Lots of mis-information surrounds how to add Google Friend Connect to a WordPress blog. Here is how to do it the right way
You can see in the beginning of this Google Friend Connect video, how Larry Brauner was having lots of problems using the HTML widget in WordPress. Do Not use the widget system in WordPress if you can avoid it. Here’s how to easily add these gadgets to WordPress code directly.
It’s easy, just watch this short video….. (Best in HD, click full screen)
Also if you are using an older version of WordPress your Google Friend Connect may not work. Use this fix by adding the code Google supplied me with just above the Google Friend Connect gadget code.
However since I upgraded my WordPress version to 2.9 I am having no problems with Google Friend Connect now.
Hi Chris,
I tried following your instructions, but my sidebar.php didn’t start in the same was a yours.
I experimented with placing the GFC code in a number of different places but the widget wouldn’t appear.
I took a look at your code you sent me in the screen shot.
WordPress uses two sidebar.php files. One will render the code the way it appears as you see it in a HTML document. More accurately it uses PHP and HTML to deliver your sidebar. This is the one I prefer because I have more control over it.
The other sidebar file is called the widgetized version. It will only deliver scripted and HTML additions thru the widget system. HTML additions will not work. That is why I add gadgets the way I do in the video. I hate the widget system and it has always worked poorly for me. That is why you have because you are adding widgets. WP uses one or the other but not both.
The cause of the problem is not Google Friend Connect, it is WordPress and the widget system. How many items are you running from the widget system?
I would say that to get GFC to work, you will need to move your social gadgets out of the widget system and into the sidebar.php file as I showed in the video.
The reason your GFC gadget appears in the blog body is that the widget system is breaking a DIV tag or you hacked one off when you moved the original code from Google.
Also try getting a brand new copy and paste of the code directly from the Google site.
I just looked at your GFC code and it is corrupt, go get a new copy of the GFC code from Google Friend Connect. You have two /DIV tags that should not be in there in the first section of code. Take them out and use the widget system if you have to. The extra close DIV tags are what is making the whole thing break the WordPress layout.
As grateful as I am for your tutorial (And I am) When I go to the left -on my dashboard-I click on appearance and I don’t get the editor option like your video> I simply cannot find out where to see the html is to change it.
This is so hard!!!!
@Collette – That’s because you are using a WordPress.com blog. Not a WordPress blog on your own domain. Notice that this blog’s address is GooglingSocial.com while yours is jasperandblue.wordpress.com/ – You cannot add JavaScript gadgets to WordPress.com sites. I spoke to Matt Mullenweg about this last year and they have yet to decide to allow Facebook or Google Friend Connect gadgets on these sites.
K thanks, Bummer….
ah ok, now I understand why it doesn’t work on my blog. hope WordPress will change this in the future..
hi, I use my own domain but I still cant find how to do this. there is no way for me to edit my code in my appearance section
OK Lindsey, what is the URL of the site? What version of WordPress are you using?
http://www.lindseythevampireslayer.com and i have no clue. im totally lost
@Lindsey – Let me guess, you log into WordPress.com to admin you site. Am I right?
lol. yes.
@Lindsey, That is your problem. The files you need are locked down and you can’t add JavaScript to WordPress.com blogs.
I talked to Matt Mullenweg about this the last time he was in Phoenix. He seemed very hesitant to allow social gadgets. In this day and age, that makes no sense.
Matt also seemed uneasy about allowing either Google Friend Connect or Facebook gadgets and not the other. Gotta stay neutral I suppose.
So when and if WordPress hosted sites allow either one, they will probably allow them both.
Since you own the domain, you may consider moving to stand alone WordPress.
Not easy depending on your skills and there are advantages to using WordPress.com
Many big sites do.
Let me know if I can help you in the future.
– Chris
thanks alot chris. ill look into it but i just dont think i have the skills to figure that out
Hi Chris, I’m hoping you can help me and my wife out. We were able to add the GFC to our blog site, but when we did a text popped up at the bottom-right stating
” We’re sorry…
We were unable to handle your request. Please try again or return a bit later.”
I am almost certain this is “connected” in some way to the GFC because the same thing happened when we implemented the plugin to a different theme on the blog. Any way we can remove that?
P.S. We are very much novices at web design and editing, so please be as close to “connect-the-dots” to us. Thank you very much.
I have a problem with google frienc connect. I have tranfer the google friend connect from a blogger to the wordpress and now when I wrote a article it doesn’t show up to the people that are subscribed. I have already change all the settings and this doesnt work. I also have tried to change the feed url but the feebburner doesn’t alow me to do it.What do you think is the problem? Is the theme of the wordpress capable of make that the google friend connect not send the notifications?
Thanks
I have a problem with google frienc connect. I have tranfered the google friend connect from a blogger to the wordpress and it was working fine. I thought that it would be okay to use another way to connect with friends rather than just the twitter connection. When I went back to view the GFC on my blog, it states that it is not configured correctly.. I am busy doing a blog hop and need help fixing this asap… Thanks Kindly