Facebook needs no introduction; it’s the largest social network with over 500,000,000 active users. If you want some more cool Facebook stats then take a look over here.  But if you want to get interactive then read on.

Linking your website with Facebook has never been easier. The Facebook developers website offers some really easy copy and paste plugins that you can use. No knowledge of code necessary to customise and install.

 

Like button

You’ve probably already seen these being used on websites and blogs all over the Internet.  Liking a page signals to other users that people have found the information useful and have recommended it. When a user likes your page/post it also gets published on Facebook so that friends can view it too.

If  you’re not fond of the word “Like” then you can easily change it to display “Recommend’ instead.

 

Send button

Where as the Like button publishes content publicly to all of the friends of the user on Facebook, the Send button allows visitors to send your website link to specific friends or groups. It might be worth considering if your content is niche or topic specific and only appeals to a few.

 

Subscribe button

This allows users to subscribe to your Facebook updates. Great if you’re a regular poster of content on Facebook. When a user subscribes they will simply see your latest updates appear on their home screen when they login to Facebook.

 

Comments

If you run a blog then no doubt you’ll have a commenting system where visitors can leave comments and join the conversation about a post. It’s useful for comment moderation but this is also pretty cool if users opt to post their comment back to Facebook for their friends to see. Friends can then easily add comments and become engaged in the discussion.

 

Activity Feed

People like to know what’s happening right now. The activity feed can display the latest goings on your website, from comments and recommendations to page shares. Content can be personalised automatically when users are logged-in.

 

Recommendations

This is a great way to share other content on your website which users may like. It gives priority to pages recommended by friends or by all social interactions when not logged-in.

 

Like box

If you already have a Facebook page then this can be a great way to promote it. The Facebook Like box can display the number of likes your page has, this can show how popular you are as well as allowing new visitors to Like your page too.

In a social society that is based on recommendations from others, this can be good to display.

 

The advanced 4 …

To get the most out of these you may require some knowledge of HTML tags and attributes. Get creative!

 

Login button

This can be a simple one to implement. It comes with some nifty copy and paste code and allows users to sign-in to Facebook. If the user is already logged in then the button won’t be displayed. You need to get creative with this one if you want to make the most from it. With some knowledge of HTML you can edit the code so that it redirects to a specific URL upon logging in. This can be an awesome way to reward Facebook users with a hidden page of content.

 

Registration

Allow users to sign-up to your website with their Facebook information. This also works with users that don’t have a Facebook account. Why use this? This can save users time filling out their information again as the fields are pre-filled. This could lead to more user sign-ups and offers a familiar user experience.

 

Facepile

Social media websites similar to Facebook are just tools. It’s people who create content and online experiences. If your website requires it, you can use Facepile to display the profile pictures of users that have liked your page or have signed up for your website.  Simple installation but you need to be a little creative in its use. Does your website or blog need this?

 

Live Stream

If you have a strong following on Facebook and are running an event then this could be for you. The Facebook Live Stream allows users to interact and discuss an event as it’s unfolding .. live.

 

Remember it’s important not to cram your website with every plugin. One or two are sufficient, make sure that they are relevant to your website and your audience.

Get started by visiting the Facebook Developers site here.