I am currently working on a web solution based on Sitefinity CMS. Recently I faced the task of Twitter and Facebook integration into Sitefinity 4.0, did some research and would like to share the results with you.
There are at least three ways to integrate Facebook and Twitter into a Sitefinity website. In this first part, I will show how to do it with Facebook and Twitter plugins, which you can add to a page without writing server-side code.
Facebook plugins for Twitter and Facebook integration
Facebook social plugins
Facebook social plugins are small pieces of HTML and JavaScript that you can place into a Sitefinity page, for example with a content block or a custom widget. Here are the main plugins:
| Like Button | The Like button lets users share pages from your site back to their Facebook profile with one click |
| Activity Feed | The Activity Feed plugin shows users what their friends are doing on your site through likes and comments. |
| Recommendations | The Recommendations plugin gives users personalized suggestions for pages on your site they might like. |
| Like Box | The Like Box enables users to like your Facebook Page and view its stream directly from your website. |
| Login Button | The Login Button shows profile pictures of the user’s friends who have already signed up for your site in addition to a login button. |
| Facepile | The Facepile plugin displays the Facebook profile pictures of users who have liked your page or have signed up for your site. |
| Comments | The Comments plugin lets users comment on any piece of content on your site. |
| Live Stream | The Live Stream plugin lets your users share activity and comments in real-time as they interact during a live event. |
Facebook dialogs
Facebook dialogs let users post to their feed, send messages or invite friends without leaving your website. They are a good choice when you need a simple sharing flow and do not want to build your own interface.
Twitter plugins
Twitter offers similar ready-made widgets, such as the Tweet button, the Follow button and embedded timelines. Like Facebook plugins, they are added to the page with a short HTML snippet, so you can place them in any Sitefinity template.
Twitter and Facebook integration today
Note: this article was written in January 2011. Facebook and Twitter have changed their plugins many times since then, and several of the plugins listed above have been retired. Check the current Meta social plugins documentation before you start.
Continue reading: Twitter and Facebook integration into Sitefinity 4.0, part 2 and using the Twitter and Facebook API in Sitefinity.
