Facebook For WordPress: All The Juicy Details And How To Install It

Facebook for WordPress pluginI think it’s about time social networks start paying more attention to WordPress and how they integrate, after all, WordPress powers more than 60 million websites today.

Facebook just released an official Plugin that deepens its integration with WordPress and makes your life (if you’re a blogger) easier.

And that is precisely why we’re here, to explain the features and how they work, in plain English. So let’s dive right into it…

A 2-Way Street

The first thing you need to know is that this plugin is not just designed to bring in Facebook elements into your blog but to act as a 2-way street in how the content and interactions work, making it a cross-platform.

In other words, you can publish WordPress content to your Facebook profile or Page and you can mention people and Pages on your blog.

Page and Post Features

This is the list of the features included in the Plugin:

  • Post to an Author’s Facebook Timeline whenever they publish a new WordPress Post or Page.
  • Mention friends and Facebook Pages. This posts to their Timelines as well as lists them on the WordPress Post or Page.
  • Post all new WordPress Post or Pages to a specified Facebook Page.
  • Like, send, and subscribe buttons can be enabled in a click and are fully customizable.
  • Facebook Comments, including full SEO support.
  • Open Graph Protocol integration.
  • Recommendations bar, which allows users to click to start getting recommendations, Like content, and add what they’re reading to Timeline as they go.

Facebook integration to WordPress

Widgets

Also baked-in the plugin:

  • Activity Feed Box. This shows the Facebook user the activity that their friends are doing on your website.
  • Recommendations Box. This shows the Facebook user recommendations of pages they should visit based on the actions their friends are taking on your website.
  • Like, send, and subscribe buttons.

How to Install

This is a 2-part installation, it requires the usual WordPress Plugin install and then the configuration of a Facebook App. This second one sounds like a complicated task but believe me, you’ll be done in minutes.

Here are the instructions:

  1. Install Facebook for WordPress either via the WordPress.org plugin directory, or by uploading the plugin to your server.
  2. Activate the plugin.
  3. Set up a Facebook app on the Facebook Developer website (you will be able to see the the step-by-step instructions right in your dashboard).
  4. Once you have setup your app, grab your App ID, App Secret and the App namespace to enter in your plugin configuration back on your WordPress Dashboard (See the following image)

Facebook for WordPress Plugin Settings

Plugin Configuration

After saving your App configuration, a whole new section called “Post and Page Settings” becomes available. This section presents the different options of Facebook integration you can enable on your blog, as we mentioned before, and the configuration for these items is as simple as selecting the check boxes. It really doesn’t get any easier than that.

Facebook for WordPress Post and Page Settings

Final Word

This is what I like about the plugin:

  • Facebook just made it super easy to integrate all kinds of toys for non-geeky people
  • I loved the fact that it goes both ways rather than just going one way (usually world domination)

Did you install it on your blog already? Do you have any questions? Use the comments sections below to share with us.

Happy Facebooking!

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About Francisco Rosales
I'm the author of SocialMouths. I also help entrepreneurs and small businesses turn their vanilla "web presence" into a profit powerhouse using techniques on social media, content and email marketing to generate traffic and convert to leads and sales. Caffeine addict and a hopeless fan of Dr. Sheldon Cooper. Bazinga! Learn more

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  • Carrie Herrera

    Yeaahh!! I’m working on a project…possibly setting up a WordPress website on GoDaddy and would love to be able to integrate it with Facebook.  Since this wouldn’t be a blog, I’m not sure how/if it would work.  Let’s say every day a new “Daily Specials” is rotated on the homepage, I’m wondering if that would be posted as a comment on the Facebook page. It’s worth a try.

  • Barbara

    Thanks for this.  I’ll be working on it very soon.

  • Jhines

    This plugin is exactly what I will be needing!

    I wanted to download the ebook about building FB tabs, bust since I am already subscribed it appears that I cannot download it.  Is there a workaround?

  • http://www.socialmouths.com/ Francisco Rosales

    Please send me an email at francisco[at]socialmouths.com so I can send you the link.

  • http://tamykawashington.com/ Tamyka Washington

    Just installed it on my blog and very interested to see if the integration will increase more engagement between my blog and Facebook community!

  • http://mariareyesmcdavis.com Maria Reyes-McDavis

    Seriously, I so love your tutorials… I look cool for sharing them with my clients, but you do all the super great work ;-)  You rock!  

  • http://freetraffictip.com Tinu

    Impressive. Thanks for having a place to send people for this howto- one I can trust.

  • http://theprofitwizard.com/ Chris

    This looks good! I don’t have time to look at incorporating it just yet so I will need to get back here later…
    Thanks for the post!

