Hey there, author! Are you ready to ramp up your Facebook game and connect with more readers? One surefire way to do that is by adding a snazzy Facebook follow button right on your WordPress website.
I know what you‘re thinking – "That sounds complicated!" But don‘t worry, I‘m here to walk you through it step-by-step. As a WordPress expert, I‘ve helped countless authors just like you add follow buttons that look great and bring in more fans.
In this ultimate guide, we‘ll cover:
- Why a Facebook follow button is a must-have for authors
- How to add a follow button using WordPress blocks and widgets
- How to use a plugin for a customized follow button
- Pro tips for placing and designing your button for maximum follows
By the end of this post, you‘ll have a Facebook follow button that wows your website visitors and has them racing to connect with you. Let‘s get started!
Why Authors Need a Facebook Follow Button
First things first – why should you even bother with a Facebook follow button? Is it really that important? In a word: YES.
Check out these eye-popping statistics:
- Facebook has over 2.7 billion monthly active users (Source: Facebook)
- 63% of Facebook users visit the site daily (Source: Pew Research)
- The average Facebook user clicks on 12 ads per month (Source: Hootsuite)
What does this mean for you as an author? A huge potential audience to tap into! By making it easy for your website visitors to follow you on Facebook with a single click, you can:
- Grow your followers and reach on Facebook
- Connect with readers and build relationships
- Drive traffic back to your website
- Establish credibility and social proof
In fact, a study by Statista found that 50% of people follow brands on social media to learn about new products or services. For authors, that translates to readers wanting to hear about your latest book releases and other news.
Bottom line: If you‘re not giving readers an easy way to follow you on Facebook, you‘re missing out on a major opportunity to grow your platform. So let‘s fix that right now, shall we?
How to Add a Facebook Follow Button Using WordPress Blocks
The quickest and easiest way to add a Facebook follow button to your WordPress site is by using the built-in Block Editor. No coding or technical know-how needed!
Here‘s how to do it:
- Log in to your WordPress dashboard and open up the post or page where you want to add the follow button.
- Click the "+" icon to add a new block.
- Search for "Social Icons" in the block search bar and click on it to add the block.
- Inside the Social Icons block, click the "+" again to add a new icon.
- Choose the Facebook icon from the list.
- Paste in the URL to your Facebook page that you want people to follow.
- Customize the colors, size, and shape of the icon to match your site‘s look.
- Click "Publish" or "Update" and voila! Your Facebook follow button is now live.
Here‘s a visual of what the process looks like:
[Insert screenshot of adding Social Icon block in WordPress]If you want to add the follow button in your site‘s sidebar or footer instead of on a specific page, you can use the same Social Icons block in a widget area. Just go to Appearance > Widgets, add the block to a widget area, and follow the same steps.
Add a Customized Facebook Follow Button with a WordPress Plugin
Using the Block Editor works great for adding a basic follow button, but if you want more control over the design and placement, a plugin is the way to go.
One of the best options out there is the free Social Media Share Buttons plugin. It lets you add sleek, customizable Facebook buttons anywhere on your site in just a few clicks.
Here‘s how to use it:
- Install and activate the Social Media Share Buttons plugin
- Go to Settings > Social Media Share Buttons in your WordPress dashboard
- Scroll down to the Follow Icons section and toggle on the Facebook option
- Paste in your Facebook page URL that you want to link to
- Use the Button Style and Placement options to customize how your button looks and where it appears
- Click Save Changes and your new follow button will be added to your site
Super simple, right? This plugin also has tons of options to further customize your follow button, like adding animation effects, changing the icon style, and more.
[Insert screenshot of Social Media Share Buttons plugin settings]Tips for Maximizing Follows with Your Facebook Button
Now that you know how to technically add a Facebook follow button to your WordPress site, let‘s talk about some strategies to really make it pop and get you the most new followers possible.
Place It Where It Counts
When it comes to placement, you want to make sure your follow button is front and center where people will actually see it and click on it. Some high-converting spots to consider:
- Header or menu bar
- Sidebar
- End of blog posts (above the comment section works great)
- Footer
- Author bio section
- Pop-up
Feel free to experiment with placement and see what gets you the best results. You can use Google Analytics to track clicks on your button and find out what‘s working best.
Brand It for Your Audience
The beauty of using a WordPress plugin for your follow button is that you have a lot of options to customize the look to fit your branding. Think about your ideal reader and what style would grab their attention and make them want to click.
Some ideas:
- Use a high-contrast color for the button that stands out from your site design
- Include your logo or author headshot as the button icon
- Animate the button on hover
- Create a "sticky" button that stays visible while the reader scrolls
Check out this example from author Jane Friedman of a well-designed, branded Facebook follow button in her blog sidebar:
Add a Strong Call-to-Action
To really entice people to click your follow button, include a compelling call-to-action (CTA) alongside it. Something like:
- "Follow me on Facebook for exclusive author updates!"
- "Join my Facebook community of book lovers"
- "Stay in the loop on all my upcoming releases on Facebook"
Remember, you want to answer the question: What‘s in it for them? Give readers a reason to want to follow you and stay connected beyond just visiting your website once.
Spread the Word with a Facebook Follow Button
Phew, that was a lot of info! But I hope this guide has shown you just how easy and important it is for authors to add a Facebook follow button to their WordPress site.
To recap, you have two main options:
- Use the built-in WordPress Block or Widget editor to add a basic follow button
- Use a plugin like Social Media Share Buttons for a more customized button
Whichever method you choose, make sure to place your button strategically, brand it for your audience, and include a strong CTA.
By taking these steps, you‘ll be well on your way to growing your Facebook presence and connecting with more readers.
So what are you waiting for? Go add that follow button and start reaping the rewards of a larger, more engaged Facebook audience. Your future fans will thank you!
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