Want to showcase your Facebook timeline right on your WordPress site? Embedding a Facebook feed is a great way to boost engagement, drive more page likes, and keep your site looking fresh – all on autopilot.
In this step-by-step guide, we‘ll walk you through exactly how to add a Facebook timeline to your WordPress website quickly and easily. We‘ll cover:
- Why display a Facebook feed on your site
- What you need to embed a feed
- How to set up a Facebook feed in WordPress
- Customizing the design to match your branding
- Integrating the feed across your site
- Tips and tricks for getting more from your feed
- Troubleshooting common issues
- Frequently asked questions
Whether you‘re a WordPress beginner or a web pro, by the end of this post you‘ll have your Facebook timeline up and running on your site seamlessly. Let‘s dive in!
Why Embed Your Facebook Timeline in WordPress?
First off, is it even worth it to add your Facebook feed to WordPress? Absolutely! Here are a few reasons over 1 million websites use this tactic:
- Keep your site fresh
- Drive more engagement
- Strengthen social proof
- Boost SEO
1. Keep Your Site Fresh
One of the top challenges site owners face is consistently publishing new content. In fact, 60% of bloggers report that creating content is their biggest struggle (Orbit Media).
An embedded Facebook feed solves this problem instantly. Every new post you publish on Facebook will automatically sync to your site, providing fresh content for visitors and search engines – no extra work required.
2. Drive More Engagement
Facebook is the world‘s third most visited website, with over 2.9 billion monthly active users. Integrating a feed of your Facebook timeline gives your audience a taste of the content you post and encourages them to engage.
Visitors can like, comment on, and share your Facebook posts right from your website, driving viral clicks back to your fan page.
The proof is in the numbers – websites that embedded a Facebook feed from Smash Balloon saw a 10-50% increase in page likes within a few months.
3. Strengthen Social Proof
63% of consumers say they are more likely to purchase from a site that has product ratings and reviews (eConsultancy).
An active, embedded Facebook feed serves as powerful social proof. It showcases your brand‘s popularity and engagement, making your site appear more credible and trustworthy.
Just like positive reviews, a feed with an active community and plenty of likes and shares builds instant trust with new site visitors.
4. Boost SEO
Finally, your Facebook feed can provide an SEO boost for your WordPress site.
The frequent new content, active engagement, and increased time on site from an embedded feed are all positive ranking factors that search engines love.
Plus, every post in your feed serves as keyword-rich content related to your niche, helping you rank for long-tail searches.
What You Need to Get Started
Alright, ready to add a Facebook timeline to your own WordPress site? Here‘s what you need:
- A WordPress website
- Admin access to your site to install plugins
- A Facebook account
- A Facebook page or group to display the feed from
We‘ll be using the Custom Facebook Feed plugin by Smash Balloon. It‘s one of the most popular plugins for this with over 1 million active users and stellar reviews.
The free version is fine to follow along with this tutorial. But if you want more advanced features and customization, consider grabbing Custom Facebook Feed Pro. We‘ll compare the extra features you get later on.
Embed Facebook Timeline Feed in WordPress (Step by Step)
Step 1: Install The Custom Facebook Feed Plugin
To get started, log in to the WordPress admin dashboard for the site you want to install the plugin on. Hover over "Plugins" and click "Add New".
In the search bar, type "Custom Facebook Feed" and look for the plugin by Smash Balloon. Click "Install Now" and then "Activate".
[Screenshot]You‘ll see a new "Facebook Feed" menu item in your dashboard. If you‘re using the Pro version, navigate there and enter your license key. Otherwise, you‘re ready for the next step.
Step 2: Connect Your Facebook Account
Next, let‘s link your WordPress site to the source of your Facebook timeline content. Navigate to Facebook Feed > All Feeds and click "Add New".
[Screenshot]Choose the "Timeline" feed type to display your Facebook timeline posts. Click "Add New" to connect a source.
A popup will appear prompting you to select the Facebook account to connect. Choose the one associated with the page or group you want to display the feed from.
[Screenshot]Next, Facebook will ask you to give Smash Balloon access to your account. This lets the plugin read your timeline posts and display them on WordPress. Click "Done".
[Screenshot]Back in WordPress, select the specific page or group to use as the source for your timeline feed. Then click "Next".
[Screenshot]That‘s it! Your Facebook account is now linked and you‘ll see a live preview of your new feed. Let‘s customize how it looks to match your site.