  • http://www.simplebutcreative.com/ Simplebutcreative Media

    I definitely need to try this out! You always bring the good stuff Francisco. This is great for someone with a big facebook network.

  • http://www.socialmouths.com/ Francisco Rosales

    Maria, coming from you… it really makes my day.

    Thank you!

  • http://www.socialmouths.com/ Francisco Rosales

    It really takes less than 20 minutes Chris, very simple stuff.

    Thanks for stopping by!

  • http://www.socialmouths.com/ Francisco Rosales

    Come back and let me know how it goes Carrie.

    Thanks for your comment =)

  • http://www.socialmouths.com/ Francisco Rosales

    I appreciate that Tinu, you rock!

  • http://www.caminomyway.com/ Randall St Germain

    Thanks again Francisco. I don’t comment here often but I enjoy reading your posts. I’m a little nervous installing this myself onto my WordPress blog. My original plan was to install Disqus so I will need to think a little.

  • http://www.betterbusinessbetterlife.com.au/ Caylie Price

    This is a great post but I’m still a little nervous (as a total non-techie). Will have a go tonight and see what the result is. Thanks Fransisco!

  • http://www.implicitly.me/ Ketan Raval

    I installed this plugin yesterday night while watching football match its really easy.. I even have wrote blog post on my personal blog for how to install it..

  • http://www.omnibeat.com/ Omnibeat

    Awesome update.  I’ll look into doing this for our company website.  For other company’s that are using the free version of WordPress, would it still be possible to install certain plug ins and widgets?  Anyway, great post!

  • http://www.wonderoftech.com Carolyn Nicander Mohr

    Hi Francisco, Thanks so much for this walk-through! I followed your instructions step-by-step and now have the plugin loaded on my blog. I didn’t enable comments as I would like the comments on my blog instead of on Facebook. I may add it later, I will see how it goes.

  • http://www.wonderoftech.com Carolyn Nicander Mohr

    Just installed it and got some nasty errors on my blog. Looks like I might have to tweak it in order to get it to work properly.

  • http://www.socialmouths.com/ Francisco Rosales

    Hey Carolyn, I read that some people were having issues at the beginning, I didn’t experience any of it.

    Sometimes is better to delete the plugin and install again.

  • http://www.socialmouths.com/ Francisco Rosales

    To be honest, I’m not sure if this available for WP.com

  • http://www.socialmouths.com/ Francisco Rosales

    Hey Caylie, I write for non-techie people just like you because I’m also like that, I guarantee you’ll be able to do this.

    Most people get dizzy when they have to set up the Facebook App on the Developer website but it’s painless. If you need more assistance I’ll recommend my free course, it’s on how to build Facebook Tabs but it has an entire section on how to set up a Facebook App. You can see it right above this comment section. Let me know how it goes.

  • gerri50

    And I am going to upload it to my site right now! Thanks for the update!

  • http://www.audiomind.us/blog AUDIOMIND

    Remember to disable any other Facebook related plugins before installing otherwise you won’t be able to access your admin page. Anyone care to share their experience with the install? The FB comments section looks about the same as what I was using previously in another plugin, so not much change there. 

  • http://twitter.com/kodjoworkout Kodjo

    Mine gives me the following message whenever I click on “Link your Facebook account to your WordPress Account”:
    API Error Code: 191 API Error Description: The specified URL is not owned by the application Error Message: Invalid redirect_uri: Given URL is not allowed by the Application configuration.

    HELP!

  • http://fbupdates.com prateek bansal

    I am not able to use Facebook comments system on my blog . I am Facing problems. Is this due to plugin or something else .

  • http://www.qubesocial.com/ Qube Social

    I agree this really exciting that Facebook is acknowledging the importance of WordPress. Will install the plugging in to night. Looking forward to seeing the features in action!

  • Brianism

    Crashed my site right quick. With it activated, my site cannot be found. When I deactivate it, site works again. I would love to be able to use this. 

  • Moonwongjw

    I cannot used for facebook fans page account.Is it only for private facebook account?

  • Melonie Dodaro

    This will definitely be a valuable way
    to make that important connection between your Facebook page and your
    blog.  And the step-by-step process you
    just posted will help us understand more how it works. Cheers!

  • musicarmichael

    I installed it followed all the instructions then came up with this error whenever I try to access the dashboard of my site

    Fatal error: Call to undefined method Facebook_WP::getExtendedAccessToken() in /home/music/public_html/wp-content/plugins/facebook/fb-login.php on line 58

    my website is musicarmichael.com this is really annoying because I can’t go into my dashboard to delete the plugin. I’m locked out. any ideas or suggestions to help????

