How to Add Google Login & Social Login to WordPress

Adding Google Login and other social logins (like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn) to your WordPress website can significantly enhance user experience by enabling quick registration and login through existing social media accounts. This can help reduce friction for users who prefer not to create a new account or remember another password. Below is a step-by-step guide on how to add Google Login and other social login options to your WordPress site.

1. Install a Social Login Plugin

The easiest way to add social login functionality is by using a plugin. There are several plugins that allow you to integrate Google Login and other social logins. A popular plugin is Nextend Social Login, which supports multiple social login options like Google, Facebook, and Twitter.

Steps to Install Nextend Social Login Plugin:

1. Log in to your WordPress Dashboard.
2. Go to Plugins > Add New.
3. Search for Nextend Social Login in the plugin search bar.
4. Click Install Now next to the plugin and then click Activate.

Other plugins you can consider include:

• WP Social Login
• Super Socializer
• Social Login by OneAll

For this guide, we’ll focus on Nextend Social Login.

2. Set Up Google Login

After activating the plugin, the next step is to configure Google Login.

Step 1: Create a Google Developer Project

To use Google Login, you need to create a project in the Google Developer Console and obtain the API credentials (Client ID and Secret).

1. Go to Google Developer Console.
2. Click on Select a Project and then New Project.
3. Name the project (e.g., “WordPress Site Google Login”).
4. Once the project is created, click on the project name and go to APIs & Services > Library.
5. Search for Google+ API and click Enable.
6. Go to APIs & Services > Credentials.
7. Click on Create Credentials and select OAuth Client ID.
8. Set the application type to Web Application.
9. Under Authorized JavaScript origins, add your site’s URL (e.g., https://www.yoursite.com).
10. Under Authorized redirect URIs, add the URL for redirecting users after login. This is typically provided by the plugin. For Nextend Social Login, the URL will look like:

https://www.yoursite.com/?social-login=google

11. Click Create. Google will generate a Client ID and Client Secret. Copy both of these.

Step 2: Add Google Credentials to the Plugin

Now that you have the Client ID and Client Secret, return to your WordPress dashboard:

1. Go to Settings > Nextend Social Login.
2. Click on the Google tab.
3. Paste the Client ID and Client Secret from the Google Developer Console into the appropriate fields in the plugin settings.
4. Click Save Changes.

3. Enable Additional Social Logins (Optional)

Besides Google, you can also enable other social login options (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.). Here’s how you can enable them:

1. In the Nextend Social Login settings, you’ll see buttons for other social networks.
2. To configure these, click on the respective network (e.g., Facebook or Twitter).
3. Follow a similar process as with Google: you will need to create an app in the respective developer console (e.g., Facebook for Developers) and obtain an App ID and App Secret.
4. Paste the credentials into the plugin’s settings and save your changes.

Facebook Setup:

• Go to Facebook for Developers.
• Create a new app, enable the Facebook Login product, and copy the App ID and App Secret.

Twitter Setup:

• Go to Twitter Developer Console.
• Create a new app, enable OAuth, and copy the API Key and API Secret Key.

4. Customize Login Button Appearance and Placement

Once you have connected the plugin to your social media accounts, you can customize the appearance of the social login buttons.

• Customize Button Styles: Most social login plugins allow you to modify the color, size, and shape of the social login buttons to match your theme’s style.
• Button Placement: Decide where you want the social login buttons to appear (e.g., on the login page, registration page, or at the bottom of the comment section).
  • You can often choose to show buttons on the Login or Registration pages, and you may also want to display them in the WooCommerce checkout page or as a floating button.

5. Test Google Login and Other Social Logins

After setting everything up, it’s important to test the social login process to ensure it works correctly:

1. Log out of your WordPress admin account.
2. Go to your site’s login page.
3. You should now see the Google Login button (and other social login buttons if enabled).
4. Click the Google Login button.
5. You will be redirected to Google’s authentication page. Log in with your Google account.
6. Once authenticated, you should be redirected back to your site and logged in automatically.

Make sure to test the login process with all social login methods you’ve enabled.

6. Customize User Roles and Redirects (Optional)

Social login can also be configured to handle user roles and redirection after login.

Redirect After Login:

• In the Nextend Social Login plugin settings, you can define a redirect URL. This is the page users will be sent to after they log in using a social account.
• You might want to send users to their dashboard or a custom landing page after logging in.

User Role Assignment:

• You can assign default roles for users logging in via social accounts.
• For example, you can assign users who log in with Google as Subscribers or Contributors by default.

These options can be configured in the plugin’s Advanced Settings.

7. Secure Your Social Login

For enhanced security, consider the following:

• Use HTTPS: Ensure that your site is running over SSL (HTTPS) to protect the security of login data.
• Limit Access for Admin Roles: Consider restricting social logins for users with admin-level access. You can use a plugin like User Role Editor to control which roles are allowed to log in via social networks.

8. Use Social Login for Registration (Optional)

Most social login plugins also support user registration via social media. This means that new users can create an account on your site using their Google (or other social media) account.

• Enable social registration options in the plugin settings.
• New users will not need to fill out the standard WordPress registration form; they can simply log in using their Google account, and the plugin will create a new WordPress user profile for them automatically.

Conclusion

Adding Google Login and other social login options to your WordPress site is a great way to simplify the login and registration process for your users. By using plugins like Nextend Social Login, you can easily integrate Google, Facebook, Twitter, and other popular social networks into your site.

Key Steps Recap:

1. Install and activate a social login plugin like Nextend Social Login.
2. Set up Google Login by creating a project in the Google Developer Console and adding the API credentials to the plugin.
3. Optionally, set up additional social logins (Facebook, Twitter, etc.).
4. Customize button placement and appearance.
5. Test the login process and ensure it works for all social accounts.
6. Optionally, configure user roles and redirection after login.

By following these steps, you can streamline the login process for your users, making it easier for them to access your site.