Improve User Engagement and Visibility with Facebook Comments on Your WordPress Site

If you want to boost social engagement and increase the visibility of your WordPress website, one effective way to do so is by integrating Facebook comments. As the largest social network worldwide, Facebook can help you reach a wider audience and drive more traffic to your site. In this article, we will guide you through the process of installing and setting up Facebook comments on your WordPress site.

Pros and Cons of Using Facebook Comments

Before we proceed with the tutorial, let’s discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using Facebook comments compared to the default WordPress comment system.

Advantages

1. Enhanced Facebook visibility: When users leave comments on your WordPress website, they have the option to share their comments with friends on Facebook, potentially increasing traffic to your site.
2. Reduced spam comments: Since Facebook comments are linked to users’ Facebook profiles, it becomes less likely for users to leave anonymous spam comments.

Disadvantages

1. Incompatibility with default WordPress comments: If you have older posts with default WordPress comments, they may appear before or after the Facebook comments, resulting in a disjointed experience for your visitors.
2. No synchronization with WordPress: Unlike third-party commenting systems like Disqus, Facebook comments are not stored or synced with WordPress.
3. User discomfort with lack of anonymity: Some users may prefer to remain anonymous, and sharing comments through their Facebook profiles might make them uncomfortable.

Considering these pros and cons, it is advisable to remove the default WordPress comment system entirely if you decide to use the Facebook comment system on your WordPress blog. This will ensure a smooth and spam-free commenting experience.

Installing and Setting Up Facebook Comments on WordPress

Follow these steps to easily install and set up Facebook comments on your WordPress site using the Lazy Social Comments plugin:

1. Install and activate the plugin: Start by installing and activating the Lazy Social Comments plugin. Once activated, navigate to the “Settings » Lazy FB Comments” page in your WordPress admin sidebar.

2. Create a Facebook app: To use Facebook comments on your website, you need to create a Facebook app. If you already have one, use its ID. If not, visit the “Meta for Developers” page, create a developer’s account linked to your Facebook account, and follow the instructions to create a new app. Retrieve the APP ID displayed in the top left corner of the app dashboard.

3. Configure the plugin: On the plugin’s settings page, paste the APP ID into the “FB Application ID” box and save the settings.

4. Moderate comments: The plugin provides a convenient “Moderate Comments” tab for easy comment moderation. Click on the link to access the “Comment Moderation Tool” page. From there, you can set up comment moderation rules, character limits, and auto-closing of comments.

5. Customize plugin settings: Explore the wide range of options offered by the plugin to customize the comment system according to your preferences. Adjust settings such as comment loading behavior and appearance to optimize the user experience on your site.

By following these steps, you can effortlessly install and set up Facebook comments on your WordPress site, providing an engaging commenting experience for your visitors.

Displaying Facebook Comment Count on WordPress

If you wish to showcase the Facebook comment count on your WordPress website, you can do so by following these instructions:

1. Install and activate the WPCode plugin: Install and activate the WPCode plugin, which enables you to safely add custom code snippets to your site.

2. Create a code snippet: Utilize WPCode to create a new code snippet and paste the provided code into the snippet editor.

3. Configure code snippet settings: Set the code snippet to automatically insert after the content and activate it.

Once the Facebook comment count code snippet is set up, you can display the number of comments on your posts, enhancing social proof and encouraging engagement.

An Alternative Method Using the SeedProd Plugin

If you prefer a visual and code-free approach to adding Facebook comments, you can utilize the SeedProd plugin, a powerful WordPress page builder:

1. Install and activate the SeedProd plugin: Begin by installing and activating the highly-rated SeedProd plugin, a premier WordPress page builder.

2. Create a new landing page: Navigate to the SeedProd » Landing Pages section, click on the “Add New Landing Page” button, and follow the prompts to create a new landing page or customize an existing template.

3. Add the Facebook Comments block: Using the intuitive SeedProd drag-and-drop page builder, search for the “Facebook Comments” block and position it on your landing page.

4. Configure Facebook Comments settings: Customize the appearance and behavior of the Facebook comments block, including the number of comments, order, color scheme, lazy loading, and more. Enter your Facebook App ID to enable commenting functionality.

5. Save and publish: Save your changes and publish the landing page to make the Facebook comments visible on your WordPress website.

By utilizing the SeedProd plugin, the process of adding Facebook comments to your website is simplified, even for those without coding knowledge.

In conclusion, incorporating Facebook comments on your WordPress website can significantly enhance social engagement and increase visibility. By following the steps outlined in this tutorial, you can easily install and set up Facebook comments, providing an interactive commenting experience for your audience.