One great way to get more fans for your Facebook fan page, and make it easier to manage your social networking, is to link your Facebook fan page and Twitter profile.
There are several options for cross-posting between the two sites. In this post I’ll show you how to set up your Facebook fan page so that your status updates are copied over to Twitter — and include a link back to your fan page at the end of each update.
The benefit of this approach is that your Twitter followers will visit your fan page, and hopefully “like” you there (especially if you’re setup with a welcome page that encourages visitors to “like” you to access your content on Facebook). So it’s a great way to build your fan base on Facebook.
You can use this strategy in combination with other management tools (like Hootsuite), since this will only post one way and between the specific linked accounts, Facebook to Twitter. Just remember once you’ve set it up, your Facebook status updates will go to Twitter automatically so you don’t want to schedule an update for both places or it’ll show up twice on Twitter (once as scheduled through your tool, and once when Facebook sends it over).
Step 1: Login to Facebook
Start by logging into Facebook and going to the fan page you want to link. In this example I’ll use http://facebook.com/MichelleShaefferFans
Step 2: Edit Your Fan Page
Go to your fan page on Facebook and click the “Edit Page” button on the top right (you need to be logged into an account that is an admin for the page you want to work with to see this button).
Step 3: Go to the “Resources” Link
Next look for the “Resources” link and click on it.
Step 4: Find the Twitter Option
Next scroll down to find “Link your Page to Twitter” and click the link.
Step 5: Choose the Fan Page You Want to Link
If you admin more than one fan page you’ll see them listed here. Scroll to find the one you want to link and click the “Link to Twitter” button directly across from it.
If you aren’t already logged into Twitter, you’ll login here. Be sure to login to the account you want your status updates to show up as tweets for if you use more than one Twitter account. Click the blue “Authorize app” button and then wait patiently for Twitter and Facebook to attempt to communicate.
Note: I got a failure message twice after this step, but the connection DID set itself up properly, so don’t panic if Facebook claims there was an error here. Just go to step 7 and see if your fan page shows as linked. If it does you’re okay, if not just repeat the steps above.
Step 7: Check Your Settings
The connection allows you to choose which types of information you’d like automatically sent over to Twitter. To adjust this, go back to your fan page, click the “Edit Page” button, go to “Resources” then “Link to Twitter” again and where it shows as linked, click the “Edit Settings” link as shown below. You can check or uncheck boxes and then click “Save Changes.”
Step 8: Test & Confirm
Now you get to test and confirm that you’re all set. Post a status update to your Facebook page: Then hop over to your Twitter profile and check that it showed up there. You’ll notice it’s shortened and includes a fb.me link that takes you back to the original status update over at Facebook:
All done!
That’s it! If it worked, you’re all done. If not, go back and double check the steps above to see what’s missing and try again.
Harleena Singh says
Wow! That was a great tutorial Michelle!
I was thinking about going in for Hootsuit, but thought it to be rather complicated for a beginner, but integrating it through Facebook would be nice. However, I guess we would have to be careful not to post large content on Facebook, as then it would not go onto Twitter, or does it shorten it on it’s own?
Thanks for sharing :)
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Michelle Shaeffer says
The cool thing is that it shortens it and adds a link to your Facebook profile. So keep posting the longer status updates there because your Twitter followers will click through to read the rest (and hopefully become fans when they do). :)
Michelle Shaeffer recently posted… How to Link Your Facebook Fan Page to Your Twitter Profile
Jov Novosti says
This was fantastic, but I was really trying to do the reverse: send tweets to the page. My personal page is already linked to a different twitter. I just can’t seem to make it happen sadly or find the proper info.
Jessica Higham says
I have two twitter accounts, one personal and one business. I would like to link my personal twitter account to my Facebook profile and my business twitter account to my Facebook Page. Is it possible? Thanks.
Larry Lewis says
That is an awesome explaination. Very useful too. Twitter and facebook are becoming more and more important to anyone building an online business.
Larry Lewis recently posted… Stop Being a Victim and Take Control of Your Life
Michelle Shaeffer says
Thanks, Larry. I agree. They’re great ways to get out there and get in front of your potential customers, where they’re already at.
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Roy A. Ackerman, PhD, EA says
The tricks that Michelle shares lets us all work smarter and not harder.
Which means we get more done- either to play more or to work more- as we see fit.
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Michelle Shaeffer says
Exactly! Save that time and you can use it as you’d like. :)
Gustavo says
Clear and easy. Thanks Michelle! I will be implementing this right away.
