Getting your content out there is something all Bloggers want to do. The easiest way to make that happen is to give your Readers access to quick and simple to use ways to share your content across their social media networks. That’s where Social Share Tools come in!
We’ve all seen the posts telling us to make sure we have a Share Tool installed on our sites but lately I’ve noticed that simply having the share tools doesn’t make them work for you or your content. Here are a few simple tips to not only make sharing easy but also help your Readers want to share your content.
Don’t Limit The Options
I have visited several sites where they had limited options for which social media networks I could share to. They would either have Facebook, Twitter and Google or just Twitter and Pinterest or some other variation. Yet it was always limited to 2-3 choices. Share Tools offer many different sizes, shapes and designs to setting up your buttons so why limit your Readers to only a few choices? What if I feel that your post would be absolutely perfect for my How To Board but you have taken away the choice? If I don’t feel like installing my own chrome option, copying your link or doing the ‘extra’ you may have just lost a potential share!
[tweetthis]Give your Reader as many share choices as you can without adding clutter to your site. #BlogTips[/tweetthis]
I always include the most popular share links (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+ and Stumbleupon) then I make sure that I have a button that gives them the option to select from a larger set of links through my share tool itself. This way I am not setting any boundary to where my content can go.
Make Them Visible
The point of having Share Tools is to give Readers an easy and accessible way to share your content quickly and as they read or immediately after. You don’t want them to spend 5 minutes searching your page for how to share and end up decided not to share.
Place your Share Tools in at least 2 key positions within your posts. I have mine right at the top for the who my have followed a link from my Facebook, Google + or Twitter and already know they want to share it but may not want to read or scroll down to the bottom.
I also place a second set of Share Tools at the end of my posts. This gives the Reader who just finished taking in what I had to say that immediate option to share it with their audience, a friend or that person who just ‘needs to read/see this‘.
I have even given the two placements a bit of a different look. Sometimes little changes can help guide a Reader to notice and use something. Something as simple as shapes, colors and sizes.
Make Them Unique
There have been a few times where I was scrolling through a post and simply scrolled right by the Share Tools. Why? They were the same color as the post and background, used only words and basically did not stand out in any way.
I mentioned above how important placement can be but the actual design and look of your Share Tools can also have a major impact on whether a Reader notices them in order to use them. Sometimes you can come upon some really great content almost by accident. You may be so engaged in what you are reading that when you’re done if you don’t see a way to share it you may simply click away.
This is where picking a design for your Share Tools is so important. Make them pop so that Readers can see them. Many Share Tools offer options like shapes, colors, sizes and even phrases that can be added to them to help them fit the design of your site as well as stand out. Don’t be afraid to use them!
Customize Your Settings
I know many of us hate going into the settings of a PlugIn. It can be confusing, bothersome and at times just plain confusing. Yet sometimes making even the simplest adjustments can help that PlugIn work better for your site and your content.
Depending on what Share Tool you are using, there are normally ways to adjust the settings for certain shares. For example, if you have a Twitter button including in your sharing options you are able to customize how that tweet goes out. Please Please Please don’t leave it to the original settings. Share Tool PlugIns are businesses for people. They take advantage of those of us who don’t feel like changing things and most time will have everything redirect back to them.
If you take a few minutes to change the via option within your Share Tool’s Twitter options you have a way for your Reader to redirect their audience not only back to your content but to your Twitter as well!
[tweetthis]Always promote the source of the content not the tool youre using to share it. #BlogTips[/tweetthis]
Say Thank You
Thank You. Two words with the impact of many more. Be sure to set your options to include a Thank You to those who choose to share your content. They didn’t have to but they did. Let them know you appreciate it and they may just do it again 🙂
Pssst! Those follow buttons direct straight back to me. Just another way to customize and be sure your Readers always have a way to come back to you.
Share The Love
Just like most things in life, giving what you’d like to receive can help you go a long way. Return the Share Support to those around you. Click those links and keep the content flowing. It’s always nice to Share The Love…
Need a Share Tool PlugIn ?
Here are a few…
WordPress
Shareaholic – Share This – Simple Share – Social Share – Add To Any
Blogger Options
How do you make Social Share Tools work best for your content?
**Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
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86 thoughts on “5 Tips To Using Social Share Tools”
Great tips, Tiffany! I am starting to get the hang of those buttons, but I never thought to use two sets of them! Thanks!
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Thanks Rabia!! I think it helps to remind people without being annoying 🙂
Thes are some great tips. Thank you! I need to make it easier to share.
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Thanks so much Becka!
I re-did my sharing tools and have already seen more engagement. I have them at the top and bottom and the "tweet this" already written out IN the blog post 🙂
That’s Awesome!! So glad to here the changes have worked 😀
Fantastic ideas! I love the idea of having the social share buttons similar but slightly different to attract attention.
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Thanks so much!! It’s a great way to catch their eye 😉
Thank you for the tips. I just realized that I don't have anything connecting my readers to my social media sites! I have the buttons at the end of each post so that people can easily share the content but how did I miss the other buttons! You are a lifesaver!
Thanks for coming by Angela, I’m glad you found them helpful. 😀
I think social sharing tools make all the difference on a site! I hate having to try to look for them. Your tips are all great!!
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They truly do Becky…Thanks so much and thanks for coming by!
Great tips!! Thanks for sharing 🙂
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Thanks Samantha!!
