Overview
Bolt Discovery transcends traditional search, empowering users—students, parents, alumni, or other visitors—to understand topics quickly and accurately, enhancing overall satisfaction. Powered by Element451's BoltAI, leveraging large language models (LLMs), and custom Natural Language Processing (NLP) models, Bolt Discovery revolutionizes search relevance, surfaces timely content, and predicts user intent while delivering human-like responses. Using your existing knowledge base, Bolt Discovery provides accurate and relevant answers, taking users beyond the conventional search experience into a new era of interactive discovery.
Why Should I Use Bolt Discovery?
Key Features
Generative Q&A | Interact naturally with Bolt Discovery for immediate, precise answers. |
Thread Starters | Add pre-configured prompts under the search bar to jump-start query threads. Explore more → |
Follow-ups | Get intelligent follow-up questions based on thread context, fostering engaged exploration without needing pre-configuration. |
Predefined Queries | Predefined queries allow you to provide students with information quickly. These queries launch automatically when students interact with a link or button, saving time and creating a highly personalized experience for the student. Explore more → |
Citations | Access additional context with URL sources provided in answers. |
Thread Share | Generate shareable URLs for Bolt Discovery threads, which are perfect for students to share research with friends and family. Shared threads allow the thread to continue without affecting the original. Explore more → |
Flexible Integration | You can integrate Bolt Discovery in multiple ways—embed it in Element451 Pages or your website, or use a shareable URL. It's developer-friendly, with an SDK included. Explore more → |
Lead Capture Form | Bolt Discovery can detect prospective students and prompt them to enter information (using a default or custom lead capture form) to request additional information. Explore more → |
Messenger Support | Students can seamlessly transition from Bolt Discovery search to personalized assistance through Messenger. Users can quickly initiate a live chat for more detailed information, ensuring comprehensive and tailored support. Explore more → |
Accessing Bolt Discovery
Navigate to Engagement > Bolt Discovery.
All Threads
The All Threads page lets you, the internal user, view Bolt Discovery thread history. This page lists all Bolt Discovery threads, allowing you to track engagement and usage effectively. Each thread entry displays the complete conversation, indicates whether the user was known or unknown, and shows the location where they accessed Bolt Discovery.
Settings
The Settings page allows you to configure Bolt Discovery’s access to pre-loaded knowledge from studentaid.gov and commonapp.org, as well as add and manage thread starters and lead capture forms.
How Does Bolt Discovery Work?
Users interact with the Bolt Discovery search bar from an Element451 page, your website, or a shared URL. Once activated, the Bolt Discovery modal will appear and deliver a response.
Here’s what the student/user can expect from Bolt Discovery:
The Bolt Discovery Experience
The Bolt Discovery Experience
Generative Q&A:
Intelligent Understanding: Bolt Discovery doesn't just match keywords. It comprehends the intent behind queries, providing relevant results even for complex or ambiguous questions.
Direct Answers: Students get immediate, concise answers to their questions instead of a list of links. They don't have to navigate multiple pages to find answers or information.
Conversational Flow: Bolt Discovery maintains context, suggesting relevant follow-up questions. It's like having a knowledgeable staff member available 24/7.
Multilingual Support: Engage international students in their preferred language, breaking down barriers to information.
Follow-Up Questions: At the end of each answer, Bolt Discovery automatically suggests intelligent follow-up questions based on the thread's context to create an engaged exploration. This allows the student to uncover aspects of your institution or their query they might not have initially considered, broadening their understanding and interest.
Citations: Access to additional context with URL sources provided in answers.
Interface Features
Interface Features
The Bolt Discovery interface/modal offers several additional functionalities to enhance the student experience:
Thread History: Displays recent interactions sorted by today, yesterday, and then by date. Once Element451 confirms a user’s identity, all previous threads are associated with that user.
New Thread Creation: Allows users to start new threads effortlessly.
Copy Response: Users can copy responses directly from the modal.
Share Thread: Share threads via a URL or social media. By default, threads are private and viewable only by the author. Users can use the sharing feature to share a thread with someone else, such as a parent. The recipient can continue the conversation without affecting the original thread.
Lead Capture Forms
Lead Capture Forms
The dynamic lead capture feature enhances Bolt Discovery by providing a seamless way to identify and capture a prospective student's information within the Discovery interface.
