Facebook for your business - Part 1

I ♥ Facebook!

Does your site feature Facebook functionality?
Do you have a Facebook page for your business?
No!?!! Well, you better hurry up!
 

Integrating Facebook in your website

Nothing easier than that! You can simply create a Call-To-Action button to get your website visitors to visit your Facebook page (if you have one) or use one of the easy to integrate “Facebook Social Plugins” to get your website Facebook-ready. I suggest you one (or several) of the following options:
 

LIKE us on Facebook Call-To-Action (CTA) button

This is easy! Just design a button or advertising banner that clicks through to your Facebook page. Usually these buttons use the Facebook blue and the logo or icon so users can directly identify it. The LIKE used to be a “Become a fan”, that is why you still see some “become a fan on Facebook” around. Here are some examples for Facebook CTA buttons:


 
 

The LIKE button

The LIKE button is pretty much a must have in every website now. This amazing little button makes people spread your site to all their friends with just the push of a button. Depending on your goals you can set up the button to LIKE either

• Your website (general website address)
• Each page of your website (url of page)
• Your Facebook page

There are several configuration settings you can choose from. Choose from different formats (see graphic below), font types, light or dark colour sheme, display the very like or recommend, the width of the box and if you want to display the “face pile” (thumbnails of your friend who also like this site) or not.


 

Facebook Boxes

You probably came across one of these boxes. These are also Social Plugins provided by Facebook you can integrate in your website. There are a couple of different ones, the Activity Feed, Recommendations, Like Box (not button), Live Stream and Comments. I can recommend the following:

Like Box

This box is a compact version of your Facebook page. It has the LIKE button, a feed on your latest activities and shows a bunch of people who like your page. The advantage is that people don’t need to visit your Facebook page to LIKE you and to see what is new on your page.

Comments Box

The Comments plugin enables users (that have a Facebook account) to LIKE and comment on your website’s content (page, product, article, photo,…). The great thing about it is that by commenting the user can post their comment on their Facebook profile for all their friends to see. Again they spread the word for you. Only disadvantage is that you need to have a Facebook account to use it - but seriously, who doesn’t have one by now?!