Facebook page automatic "like" URL (for QR Code)

Question

I was wondering if one could construct a URL for automatically liking a Facebook page. Then this URL could be converted to a QR Code so people can automatically "like" your page by reading it with their smartphone.

I have been searching a lot, but all I could find so far are commercial services like Spotlike, Likify, Social QR Code etc. I don't want a solution that relies on such commercial services.

I am starting to suspect that Facebook has not enabled this possibility for understandable reasons (abuse and such). Still, I was hoping it would be possible to do this somehow, even by just creating my own intermediary service. In the latter case what would be basically required for creating such a service?

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EDIT:

I already did try a URL like this: http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http://facebook.com/interlinkONE

This URL (also when encoded as a QR code) did not really give a desirable result on an iPhone, as it showed a blank page with a tiny "like" button that was barely discernible. Also, it did not appear to work even when I attempted to click the "like" button.

Source: http://qreateandtrack.com/2010/10/18/how-to-create-qr-codes-for-the-facebook-like-button/

Blanchblancha

Answer 1

I'm not an attorney, but clicking the like button without the express permission of a facebook user might be a violation of facebook policy. You should have your corporate attorney check out the facebook policy.

You should encode the url to a page with a like button, so when scanned by the phone, it opens up a browser window to the like page, where now the user has the option to like it or not.

Gertie

Many major companies already enable "like"-ing stuff (products, pages) they put on facebook using QR Codes. There are even the commercial services that I explicitly mention. So I doubt this is an issue. Of course, it should be explicitly stated that you are "like"-ing something when reading the QR code. – Blanchblancha

I already did find a URL format that redirects to the "like" button, but the result was disappointing on an iPhone and didn't really work. I will edit the OP to clarify this. – Blanchblancha

Are you sure the other people who have implemented the solution are NOT a facebook partner, or have request special permissions to do so? I would highly suggest contacting your corporate attorney to find out if it is permissible for you to do so. – Gertie

I concur there may be something else going on with those services, which may have special permissions. I wonder where one might be able to check who is a facebook partner with those special permissions? – Blanchblancha

Try calling Facebook corporate and talk to a representative in business development. Facebook ph: 650-543-4800 – Gertie

Answer 2

In my opinion, it is not possible for the like button (and I hope it is not possible).

But, you can trigger a custom OpenGraph v2 action, or display a like button linked to your facebook page.

Hairless

I just read what does Likify : "(...)When the QR-code is scanned the user gets pointed to a mobile landingspage, which contains the official Facebook Like button(...)". It exactly what i said on my first answer "(...) display a like button linked to your facebook page(...)" – Hairless

Spotlike only redirects users to a facebook page. – Hairless

Answer 3

Have you tried using the fb:// protocol?

To have them like your page when they scan the qr code, it goes like this:

fb://page/(pageID)/addfan

If you need to get the pageID, replace "www" with "graph" in the Facebook url when you visit your page in a desktop browser and it will display the ID and other data.

Not only does this add them automatically, but it opens up the page in the FB app instead of the mobile browser.

As far as legality, I would assume as long as you put something like "Scan to like our page", you're in the clear. They know what they're getting into.

Oilbird

Thanks I will give this a try and 'mark as answer' when I get it to work. – Blanchblancha

Actually it has changed to fb://profile/(pageID)/addfan. And there is one more step. When scanning a Qr Code the scaner app must send this "url" (fb://profile/(pageID)/addfan) to the browser, what is not going to happen with this. So get it and go to any url shorting service and make a tiny url of it and use it instead to make the qrcode. – Sextodecimo

Answer 4

For a hyperlink just use www.facebook.com/++page ID++/like

Eg: www.facebook.com/MYPAGEISAWESOME/like

To make it work with m.facebook.com here's what you do:

Open the Facebook page you're looking for then change the URL to the mobile URL ( which is www.m.facebook.com/MYPAGEISAWESOME ).

Now you should see a big version of the mobile Facebook page. Copy the target URL of the like button.

Pop that URL into the QR generator to make a "scan to like" barcode. This will open the m.Facebook page in the browser of most mobiles directly from the QR reader. If they are not logged into Facebook then they will be prompted to log in and then click 'like'. If logged in, it will auto like.

Hope this helps!

Also, definitely include something with a "click here/scan here to like us on Facebook"

Kernite

Answer 5

The answers above seem partly outdated.

The URL builder on https://developers.facebook.com/docs/plugins/like-button/ worked nicely for me.

You can configure, preview and the get the code/URL in different flavors: HTML5, XFBML, IFRAME, URL

Enosis

This fb tool helps you build a like button. The OP is looking for a way to link to "liking" a fb page without using the official fb like button – Skimmia

Once you have the code, who says that you have to use in combination with the actual button? – Enosis

Answer 6

This has changed, it's now fb://profile/(profileID)

Echinoderm