How to Add a Facebook Like Button or Like Box

by Posted on

The Easiest Way to Add a Facebook Button to Your WordPress Site

In this post, I’ll explain the differences in the Facebook Like Button and the Facebook Like Box. I will also explain the step-by-step process of adding this functionality to your website using WordPress as an example.

Button vs Box

 
The Facebook Like Button is used for visitors of your website to ‘like’ a particular post, page, site or any other criteria a website has to offer. This is done by assigning a URL to ‘like’. Do not confuse this with a ‘Share’ button which allows Facebook users to share a post, video etc. with their Facebook friends.


I am currently using the Socialize plugin on the Ask Adam League that is running on WordPress.

The Facebook Like Button has some great advantages. It allows users of the Facebook community to ‘like’ something which in turn shares that something and broadcasts it out to all of their Facebook friends via their News Feed. Also, this something that they like will remain on their profile for other people to see and visit.

The Facebook Like Box on the other hand allows visitors to ‘Like’ a Facebook Fan Page. It also has other functions such as showing the faces of people on Facebook who like the Fan Page and it can also display the latest post on the Fan Page.

Important:

An interesting note here is that you can use the Facebook Like Button as a Facebook Like Box but only a Facebook Like Box can be used as a Facebook Like Box. This is how it works. In the Facebook Like Box Generator you are prompted to add a Facebook Page URL in the respective field pigeonholing the developer into using the Facebook API strictly for users to ‘like’ a Facebook Page. However, in the Facebook Like Button Generator the user is allowed to add any URL they want. This makes it possible for users to ‘like’ the corresponding page that the developer is suggesting. How a Facebook Like Button can be used as a Facebook Like Box is simple; add a Facebook URL to the URL field and how you are on your way to making a Facebook Like Button that when clicked will allow a Facebook user to ‘like’ your Facebook page. For example, the Ask Adam League currently has a Facebook Like Button on the site. When clicking on this Like Button, the visitor will be Liking the Facebook Fan page for the Ask Adam League. They will also be able to see other friends of theirs that like the Ask Adam League Facebook Fan Page.

How to Add a Facebook Like Button to a WordPress Site

Adding either the Facebook Like Box or Button is very similar so instead of writing War and Peace here I’ll show you the steps for the Like Button.
Notes: These steps include using the code from the Facebook Developers website and not a WordPress plugin as I’ve found many of the plugins to be confusing or very spotty with their functions.
These steps will show you how to add a Facebook Like Box to your WordPress sidebar using a text widget; the simplest way I have found to add the Like Button.

Generate the Code:

  1. Go to the Facebook Like Button generator. This is where you will set the parameters for your Facebook Like Button and generate the code for your WordPress widget.
  2. The first step for generating the code is to get the URL for your page. I will choose to use the Ask Adam League Facebook page in this example since I want my site visitors to ‘like’ my Facebook page. Just visit the page and grab the full URL there and paste it into the ‘URL to Like’ field. (I’ve noticed that Firefox 3 on my Mac did not generate the Like Button example. It wasn’t until I updated to Firefox 4 that this happened).
  3. Select the different parameters for your Like Button such as pixel width and color scheme. You can also toggle on or off Faces which just displays the faces of the users who like your page.Click ‘Get Code’ and you’ll be presented with two different types of code; iFrame and XFBML. XFBML works for me (I’ll let the coder community explain the differences).
  4. Copy the XFBML code.

Insert the Code:

  1. Login to your WordPress CMS and go to ‘Widgets’ under the ‘Appearance’ pulldown on the right.
  2. Here you’ll have all of your widgets available that can be installed in your sidebar. If you don’t know what these do just think of them as little applications that do things on your sidebar.
  3. Grab the ‘Text’ widget and drag-and-drop it to anywhere you want the Facebook Like Button to be with all of your other widgets on the sidebar respectively. (if there is currently a text widget on your sidebar that you would like to install the Facebook Like Box code to with some other code there will be no problem at all).
  4. Crack open the Text widget by clicking on the pulldown. Your text widget will open up exposing the field where you will enter the code.
  5. Paste the code that you copied from the code generator.
  6. Click ‘save’.
  7. Bring up the page(s) that has your new Facebook Like Button to check it out.

Yeah yeah. I know we only have 12 people who like us on Facebook. Give us a sec.
Now anyone that visits your site will be able to like your Facebook Fan page. You can follow these same steps with the Facebook Like Box generator to make a Like Box if you wish.

