engagement. The platform’s combination of AI chatbots, live chat, and meeting scheduling creates a buying experience that eliminates friction and connects interested prospects with sales teams instantly.

The platform’s strengths lie in its AI capabilities, account intelligence, and focus on revenue outcomes rather than just conversation volume. The Salesloft acquisition adds deeper sales engagement capabilities, creating a comprehensive platform for modern B2B revenue teams.

B2B organizations with significant website traffic and considered purchase processes should strongly consider Drift for their conversational marketing needs. The platform delivers measurable ROI through faster response times, higher conversion rates, and accelerated deal cycles. While the investment is significant, organizations that fully embrace conversational marketing typically see substantial returns from their Drift implementation.