As an experienced WordPress webmaster, I can‘t emphasize enough how crucial social media integration is for driving growth and engagement today.
And one of the most powerful ways to tap into social media is by adding the Facebook Page plugin in WordPress.
In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll be sharing:
- The benefits of Facebook Page plugin
- How to customize it for maximum impact
- Step-by-step installation instructions
- Pro tips for driving more engagement
- Troubleshooting common issues
- And much more
So if you want to get more traffic, leads, and sales from Facebook, you‘ll definitely want to add this free plugin.
Let‘s dive in!
Contents
Why Facebook Page Plugin is a Must-Have
Over 2.95 billion people actively use Facebook every month. That‘s a massive audience you‘ll want to tap into!
The Facebook Page plugin allows you to easily showcase your Facebook presence directly on your website. Readers can Like your page, share content, and engage with your brand without leaving your site.
Here are some of the benefits you can expect:
- Increase Likes – Encourage users to Like your Page right from your website
- Drive Website Traffic – Direct interested visitors to your Facebook Page
- Get More Shares – Prompt readers to share your content to their timelines
- Boost Engagement – Spark more comments and reactions to your page
- Improved Branding – Strengthen brand awareness with cover photos and branding
- Social Proof – Display friends who already Like your page to influence others
In fact, studies show including social proof can boost conversions by up to 15%.
And the new plugin is a big upgrade over the old Like box with a modern streamlined design.
Let‘s look at how to customize it to match your brand.
How to Customize the Plugin‘s Appearance
Configuring the look and feel of your Facebook Page plugin only takes a couple of minutes.
Just head over to Facebook‘s Page Plugin tool and enter your Facebook Page URL.
Then adjust the settings:
- Width/height – Leave blank for automatic sizing
- Show cover photo – Displays your cover image
- Show profile photos – Profiles of friends who Like your Page
- Show posts – Recent posts from your Page
Recommended Settings for Maximum Impact
Based on extensive testing, I recommend these settings for optimum results:
- Width – 500px
- Height – 500px
- Show cover photo – Yes
- Show profile photos – Yes
- Show posts – Yes
This larger 500 x 500 px size ensures all key elements are clearly visible.
When ready, click Get Code to continue.
Preview Your Plugin
Take a minute to preview how your plugin will appear to visitors before publishing it live.
The preview lets you test different styles and settings until it matches your brand perfectly.
Next I‘ll explain how to easily integrate the code into your WordPress site.
Step-by-Step Instructions to Add the Code
Once you‘ve customized the appearance, Facebook provides you with two code snippets:
Snippet 1 – Insert in website <head> (once)
Snippet 2 – Embed code to display plugin
Here are step-by-step instructions to insert both pieces of code properly:
Add Snippet 1 in your Header
-
Log in to your WordPress dashboard
-
Go to Appearance > Editor
-
Open your theme‘s header.php file
-
Paste Snippet 1 on a new line right after
<body>tag
Thisallows the plugin to function properly behind the scenes.
Display the Plugin with Snippet 2
For displaying the plugin, you have a few options:
- Paste directly into any page, post or text widget
- Add to a template like
page.phporfront-page.php - Use a shortcode or hook to display conditionally
- Create a text widget for easy placement in sidebars or footer
If you‘re new to WordPress, I recommend using the text widget method.
Text Widget Method
Simply paste Snippet 2 into a text widget and drag it to any sidebar or footer widget area. This keeps your theme code clean.
To optimize placement, embed the plugin widget:
- Near the header to encourage more Likes
- Above or below related content to prompt shares
- In the footer to increase engagement on every page
And that‘s it! With just a few clicks, you‘ll have successfully integrated the Facebook Page plugin in WordPress.
Expert Tips to Get More Engagement
Now let‘s dive into some pro tips and best practices to get even more out of the plugin.
Based on extensive testing and working with clients, here are my top recommendations:
Promote Your Best Content
Analyze your top-performing articles and promote those in your Page plugin feed. Posts that garner a lot of traffic and engagement already will likely also perform well on Facebook.
Don‘t just copy and paste your full articles. Instead, share short excerpts, images, or video clips that link back to the full content.
This catches readers‘ attention without giving everything away.
Ask Engaging Questions
Pose interesting questions related to your posts to spark more comments and reactions. People love expressing opinions!
Respond to Commenters
Stay engaged with anyone commenting consistently. Building relationships leads to higher engagement long-term.
Use Strategic Post Lengths
According to Buzzsumo, Facebook posts between 100 to 250 words get the most shares.
Ultra-short posts won‘t stand out, while very long posts are daunting. Shoot for substantial paragraph-style content.
Post at Optimal Times
Schedule posts during peak Facebook traffic:
- Weekdays – Publish between 1-4 PM when people are scrolling on lunch breaks or commuting.
- Weekends – Post mornings between 9-11 AM when usage spikes.
Adjust for your target audience‘s time zone.
Run Engagement Campaigns
Periodically run Like/Share campaigns with incentives. Offer giveaways, discounts, or exclusive content in exchange for Likes and shares. Contests can easily double engagement overnight!
The key is regularly sharing high-quality content and optimizing based on performance data. Test what resonates with your audience and do more of that.
Next I‘ll go over some troubleshooting tips.
Troubleshooting Common Facebook Plugin Issues
Occasionally the Facebook plugin may not display properly or function 100% on your site. Here are some common problems and fixes.
Plugin not showing up
- Double check Snippet 1 is added to
<head>. - Look for typos or formatting issues in code.
- Try deleting and re-generating the code snippets.
- Disable page caching and test again.
Posts not pulling into feed
- Check your Facebook post visibility settings.
- Confirm your Page username/ID is correct.
- Try connecting a Facebook app for extended functionality.
Can‘t customize plugin
- Ensure you‘re logged into the correct Facebook account that manages the Page.
- Some settings require a Facebook app. Create one and connect for full customization options.
Slow page speed
- Use lazy loading to only load the plugin when visible.
- Cache the plugin output to minimize server requests.
- Optimize images for faster load times.
Still having issues? Reach out to Facebook‘s Developer Support who can assist with troubleshooting.
With some trial and error, you should have your plugin running smoothly.
Take Your Facebook Integration Further
The Facebook Page plugin is just one of many powerful social media tools you can leverage.
Here are a couple other options to take your Facebook integration to the next level:
Facebook Messenger Plugin
This allows website visitors to message your Page directly for a more personalized experience. It can help convert more leads.
Facebook Comment Plugin
This embeds your Facebook comments directly onto blog posts rather than using the native WordPress comment system.
Having followers engage in one place strengthens your community.
For details on integrating these tools in WordPress, check out my in-depth guides:
I‘ll show you step-by-step how to seamlessly set these up.
Let‘s Keep In Touch!
I hope this guide gave you a thorough overview of integrating Facebook Page plugin for more traffic and engagement.
The key is regularly sharing high-quality content optimized for the platform.
To stay up to date on more WordPress pro tips and social media marketing tactics, be sure to subscribe to my email newsletter below.
And feel free to reach out if you have any questions! I‘m always happy to help fellow webmasters.