How it works:
Prospect Detection:
Discovery intelligently detects when a user is a potential prospect based on the query context.
Dynamic Button:
Once a prospect is detected, a follow-up question appears alongside search results and other intelligent follow-up questions. The button will have a note emoji (📝) and typically displays a message like "I'm interested in applying to
[Institution Name]. Can you provide more information?"
User Interaction:
When the prospect clicks the button, the lead capture form opens.
Lead Capture Form:
Two types of forms are available:
Custom Form: Selected from your existing prospect-type forms in the forms module.
Custom forms open as a separate module overlaying Bolt Discovery.
Multiple forms can be added with deployment controlled by page URL, path URL, or UTM parameter conditions.
To add custom forms, navigate to Bolt Discovery Settings.
Default Form: If no custom form is specified, a default form asking for First Name, Last Name, and Email Address is used.
The default form opens inline within the Discovery module.
Form Submission:
The student fills out and submits the lead capture form.
Automated Contact Creation:
Upon form submission, the system checks if the user already exists in the database:
If the user exists, the record is updated with any new information.
If the user does not exist, a new contact record is created.
Prospect Milestone Creation:
The system assigns a prospect milestone to the contact (new or existing).
This milestone includes a hyperlink to the conversation thread, providing context for future interactions.
This milestone can be used to track the prospect's journey and trigger further marketing or admissions processes.
For more information on Lead Capture Forms, click here.
Messenger Integration
Messenger Integration
Integrating Bolt Discovery and Messenger creates a powerful, user-centric support system that combines the efficiency of intelligent search with the personalization of live chat.
How it Works
Feature Activation:
To activate this feature, Messenger must be enabled on the same page (this can be on your website or an Element451 page) that Bolt Discovery is embedded and being accessed. For help enabling Messenger, click here. Note: Messenger is not compatible with your stand-alone Bolt Discovery URL.
Bolt Discovery Search:
Users begin their journey by utilizing the Bolt Discovery tool to find relevant information quickly and efficiently.
Follow-up Question Button:
When Messenger is enabled on the same page as Discovery, a follow-up question appears alongside search results and other intelligent follow-up questions. The button will have a chat bubble emoji (💬) and typically displays a message like "Can you connect me with someone who can provide more details about
[thread topic]?" or "I have additional questions about[thread topic]. Can I speak to a representative?"This button is the "handoff" between Discovery and Messenger.
Triggering Messenger:
When a user clicks the follow-up question button, it automatically triggers the Messenger widget to open, Bolt Discovery is closed, and we automatically send that question on behalf of the user.
Where + How to Use Bolt Discovery
Bolt Discovery offers flexible integration options to fit your needs. Whether you add it to Element451 Pages, embed it on your institution's website, or share it via a URL, you can elevate the search experience and deliver cutting-edge, conversational answers that go beyond traditional search methods.
Predefined Queries for Bolt Discovery
Configuring predefined queries allows you to provide students with information quickly. These queries launch automatically when students interact with a link or button, saving time and creating a highly personalized experience for the student.
Thread Starters
Thread Starters are predefined prompts that help students quickly and efficiently send questions to Bolt Discovery. These prompts are designed to guide students directly to the information they need.
Sharing a Thread: Step-by-Step
By default, threads are private and viewable only by the user/author.
If the user would like to share a thread with someone else—such as a parent—they can easily do so using the sharing feature.
When a thread is shared, a new, private thread is created for the recipient, allowing them to explore independently without affecting the original.
How To: Share a Thread
How To: Share a Thread
Click the Share button at the top of the thread modal.
Choose Shareable.
A shareable URL will automatically be copied to your clipboard, allowing you to paste wherever needed. Alternatively, you can select one of the other share methods listed.
Use Case Examples
Discover how Bolt Discovery can streamline student access to your institution's information across various scenarios.
Pro Tips + Additional Resources
Maintain your knowledge base with up-to-date information to power Bolt Discovery with the most accurate information.
Utilize starters for user engagement with personalized recommendations to explore topics thoroughly.
Tailor the titles and messages of your starters to your users' common queries and interests to enhance engagement.
Use conditions to display relevant starters based on the user’s current interaction path or campaign source, optimizing the relevance of the prompts.
Regularly review and update your starters to align with current offerings and user needs, ensuring the prompts remain effective and relevant.