    Carmichael
    musicarmichael.com

  • http://www.maniladarlings.com/ Nicolle

    In other words, you can publish WordPress
    content to your Facebook profile or Page and you can mention people and
    Pages on your blog.

  • http://www.wonderoftech.com Carolyn Nicander Mohr

    Thanks, I’ll try that. I see it has been updated too so that may help.

  • http://incomepress.com/ Joey Kissimmee

    Followed it to the T. When installing and activating the plug, the whole page went blank. I had to delete the plugin from my cpanel to get everything back.

    I found the problem however. Turns out my All In One SEO Pack plugin is what’s causing the problem.

    When I deactivate all in one, everything goes well. I managed to get it working in like 5 minutes. But as soon as I re-activate all in one it happens again.

    The funny thing is that I have an exact duplicate test site I use to test everything on before I go live on the real one. Well everything works perfect there. But when I bring it to the real site, the all in one plugin gives problems.

    Any thoughts or fixes for this? Anything would be greatly appreciated.

    Thanks,
    Joey

  • http://incomepress.com/ Joey Kissimmee

     did the same to mines. Go to your cpanel and find the plugins folder. Then delete the facebook folder. Worked for mines.

  • http://www.wiredadvisor.com/about Stephanie Sammons

    Francisco I installed the plugin soon after it was announced. It’s a bit cumbersome to install but not too bad. However, outside of sending posts to FB Pages, I’m not certain I’ll use the other features. What about you? What are your thoughts on FB comments? 

  • http://twitter.com/neilcreek neilcreek

    I love this, but one thing that bugs me is that the “subscribe” button has users subscribing to my personal account, not the the Facebook Page that I linked to the plugin. Is there any way to change this? My searching has turned up nothing so far.

  • http://www.nortexrestoration.com/ roofing dallas

    In other words, you can publish WordPress content to your Facebook
    profile or Page and you can mention people and Pages on your blog.

  • http://www.vegasondemand.tv/ Larhonda

    Facebook just released an official Plugin that deepens its
    integration with WordPress and makes your life (if you’re a blogger)
    easier.
     

  • http://www.sniffoutdeals.com/ Frederica

    And that is precisely why we’re here, to explain the features and how they work, in plain English. So let’s dive right into it…

  • http://oziomedia.com/productreviews seo copywriting

    Greater integration between WordPress sites and Facebook makes a lot of sense for both platforms. Social media can be an effective way to drive traffic to a blog and, unlike traffic from the search engines, it is already at least partly engaged with the blog. Creating more meaningful links between bloggers’ Facebook friends and their blog will add to the usability of both.

  • http://www.mattwkelly.com/ Matt Kelly

    Hey, Matt Kelly from Facebook here.  Thanks for the coverage!  We’re humbled by the amount of support that we’ve received from the WordPress community, including blog posts like this one.  Since the launch, we’ve launched a bunch of new features and bug fixes.  Please check them out and continue giving us feedback via 
    http://wordpress.org/support/plugin/facebook.

  • Hemant Kumar

    dear sir, i have install this awesome plugin to my wordpress blog. i found all the feature awesome except one. i am mentioning my friend but i dont want to show that mention friend on my post. can you tell me how can be this possible. is there any option which i need to disable . to do so..

  • Selene Fierro

    Facebook just released an official Plugin that deepens its
    integration with WordPress and makes your life (if you’re a blogger)
    easier.

    http://www.crittercures.com/

  • http://www.facebook.com/afishcallededdie A Fish Called Eddie

    Hi – I’ve been fighting this plugin for a few days now and just can’t seem to get it publishing to my timeline. Posting to my Page no problem at all. I’ve tried deleting the app & reinstalling plugin but no use.

    After clicking publish, it says that it’s published to my timeline but it isn’t – or at least I can’t see it and neither can anyone else. If I click on the timeline link (in this WP message) it takes me to the activity list which says that I have published the post on my Page and it shows up fine on the page but I can’t see it on my timeline, either logged in as me or as a friend.

    Tried altering the ‘post’ message for my FB timeline, this time I got an error saying the app wasn’t registered for user messages. So went back to the app and turned it on and did another post. This time no error but still nothing on timeline.

    So tried mentioning another user in the post. This time I got an error saying that feed story publishing to other users is disabled.

    I’m clearly missing something basic on the facebook app side of things (I’m new to that) but feel like I’ve followed every set of instructions I can find. Most instructions skip over the detail of the app creation part. I’m unclear as to whether I need to submit the actions, if I try to it keeps telling me I need to do increasing amount of extra stuff which shouldn’t be necessary for what is effectively a private app.

    Be grateful for any help.

    PS what plug in are you using to put the social buttons down the left hand side of your blog?

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