Send me a comment if you guys have any questions. Good luck!

Note: My first time adding the Like Button it took almost 2 hours for it to show up on my page. Whether it took the Facebook API a million years to work or whatever else was going on I do not know.

Published by Donald Sinatra

11,483 Replies to “How to Add a Facebook Like Button or Like Box”

  2. Hеy! This is myy first comment here so I just wanteɗ to give a qգuick shout out and tell yoᥙ I trսⅼy enkoy rеаding your articles.
    Can you suggest annү other blogs/ᴡebѕites/forums that dеal with the same subјects?
    Thɑnks!

    my wеbsitte ::

  5. The other day, while I was at work, my cousin stole my iPad and tested to see if it can survive a twenty five foot drop, just so she can be a youtube sensation. My iPad is now broken and she
    has 83 views. I know this is completely off topic but I had to share
    it with someone!

  9. You have made some decent points there. I checked on the internet for additional information about the
    issue and found most individuals will go along with your views on this web site.

  13. I’m really loving the theme/design of your weblog. Do you ever run into any
    browser compatibility problems? A handful of
    my blog audience have complained about my site not working correctly
    in Explorer but looks great in Chrome. Do you have any suggestions to help fix
    this problem?

  19. I’m really loving the theme/design of your weblog. Do you ever run into any web browser compatibility problems?

    A small number of my blog audience have complained about my blog not operating correctly in Explorer but looks great in Opera.
    Do you have any recommendations to help fix this problem?

  25. When I originally commented I clicked the “Notify me when new comments are added” checkbox and now each time a comment is added I get several e-mails with the same comment.
    Is there any way you can remove me from that service?
    Thanks a lot!

  29. Quality content is the secret to interest the people to visit the site,
    that’s what this web page is providing.

  34. Hey I know this is off topic but I was wondering if you knew
    of any widgets I could add to my blog that automatically tweet my newest twitter updates.
    I’ve been looking for a plug-in like this for quite some time and was hoping maybe you would have some experience with something like this.
    Please let me know if you run into anything.
    I truly enjoy reading your blog and I look forward to your new
    updates.

  35. Hi! I could have sworn I’ve been to this website before but after going through a few
    of the articles I realized it’s new to me. Anyhow, I’m
    certainly delighted I found it and I’ll be bookmarking
    it and checking back regularly!

  37. Oh my goodness! Awesome article dude! Many thanks, However I am having troubles with your RSS.
    I don’t understand why I can’t subscribe to it. Is there anybody else having identical RSS issues?
    Anyone that knows the answer can you kindly respond? Thanks!!

  38. I’m commenting to let you be aware of of the excellent encounter my wife’s princess
    enjoyed visiting your webblog. She came to find many pieces, which included how it is like to possess
    a wonderful helping mood to let men and women just know precisely selected advanced
    topics. You actually did more than our own expected results.
    Thank you for producing these priceless, trusted, educational not
    to mention fun tips about this topic to Gloria.

    Also visit my web blog – best home (http://vtriptravel.com/members/christinbreshe/activity/349338)

  39. Oh my goodness! Impressive article dude! Thank you
    so much, However I am going through issues with your RSS.

    I don?t understand why I cannot join it. Is there anyone else having the same RSS
    problems? Anyone who knows the answer will you kindly
    respond? Thanx!!

    my web page; wedding dresses made (findallny.com)

  41. I’m really enjoying the design and layout of your site. It’s a very easy on the eyes which makes it much more enjoyable for me to come here and visit more often. Did
    you hire out a developer to create your theme?
    Great work!

    Also visit my web page: Web tax accountant

  43. Oh my goodness! Awesome article dude! Thank you so much, However I am having problems with your
    RSS. I don?t know why I can’t join it. Is there
    anyone else having the same RSS problems?

    Anyone that knows the solution will you kindly respond?
    Thanks!!

    Also visit my blog :: tax return online, http://www.visimser.com,

  44. Longe disso das outras causas de dor abdominal, nas quais a dor é
    maior durante a pressão com as mãos, na peritonite há mais dor quando
    se tira a mão rapidamente do que enquanto se está apertando
    a bojo.

  45. Wow, superb blog layout! How long have you been blogging for?
    you made blogging look easy. The overall look of your site is great, as well as the content!

  48. Magnificent website. A lot of helpful information here.
    I’m sending it to some friends ans additionally sharing
    in delicious. And naturally, thank you on your sweat!

Leave a Reply