Step 3: Customize Your Facebook Feed Design
By default, your Facebook timeline feed will inherit styles from your WordPress theme. But you can easily customize the colors, layout, and more to fit your unique branding.
Click "Customize" to open the feed customizer. Here you can:
- Choose a color scheme and layout template
- Adjust number of posts and columns per device
- Style the header cover photo, name, bio and avatar
- Customize the "Like" box and "Load More" button
- Show or hide specific elements of each post
- Set custom CSS to style your feed
As you make changes, the live preview will instantly update so you can perfect your feed‘s appearance.
Advanced Tip: You‘re not limited to just one feed design! Create multiple feeds and customize each one for different locations, such as a list view for a sidebar widget and a grid for your full page.
Step 4: Display Your Feed on Your Website
Happy with how your Facebook feed looks? Then let‘s get it embedded on the front-end of your WordPress site where visitors can see and engage with it!
With your feed open in the customizer, click "Embed" in the top right corner. You‘ll see a popup with multiple embed options:
[Screenshot]Embed in a Page
The easiest option is to embed your feed directly in a WordPress page:
- Click "Add to a Page" in the embed popup
- Choose the page to display the feed on
- Click "Add" to automatically launch that page in the editor
- Click the "+" to add a new block
- Search for "facebook" and click the Custom Facebook Feed block to insert it
- Select your feed from the dropdown and click "Publish"
Embed in a Widget
You can also display your feed in a widget area of your theme, like a sidebar or footer:
- Click "Add to a Widget" in the embed popup
- Go to Appearance > Widgets
- Click "+" in the widget area you want to add the feed to
- Search for "facebook" and click the Custom Facebook Feed widget
- Select your feed and click "Update"
Embed with a Shortcode
For more control over where your feed appears, you can use its shortcode:
- Click "Add to a Widget" in the embed popup to see the unique shortcode for that feed
- Copy the shortcode
- Paste it into any WordPress page, post, or widget that accepts shortcodes
This is perfect for placing your feed in the middle of a post or page‘s content.
[Screenshot]Advanced Tip: If your theme uses the WordPress Block Editor for template parts, you can insert your Facebook Feed block into your site‘s header, footer, or homepage for sitewide display.
Tips to Get More From Your Facebook Timeline Feed
Your Facebook feed is embedded and looking sharp – nice work! But why stop there? Put your feed to work to drive even more engagement and growth with these tips.
Customize Post Layouts
Take advantage of the different post layout options to optimize your feed‘s display and interaction.
For example, use the Full-width layout for highly visual timeline content like images and videos. Or choose the Half-width layout for text-heavy content.
[Screenshot]Add a "Like" Box
Increase your Facebook page‘s likes and follows by enabling the built-in "Like" box in your feed. This makes it easy for site visitors to like your page right from your website.
[Screenshot]Set a Custom CTA
Customize the call-to-action button in your "Like" box to drive specific actions. For example, change it to "Sign Up" to grow your email list or "Shop Now" to drive sales.
[Screenshot]Feature Top Posts
Draw attention to your most popular or important Facebook content by giving it prominence in your feed. Mark top posts as "Featured" to display them larger or make them "Sticky" to pin them to the top of your feed.
[Screenshot]Moderate Comments
Keep the conversation friendly by moderating comments on your Facebook posts. Hide or delete comments containing spam or offensive language to maintain a positive, on-brand experience.
[Screenshot]Embed a Popup
Using a popup to display your Facebook timeline feed can be incredibly effective for grabbing attention and generating engagement.
The Pro version of the Custom Facebook Feed plugin includes a popup feature to display your feed in a custom lightbox triggered by a button click or time delay.
Facebook Feed Not Working? Common Troubleshooting Issues
Running into issues with your embedded Facebook feed? Don‘t worry – here are solutions to common problems.
My Feed Stopped Updating
If your Facebook feed seems stuck, the first thing to check is your Facebook app‘s connection. Facebook requires third-party apps to re-authenticate every 60 days for security.
To fix this, go to Facebook Feed > Settings > Sources and click "Connect to Facebook" to refresh your account.
[Screenshot]If that doesn‘t solve it, go to Facebook > Settings > Business Integrations and delete your "Smash Balloon" app, then re-connect it.
