Last month, Facebook extended all users access to its new embedded posts feature, previously restricted to developers. This enables websites and blogs to display Facebook content, similar to the way visitors can watch embedded YouTube videos without leaving a site. Used correctly, embedded posts provide you with a powerful new way to build your Facebook following.
How It Works
Let’s say you want visitors to your WordPress blog to see your premier Facebook content. To do this, first decide which content to display. Embedded posts can include text, hashtags, pictures, videos, and other content.
Next, set your post’s audience to “Public” by using the audience selector menu which appears to the left of the “Post” button. You should see a globe icon next to the caption “Public.”
After making your post public, in the drop-down options on the top right, you should see an “Embed Post” option. Click this to get an embed code to copy.
Finally, paste this into the HTML code on your WordPress post. Your site will now display your Facebook content. Your visitors can “Like” your post, or follow you. They can also visit your post on Facebook itself, or share your website’s link.
For example, see the latest post from The Social Skinny:
Attract Their Attention with an Eye-Catching Image
Studies show that among Facebook posts that generate interaction via the “Like” button, comments and shares, 93 percent contain photos. Of the remainder, three percent contain status updates, two percent contain links, and two percent contain posts. This implies that the way to generate the most interaction from your embedded posts is to include eye-catching imagery.
Elements that contribute to eye-catching photos include photogenic subjects such as facial close-ups, vivid color contrast (see image above), interesting captions, and good resolution at both large and small sizes. If you’re posting a video, make sure to select an appropriate thumbnail. Note that when you embed a video on your website, your uploading experience, and your users’ experience, will be proportionate to your server speed, so for best results, use dsl.com or another high-speed provider.
Combine the Power of Pictures and Text with Infographics
To apply this image-oriented strategy to a text-oriented embedded post, one great tactic is to deliver your message through an infographic. Infographics receive great traction on social media, averaging 587 Twitter Retweets to 62 for traditional posts. Fortunately, you don’t need pro Photoshop skills to create infographics, since their popularity has inspired many design aid tools. You can get help from Google Public Data Explorer, Infogr.am, Piktochart, Visual.ly, Visualize.me, and many other resources.
Putting Embedded Posts to Use
Now that you know how to use embedded posts, what can you use them for? One of their most important uses is to encourage visitors to your website or blog to “Like” content from your Facebook page.
Another very valuable application is attracting visitors to your site by embedding posts from popular Facebook users. Facebook’s best practices recommend you can find good embeddable content by following popular posters, browsing hashtag feeds, and subscribing to Facebook interest lists.
Author: Cynthia Tyson
Cynthia is a stay-at-home mom with a background in social media and public relations. She likes to share tips on how to use social media as well as the latest updates.
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