- \n
- Instant Articles load up to 10x faster<\/a> than standard articles.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Readers are 70% less likely<\/a> to abandon your article halfway through reading it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Those with slower connections are 20% more likely<\/a> to read an Instant Article than other content.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- You\u2019ll reach a wider audience – faster loading speeds means that users share your content more.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- It\u2019s an opportunity to monetize your content to compensate for the inevitable loss of traffic to your site.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Although this sounds like a win-win for both Facebook and publishers, there are some downsides you should be aware of:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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- Some companies have expressed concerns that Facebook is trying to dictate how they should publish their content.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Instant Articles are basically a stripped-down version of your site, so any widgets or sign-up forms won\u2019t be visible to readers within Facebook \u2013 they can only see the article itself.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- It limits photos and videos in your content, although this can be worked around to some extent.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Despite these concerns, I believe the pros outweigh the cons, and expect great success with Instant Articles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What you\u2019ll need to get started:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Access to your WordPress site\u2019s HTML code<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- A Facebook page with admin access<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Your logo<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- A minimum of five articles on your blog<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
How to Create Instant Articles on WordPress<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
When you import your articles to Facebook, they are converted into the new format by parsing the HTML. The easiest way to import your existing content is to use the official plugin<\/a>, which was created by Facebook and Automattic, the company behind WordPress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"how](\"https:\/\/getflywheel-images.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2018\/10\/facebook-instant-articles-wordpress-plugins-cover-image-662-1.png\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nStep 1: Sign up for Instant Articles<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
First, you\u2019ll need to sign up for Instant Articles<\/a> through Facebook. Go to the Instant Articles page and complete your details, then check the box to agree to the terms and conditions. Don\u2019t forget to select the correct Facebook page if you have more than one. Now, click on the Instant Article Tools<\/strong> button. You\u2019ll then be taken to the Publishing Tools<\/strong> section of your Facebook page, where you\u2019ll see the Instant Articles section is now displayed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Step 2: Connect Your WordPress Site<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Before you can begin to import articles from your blog to Facebook, the next step is to claim your URL. To do this, open your Instant Articles page on Facebook and navigate to Configuration > Tools > Connect your site<\/strong>. Copy the Page ID<\/strong> that you see displayed to your clipboard, as you\u2019ll need it at a later stage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Step 3: Set up the Instant Articles Plugin<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Now, you\u2019ll need to download and activate the plugin through your WordPress dashboard. Paste your Page ID<\/strong> from the previous step into the authorization field, then click Save Changes<\/strong> at the bottom of the page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Step 4: Claim Your URL<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Return to the Publisher Tools<\/strong> section on your Facebook page. You\u2019ll see a box under the code you copied earlier \u2013 add your website URL in this section and click on the button labeled Claim URL<\/strong>. You\u2019ve now successfully claimed your URL \u2013 if you don\u2019t see the changes on your WordPress site, try clearing the cache and they should appear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Step 5: Upload Your Logo<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
You now need to upload your logo to Facebook, as you won\u2019t be able to publish Instant Articles without it. It must be a transparent PNG, at least 690 x 132 pixels. You\u2019ll also need to style your Facebook posts so they\u2019re consistent with your site\u2019s branding. You can do this by navigating to your Facebook Publishing Tools<\/strong> section and then clicking Instant Articles > Configuration > Tools > Styles<\/strong> to change from the default article style. When you\u2019re happy with the results, click Save<\/strong> in the top-right corner and close the editor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Step 6: Submit Your Articles<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The final step is to submit your articles for review by Facebook. This normally takes around three to four days and once approved, all your articles will be displayed in the Instant Articles format where it\u2019s available. Instant Articles are distinguished from others by a lightning bolt icon next to them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How Does monetization Work for Instant Articles?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"how](\"https:\/\/getflywheel-images.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2018\/10\/facebook-instant-wordpress-articles-feature-crop-662-1.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nThere are two different ways publishers can earn money for content that\u2019s distributed in the Instant Articles format: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- You can use Facebook\u2019s audience network to earn ad revenue, with Facebook taking a 30% share<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- You can sell your own ads<\/a> and keep all the revenue, but Facebook places a limit on how many ads can be shown.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
How to Add Google Analytics to Facebook Instant Articles<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
- You can sell your own ads<\/a> and keep all the revenue, but Facebook places a limit on how many ads can be shown.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- You can use Facebook\u2019s audience network to earn ad revenue, with Facebook taking a 30% share<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Readers are 70% less likely<\/a> to abandon your article halfway through reading it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
![\"how](\"https:\/\/getflywheel-images.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2018\/10\/facebook-instant-articles-wordpress-hover-662.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n