Facebook extensions allow you to enhance your Facebook experience by adding new features and functionality. One common use case for extensions is to invite your friends to try them out. There are a couple ways you can go about inviting all your Facebook friends to use an extension you’ve installed.
Send Individual Messages
The most straightforward approach is to send individual messages to each of your friends inviting them to try the extension. You can do this by:
- Going to your Friends list on Facebook
- Opening each friend’s profile
- Clicking “Message” to send them an individual message inviting them to try the extension
For example your message could say:
“Hey! I’m using this really cool extension called [Extension Name]. You should try it – here’s a link to add it: [link to add extension]”
While this method is direct, it also takes a long time to message all your friends individually. It’s fine for inviting a few close friends, but not very practical for large numbers of friends.
Post on Your Timeline
A better way to invite all your friends at once is to make a post on your Facebook timeline letting people know about the extension you want them to try. You can include some text explaining what the extension does and what makes it useful.
Be sure to include a link to add the extension so your friends can easily find it. Tagging friends in the post directly can also help make sure they see it.
For example your timeline post could say:
“I just added the [Extension Name] extension and it’s amazing! It lets you [key features of extension]. You all should really try it out – here’s the link to add it: [link to add extension].
@Friend1 @Friend2 @Friend3 check this out!”
Posting on your timeline lets you inform all your friends at once. The downside is not everyone will necessarily see your post. But it’s a quick and easy way to share the extension with your network.
Share in Facebook Groups
Similar to posting on your timeline, you can share the extension in relevant Facebook groups you’re part of. Look for groups related to the purpose or topic of the extension you want people to use.
Introduce the extension and include a link for people to add it. Many Facebook groups don’t allow direct promotional posts, so make sure your post provides value to the group and invites people to try the extension organically.
For example your group post could say:
“For anyone interested in [group topic], I recently came across the [Extension Name] Facebook extension that makes [key features]. It’s been super useful for me in keeping up with [group subject]. Check it out here if you’re interested: [link to add extension]”
Sharing in niche Facebook groups allows you to target people more likely to be interested in the specific extension based on the group’s focus. However, you’re limited to just that group’s members so you may miss some friends.
Run a Facebook Ad
If you really want to get the word out about an extension, you can run a Facebook ad campaign targeting your friends. This involves:
- Creating an ad in Facebook Ads Manager promoting the extension
- Setting up the targeting to only show your ad to your friends list
- Placing the ad order and running the campaign
With a Facebook ad, you can reach your entire friends list with a promotional message about trying the new extension. The downside is you have to pay for the ad spend to boost your post.
Here are some tips for setting up your friends list ad:
- Use an engaging image and headline
- Explain clearly what the extension does
- Use a strong call to action to add the extension
- Emphasize benefits specific to your friends
- Target only your friends list under audience options
Running a boosted ad post can get costly, but ensures all your friends see your invitation to use the extension you want to promote.
Share Extension Directly
If an extension has the capability, you may also be able to share it directly with friends from within the extension experience.
Look for options like “Invite friends” or share buttons when using the extension. This lets you select friends to invite and sends invites on your behalf.
The extension will handle sending invites via Facebook messenger or email to the friends you select. This makes it easy to share the extension with specific friends.
The limitation here is that not all extensions include direct share capabilities. But for those that do, it provides a simplified way to get your friends onboard.
Create a Facebook Event
If you want to generate excitement and buzz for an extension, consider creating a Facebook event for it. This works best for an extension tied to a specific launch date or promotional period.
To create a Facebook event:
- Go to the Events section of Facebook and click “Create Event”
- Give the event a name and description highlighting the extension
- Set the event date and time (could be the extension launch or end of promotional period)
- Under Edit Guests, invite your friends you want to use the extension
- Publish the event page and share it with invitees
The event page gives you a space to provide details about the extension. Friends you invite will get notifications about the event, and it will show up on their calendars.
This can create excitement around the extension. But it works best for extensions tied to a specific event or timeframe rather than general usage.
