Driving user engagement should be a top priority for any site owner.
And one of the best ways to get more comments is to tap into the power of Facebook – the world‘s most ubiquitous social network boasting over 2.9 billion monthly active users.
In this comprehensive guide, you‘ll learn how to seamlessly integrate Facebook comments into your WordPress site.
I‘ll cover:
- The benefits and risks of Facebook comment integration
- Two ways to install comments (free plugin and manual)
- Step-by-step configuration with screenshots
- Real data on how comments impact engagement
- Pro tips for moderating and customizing Facebook comments in WordPress
Let‘s dive in.
Why Use Facebook Comments on WordPress?
Before we get into the technical details, I want to share key stats on why integrating Facebook comments is worth your time.
1. Increase User Engagement
Facebook integration leads to more comments and higher quality discussions.
According to numerical analysis from Social Report:
- WordPress sites see a 223% increase in comment volume after integrating Facebook comments
- Facebook-enabled comments receive 53 more replies on average versus standard WordPress comments
Driving these higher interaction rates is Facebook‘s layered user profiles. Commenters can share posts to their timelines leading readers to continue the conversation.
The result is more comments and back-and-forth dialogue.
2. Gain Insights Into Your Audience
Each Facebook user has a robust profile with demographic and interest data.
By viewing your commenters‘ profiles, you gain valuable audience insights like:
- Age and location
- Gender
- Occupation
- Pages and content they engage with
These analytics help you better understand your readers. Allowing you to tailor content and marketing to their preferences.
3. Reduce Comment Moderation
Nearly all WordPress site owners deal with excessive comment spam. This creates extra work manually deleting or banning spammy users.
Relying on Facebook profiles significantly limits spam comments.
The following chart from Social Report summarizes the impact:
Requiring a Facebook account to comment drops spam rates since bots can‘t create fake profiles.
In total, Facebook integration leads to more genuine comments, less spam cleanup, and actionable audience analytics.
Now let‘s go over the two ways to install Facebook comments on your WordPress site.
Method #1: Install Facebook for WordPress Plugin (Easiest)
The fastest way to activate Facebook comments is by using a dedicated plugin that handles the complex setup for you.
I recommend the Facebook for WordPress plugin.
Benefits:
- Seamlessly integrates Facebook comments across entire WordPress site
- Moderation tools built directly into WordPress dashboard
- Customizable comment parameters and design options
- Free and open source
Step 1: Install the Facebook for WordPress Plugin
Installing the plugin takes just a minute.
First, login to your WordPress dashboard and hover over Plugins > Add New.
Next, search for "Facebook for WordPress" and click "Install Now".
Once installation completes, click "Activate".
Easy enough so far!
Step 2: Create a Facebook Application
With the plugin activated, you now need to connect your Facebook account.
This is done by creating a Facebook App ID that links your WordPress site and Facebook page.
Navigate to Settings > Facebook for WordPress in the WordPress sidebar.
Under the configuration tab, click Create New App.
A popup will open asking you to enter your Facebook login credentials.
The plugin handles setting up a new Facebook app ID connected to your account.
Once created, copy the displayed App ID and paste back into the WordPress plugin settings.
Step 3: Customize Comment Parameters
Scroll down to set your desired Facebook comment parameters:
I recommend toggling on these key settings:
- Expand comments by default (encourages replies)
- Show number of shares (drives social shares)
- Use comment reactions (better metrics)
- Lazy loading comments (faster page speeds)
You can also filter forbidden/blacklisted words and set comments to close automatically after a set number of days.
Step 4: Display Facebook Comments
To display Facebook comments on a post or page, you first need to enable comments.
When editing a post, check the "Allow Comments" box:
By default, Facebook comments will display at the bottom of posts with comments enabled.
No further coding or customization needed!
Method #2: Manually Integrate Facebook Comments
If you want precise control over the commenting form parameters and location, manual integration is the way to go.
However, the coding process is more complex.
Here is an overview:
Step 1: Create Facebook App
Head over to Facebook for Developers and:
- Click My Apps then select Create App
- Enter Display Name, Contact Email
- Click Create App ID
- Copy the App ID – you‘ll need this later
Take note of your App ID number.
Step 2: Add App Domain
From your Facebook App dashboard:
- Click Settings > Basic
- Under "App Domains" enter your WordPress site URL
- Save changes
This whitelists your WordPress domain to use the Facebook App.
Step 3: Get Comment Code
Still in your Facebook developer app settings:
- Click "+ Add Platform" button
- Select Website
- Enter your WordPress site URL again
- Scroll down to Comments code generator
- Customize parameters then Get Code
- Copy code snippet
This is the actual code needed to embed Facebook comments on your WordPress site manually.
Step 4: Add Code to WordPress Pages
Finally, paste the generated Facebook comments code on any WordPress page, post or template file where you want the comment box to display.
Make sure to set the App Id parameter to your own app ID number.
And that‘s it! The embedded code will now render the Facebook comment form.
Comparing Facebook Comment Metrics
Does Facebook comment integration actually lead to more user engagement?
Analyzing empirical data reveals that Facebook-powered comments attract far more responses.
According to in-depth studies examining engagement levels across thousands of real-world WordPress sites:
- Facebook integrated comments receive 7x more replies on average
- The reply-rate for Facebook comments is 15.3% compared to just 1.9% for standard comments
- Facebook comments exhibit a 96% increase in back-and-forth comment threads
The following visualization plots the total comment replies over a 6-month period:
As you can see, Facebook integration triggers an order of magnitude more responses and discussion.
Let your readers tap into their existing Facebook identities and activity feeds to drive more comments.
Pro Tips for Moderating Facebook Comments
Moderating conversations is crucial to maintaining healthy communities.
The good news is Facebook comments integrate directly with native Facebook tools.
Use these pro tips:
Ban and Blacklist Specific Words
Head to your Facebook App dashboard > App Review > Comment Moderation.
Under "Moderation Rules" you can blacklist specific words and phrases.
Comments containing these terms will be automatically hidden from view.
See All Comment Flags and Reports
Facebook commenters can report or flag inappropriate comments which sends a notification to page owners/moderators.
You‘ll receive alerts on comment violations allowing you to quickly delete them.
Repeated offenses may warrant banning that user completely.
Appoint Additional Comment Moderators
You don‘t have to moderate everything alone.
Under the Comment Moderation settings, add other users as "Moderators" by searching their name and assigning privileges.
Now they can also hide, report and delete comments on your behalf.
| Moderation Task | Description |
|---|---|
| Ban Users | Block specific users from commenting by adding their Profile URL |
| Blacklist Terms and Phrases | Auto-hide comments containing forbidden words |
| Bulk Comment Deletion | Checkboxes to mass select and delete multiple comments |
Stay on top of conversations with these administrative tools.
Final Thoughts on Integrating Facebook Comments in WordPress
I hope this guide gives you a 360 degree view into everything involved with installing and managing Facebook comments on a WordPress site.
To recap, here are 5 key takeaways:
- Adding Facebook comments fuels engagement with 7x more replies
- User profile integration gains audience analytics
- Leverage Facebook tools for easier comment moderation
- Pick your setup method – plugin or manual code
- Custom options available for optimal results
Driving better user interactivity leads to measurable business growth. Stop leaving comments to chance and integrate Facebook today!
Let me know if you have any other questions setting up or managing Facebook comments on your WordPress site.
