Facebook Connect Integration with WordPress
Sunday, March 15
So I’ve been playing with this WordPress plugin called Facebook Connect.  Not too long ago the folks at Facebook opened up their login/credentials so (theoretically) you can use your Facebook login and password on other sites.
This has the potential to create tighter integration between Facebook and other websites (like this one, for example).  So if I write a post, and one of my Facebook friends comments on it, it *should* show up in a Facebook feed somewhere.
I set up the Plugin and there’s a now there’s a fancy Facebook login button on my homepage. But does it work?  I dunno. But YOU can help me test it!!!  Login to the right and make some comments folks!!!
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15, March15:23
Hey Diggz…cool feature. When’s it going to be working on the Drewshow.com site?
15, March15:49
Help Diggz test his Facebook Connect integration. Post a message on his blog using your Facebook login. It’s pretty cool stuff!
15, March16:35
works fine. you WILL be assimilated. resistance is futile. we will and your uniqueness to our own
15, March17:24
One Ring to Rule them ALL!!!!
20, March6:47
just trying to intgrete my wordpress with facebook
24, March15:16
using the same plugin on another site that i’m working on … looks like it’s working here
29, March18:35
SO far so good…I’m working on some tweaks to the code, but for the most part it seems to work as designed.
Interesting implementation, although it’s a bit bulky at the moment. Definitely not for the WordPress Novice. Basically what it does is create a “subscriber”-type user in your blog database that links to a Facebook ID (it doesn’t appear to store any Facebook credentials other than public identity, in this case simply their Facebook User ID)
It’s completely “Opt-In” so users have to choose to link their Facebook account, which I would expect a prudent person would be reticent to do, especially not knowing the blog owner (nor would I suggest it).
And there’s not really much upside to your average Facebook user to entice them to want to do this. They get their comments posted to their newsfeed…and they get to see their Facebook picture next to their comments. Other than that…??
Once a user links their Facebook account (using the Facebook Connect API), and while logged into Facebook and after they comment to a post (in your WordPress blog), they’re given the option of re-posting their comment (along with a link to the blog) into their Facebook newsfeed, where it shows up as something like “Johnny’s posted a comment on Diggz.org, and the comment was: Foo” (where your actual comment=Foo).
The content of the Facebook Newsfeed post is the valuable part for the blog owner, because you’re potentially getting valuable new eyeballs to your blog. It does seem to help attract new viewers to the blog because you don’t have to have any actual Facebook friend connection to the commenter. So potentially, if they comment on a post and it re-posts to their Facebook newsfeed, now you’re presenting your blog to all of their friends. And there’s an implied referral aspect, because it’s coming from an established friend.
Other than that, it’s still pretty weak.
But here’s the thing…if you want to ask me any questions, feel free to post ‘em here. Or if you want to try it from a user perspective, link your Facebook account and post a comment. You’ll see how it gives you the option to re-post it to your Facebook feed.
It was kinda hard for me to imagine how this worked until I implemented it…so give it a whirl and see for yourself.
-Johnny