Run a Facebook Live
Hosting a Facebook Live session is a fun way to highlight an extension and get your friends interested. During the live video you can:
- Demo the extension
- Showcase key features
- Interact with viewers and answer questions
- Share how-tos for installing the extension
To maximize reach with your Facebook Live:
- Promote the live stream ahead of time on your timeline and in groups
- Tag friends you want to tune in during the video
- Make the video title and description compelling
- Take viewer questions and engage with comments
Going live allows you to showcase the extension in an interactive way. Make sure to have a clear call-to-action for viewers to install the extension after watching.
Create a Facebook List
If you want a convenient way to regularly share extension updates with specific friends, create a Facebook list just for this purpose.
To make a new friends list:
- Go to your Facebook Friends page
- Click “Create List” at the top
- Give your list a name related to the extension, like “[Extension Name] Users”
- Search for and select the friends to add
- Click Create
With your new list made, you can easily post updates, share stories, and invite new users specifically targeting just those friends.
The advantage of lists is you can segment friends interested in that extension vs. blasting your whole network. The limitation is reach is restricted to only those friends you add to the list.
Run an Extension Install Campaign
If the extension you want to promote offers the capability, you can leverage built-in viral channels to run an install campaign.
Many extensions allow you to:
- See which friends have already installed it
- Invite friends who haven’t installed it yet
- Track your invite stats and conversion rate
Take advantage of these viral loops to target friends, track your campaign progress, and optimize your messaging. Some tactics to boost conversions include:
- Offering incentives for installing the extension
- Making it easy to share and invite within the extension
- Highlighting social proof of other friends using it
- Gamifying the install process
Running a formal campaign through the extension’s built-in tools allows you to maximize reach and conversions by targeting the right friends.
Advertise on Facebook
For extensions with a business model, you may consider running Facebook ads to promote installs. You can either advertise specifically to your friends list, or a lookalike audience of their interests.
Some tips for effective Facebook extension ads include:
- Creating video/image ads demonstrating the extension
- Starting with your friends list to laser target your network
- Expanding to lookalike audiences for more reach
- Split testing ad creatives and audiences
- Optimizing for conversions (extension installs)
You likely need a healthy ad budget to scale Facebook ads effectively. But targeted Facebook advertising can be a powerful user acquisition strategy.
Conclusion
Inviting all your friends to try a new Facebook extension requires creativity and persistence. Start by sharing organically on your profile, in groups, and via messenger. Create a Facebook event or livestream to generate buzz.
For more impact, take advantage of built-in invite features within the extension, target friends with social ads, or create a friends list to share updates. Test different tactics and optimize based on what drives the highest install conversions.
With a mix of grassroots outreach and structured campaigns, you can effectively get the word out to your network about an exciting new extension that adds value on Facebook.
| Tactic | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Individual messages | – Direct and personal outreach – Encourages installs |
– Time intensive to message all friends – Difficult to scale |
| Timeline post | – Reach all friends at once – Easy to create |
– Friends may miss the post – No guarantee of installs |
| Facebook group post | – Targets relevant niche groups – Searchable content |
– Only reaches group members – May violate group rules |
| Facebook ad | – Complete friends list reach – Higher conversion likelihood |
– Requires ad spend budget – Potentially costly at scale |
| Share directly in extension | – Built-in sharing tools – Minimal effort |
– Extension must support sharing – Limited customization |
| Facebook event | – Generates excitement – Clear call to action |
– Only works for launches/timeframes – Need active promotion |
| Facebook Live | – Interactive format – Personable and fun |
– Requires time investment – Technical challenges |
| Dedicated friends list | – Ongoing targeted sharing – Minimal noise for uninterested friends |
– Reach limited to list members – Need to actively maintain list |
| Extension install campaign | – Leverages built-in viral tools – Maximizes conversions |
– Requires extension to support – Limited customization |
| Facebook ads | – Flexible targeting options – Powerful scaling |
– Significant ad budget required – Complex campaign management |
Key Takeaways
- Posting on your timeline or in groups provides organic reach to many friends
- Messaging friends individually ensures they see it but doesn’t scale
- Facebook events and Lives create buzz for an extension launch or promotion
- Dedicated friends lists let you target extension updates
- Leveraging the extension’s built-in sharing and campaigns boosts conversions
- Facebook ads help scale reach but require significant budget
At the end of the day, a multi-channel approach combining grassroots marketing and structured campaigns typically generates the highest extension installs across your friends network on Facebook.