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Michelle Shaeffer says
Awesome, glad to hear it, Gustavo. :)
Michelle Shaeffer recently posted… How to Link Your Facebook Fan Page to Your Twitter Profile
Martha Giffen says
Michelle,
That was one of the easiest-to-follow step-by-steps I’ve seen in a while. You do a fantastic job!! Your contribution to the online community is priceless. Thanks!
Martha Giffen recently posted… Building Credibility For Your Online Business
Aanchal says
Hi Michelle,
It’s really simple but many people suggest to use different apps to connect your facebook fan page and twitter account, but you can do it with your fb fan page itself.
Aanchal recently posted… Website Design in India
Juracy says
You are a GENIUS!!!
Could you please tell me why I can’t link my FB profile with my Personal Page? I made a page called Life and Bussiness author/Coach and it is listed as a Person, not as a business, so when I want to link it to my WORK in my FB profile, I can’t. Is there a way to get around this?
Hugs,
Juracy in Baja California. Mexico
Priya says
Hey Michelle,
I got one query here, Can we connect our Facebook profile with twitter account like this….. without using any third party application, as I don’t want to share my password details with third party apps.
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Helenee says
Michelle not only gives practical advice per se – this whole post is an example of how a smart marketer can promote him/herself:
She chose to use t w o hot topics at once (Facebook, Twitter), help frustrated e-preneurs with a step-by-step tutorial, and showed her smiling face throughout the page, along with the buttons we should click and the messages we should expect to see during the process.
Any newcomer to this page will certainly link Michelle’s face to the step-by-step tutorial and, by extension, to the concept of her blog (simplifying the chaos of online business).
This is brilliant marketing!
Mika says
Thanks for the tutorial Michelle! It really helps other people to connect with you if you can attach your FB profile link to your Twitter. You can update both social sites at the same time regardless where you post first. Cheers!
Charisma says
Hi Michelle,
This is one awesome tutorial, thanks for imparting it with us. I will try this one. Thanks!
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Anthony Caruso says
Thank you! That was so fast and easy! I really appreciate your insight!
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Ivin says
Hello Michele. I like this method. You can also send the same content to both platforms using Twitterfeed. I got a question tho’: Don’t you think sharing content either way brings the risk of ‘over-sharing’?
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Alison says
Yeah! It’s working! Thanks so much for sharing this info, Michelle. This will help a lot.
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Kimberly ~ Gypsy says
Michelle, this was a great tut … I love your step-by-step help!! Being a visual person, this helps me tremendously!!!! You rock!!!! ;) … as usual!!! LOL
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Bharat says
This is a really cool tutorial and it helps to link twitter account with fFcebook without any third party apps. Liked and re-tweeted it :)
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camila says
Thank you, it worked and I feel so techie cool.
camila recently posted… Hope it’s not uncool to LIKE your own fan page.
Michelle says
Works like a charm! Thank you HEAPS!!!
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Prue says
Hi Michelle,
When I click on the ‘link your page to twitter’ from my FB resources page, it takes me straight back to my admin page and I dont get the option to select the page etc to link. I am setup as a local business. Is there something else i should check?
Thanks!
Tom says
Thanks for the great walkthru!
Birdie says
Thank you (SO MUCH!) for posting this! SUPER EASY! What about pictures? Do your “introductions” to the photos need to be over 140 characters as well?
Gee | EverythingWeddingsAndMore says
Thanks Michelle! i was actually looking for how to link my FB with twitter in the sense that my twitter updates show on FB not the other way round. But this was definitely helpful too. Thanks!
Gee | EverythingWeddingsAndMore recently posted… Oops! And Suddenly there came Pinterest and now Twitter! @ewamweddingblog
Michelle Shaeffer says
Hi Gee, this might do it for you: http://michaelhyatt.com/how-to-update-your-facebook-status-with-twitter.html
I’d just be careful if you’re very active on Twitter, Facebook moves slower and it might overwhelm your followers. :)
Amel Ryan says
Hi Michelle,
Thanks for that explanation (the illustrations help a lot).
I have a quick question maybe you can help with. I followed your instructions to link Facebook to Twitter and all went well. Now I want to link Twitter to Facebook. Trouble is, it keeps telling me to switch from my page identity to my personal identity when I link the accounts!
That’s not what I want.
Can you suggest a way to get around this? Any help would be most welcome as I am thoroughly stymied!
Thanks again for sharing your knowledge.