Photos and Videos Don‘t Show
There are a few reasons photos and videos may not be displaying in your feed:
- The post‘s privacy settings may be set to restrict third-party apps
- Your Facebook app doesn‘t have permission to read your content
- The post type is not selected in your feed settings
To fix this, first make sure your Facebook app has permission to read your timeline content in Facebook > Settings > Business Integrations.
Then go to your Custom Facebook Feed settings and make sure the post type checkboxes are selected for photos and videos.
[Screenshot]The Feed Doesn‘t Match My Brand Colors
Your feed should automatically inherit your theme‘s styles, but sometimes the feed‘s CSS conflicts with your site‘s existing stylesheets.
To fix this, go to the "Customize" settings for your feed and manually set your brand colors using the color pickers.
[Screenshot]For more advanced customization, add your own custom CSS under the "Custom CSS" section or by modifying your theme‘s stylesheet.
My Feed Doesn‘t Show Up At All
If your Facebook feed isn‘t displaying, there are a few common causes:
- Your Facebook account isn‘t connected – Go to Facebook Feed > Settings > Sources to authenticate your account
- Your shortcode is incorrect – Double check that you‘ve pasted the entire shortcode correctly
- Your page‘s ID is wrong – Make sure you‘ve selected the right source for your feed
- A plugin conflict – Try deactivating other plugins one by one to pinpoint the culprit
- A JavaScript error – Check your browser‘s console for errors and resolve them in your theme or plugins
If none of those fixes work, try reaching out to Smash Balloon‘s support for more personalized troubleshooting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Still have questions about embedding a Facebook timeline in WordPress? Here are answers to some of the most common ones:
How often does the feed update?
By default, your feed will check Facebook for new posts every hour. But you can set this to as often as every 15 minutes in Facebook Feed > Settings > Feed Settings.
Can I display a feed from multiple Facebook pages?
Yes! The Pro version of Custom Facebook Feed lets you combine timeline posts from multiple pages into a single feed. Just connect each page under the "Sources" settings.
Will photos and videos play in my feed?
Yes, photos display automatically in the free version of Custom Facebook Feed. The Pro version also supports video playback right inside your feed.
What‘s the difference between the free and Pro version?
Here‘s a quick comparison table of what you get with each:
| Feature | Free | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Display Photos | ✓ | ✓ |
| Display Videos | ✓ | |
| Show Page Header | ✓ | ✓ |
| Show Number of Likes | ✓ | ✓ |
| Show Number of Comments | ✓ | ✓ |
| Show Number of Shares | ✓ | ✓ |
| Popup Lightbox | ✓ | |
| Multiple Post Layouts | ✓ | ✓ |
| Box Layout | ✓ | |
| Combine Multiple Feeds | ✓ | |
| Post Filtering | ✓ | |
| Load More Button | ✓ | ✓ |
| Follow Button | ✓ | ✓ |
| Custom Colors | ✓ | ✓ |
| Custom Text Size | ✓ | ✓ |
| Number of Posts | 10 | 100 |
The main differences are that Pro lets you display videos, create advanced layouts, combine multiple source feeds, filter posts, and show more than 10 posts.
Are Facebook Feeds Still Worth it in 2023?
Absolutely! Even with all the changes to Facebook‘s algorithm and API over the years, embedding a feed on your website remains a highly effective tactic.
In fact, website owners using Smash Balloon saw a 40% increase in Facebook referral traffic on average in 2023 compared to 2022.
While it‘s true that Facebook has made changes affecting third-party apps, quality plugins like Custom Facebook Feed are constantly adapting their code to keep your feeds running smoothly and legally.
Show Off Your Facebook Timeline in WordPress Today
Congratulations! You now have all the knowledge you need to embed a Facebook timeline feed on your WordPress website.
It‘s truly one of the quickest and easiest ways to boost engagement on both your website and your Facebook page with just a few clicks.
To recap, displaying a Facebook feed on your site helps you:
- Keep your site updated with fresh content automatically
- Drive more engagement and likes on your Facebook posts
- Build trust and social proof with an active community
- Improve your search rankings with dynamic keyword content
The Custom Facebook Feed plugin makes it an absolute breeze. Even complete beginners can set it up in under 5 minutes – no coding required.
And with a bit of styling, you can perfectly match your feed to your existing brand and website design for a seamless integration.
So what are you waiting for? Get your Facebook timeline displayed beautifully on your WordPress site today and start reaping the benefits for your business.
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