I've been searching for social share buttons I like for a while. Haven't found them yet, but I'm still looking… The ones I have now are a decent placeholder, I suppose.
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Hi Jenny! Do you use WordPress? Check out Shareaholic..it works like a charm, is customizable and doesn’t take to much tech knowledge…
These are great tips! Customizing is such an important thing that so many bloggers overlook.
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Thanks Steph! It really is and doesn’t take too much time to do 🙂
Thank you for this post. It is very informative. Sometimes it is frustrating to try to find where the share buttons are in some blogs but strategically placed ones get more attention and more reader love.
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You so welcome Annemarie! It can be but placement is key…
These are awesome tips for using social media share tools for any blogger. It is important to make it unique and easier for views to use. I love seeing the ones with the "Share the Love." along with "Thanks for sharing.". Thanks for sharing these great tips.
Thanks Rebecca!! Thank YOU for coming by and the encouragement…
Great tips! To add more, make sure to add some sort of CALL TO ACTION at your articles/blog post. It works wonders.
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Thanks!! It really does…
I also added a direct mention to my twitter handle for monitoring purposes. Share tools can really be a great way to generate traffic in your site.
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That\’s a great tip! The truly can.
These are some really great tips! Setting share tools out can be pretty hard for anti tech people like myself!
Thanks so much!! If you have any questions feel free to ask – I will help however I can.
This is something I need to try to help get my blog posts out there. Sometimes I don't understand all the techy stuff so that doesn't help me either.
The best part is once set up the PlugIn and your Readers do the bulk of the work…
Thanks for sharing! We're always looking for the best way to use the tools without it being overbearing.
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Thank you for coming by Jacob!
This is good information, and I really need to dig into the share toolbar more.
Thanks so much…you should 😀
Such great simple tips that have a big impact. People forget how powerful simple like a thank you can be!
Thanks Wendy! We do but it definitely can go a long way…
You know what I love the most about this post? The fact that you end it by saying thank you and reinforcing the importance in showing that appreciation to readers! Hit the nail on the head, sistah.
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Thanks so much Erica!! That means a lot 🙂
These are really great tips! I've come across many blogs that don't make it very easy to share. If it's not easy to share, I just don't, even if it's good content.
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Thanks April! Same here…sometimes it too much to figure out or I just don\’t have the time.
These are great tips! I definitely agree that they need to be visible and easily accesible!
Thanks Lisa!
I love your tip about the Twitter sharing aspect. I can't stand when it says via shareoholic. So glad to see that there is a way to bypass that. Such great tips!
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Thanks Amanda…it such a small changes that can have such a big impact. Thanks again for coming by!
Having a widget in plain sight helps a lot when I go to share. Certain sites, like StumbleUpon, are difficult to share a page on without a widget.
It does Liz! Did you know there is actually a Stumbleupon Chrome extension? That makes it a bit easier to stumble even those sites who don’t have the share option…
Love these tips! I never really think about the share buttons… now that I think about it I need to go make sure I have some on my site! I think I do…
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Thanks!! Haha… so glad you found the tips helpful 🙂
Such a simple yet incredibly useful post!! Number 4 happens to be a HUGE pet peeve of mine, I hate sharing a Twitter post and giving the credit t Shareaholic, but usually I don't have time to change it for the blogger. Everyone needs to know how to change that. Thanks for the insightful post!
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Thanks Tiany! Mine too…it is so disappointing especially if I am in a hurry. Thanks so much for coming by!
I love my social sharing tools! it definitely makes it easier for my readers to share if they are inclined to!
Me To Kiwi! Awesome tools…
Awesome tips, thank you so much for the valuable info. I have some share options on my blog but I can't get the FB counter to work. It's the ones you have in your post. I wonder what's wrong with it…
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Thank you Terri! Check you Facebook password link with Shareaholic or even try deactivating and then re-installing. That sometimes resets things correctly…
These are really great tips, its important to promote your content not the sharing tool company. Thanks for the tips.
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Thanks Miranda! So happy you came by…
Ahhh…one thing I'm definitely missing is the "Thank You"! I think I'll head and do that now, thanks for pointing that out 🙂
Yes…a simple way to show a share is appreciated 🙂 Speaking of which – Thanks to YOU for coming by today…
I had no idea you could remove the @shareaholic part of your tweet! That's great info, thank you! Guess I qualify as one of those bloggers who either doesn't pay attention to stuff like that OR didn't know you could change it! haha
Yes Ma’am! LOL…happy to share the news 😀 I didn’t know at first either so no worries!Thanks for coming by!
I'm always reminding my blogging buddies to add their @TwitterName in the settings. So many people miss that opp to build their credibility on Twitter.
Yes! It’s such a big thing and really takes close to no time to change.
What great tips! I have share buttons but want to think about adding some more. I appreciate the ideas here.
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Thanks! So happy you grabbed something you could use 😀
Amen to this. I love that I was 'forced' to switch my Share Tools! Much more noticeable and bolder now. So true about removing the @shareaholic.. I admit.. I am pretty lazy and need to start doing that!
Haha! It’s really a one time fix in settings…then tada! All credit to you 😀
These are some great tips. Social share tools are the key to growing your blog readership. #This Momma’s Meandering Mondays
Thanks!! They really are because it gives your Readers a chance to brag on you and that draws more Readers 😀 Thanks so much for coming by!
Thanks for sharing this step by step guide. It's important that you put this sharing buttons on your blog and blogsposts.
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Thanks so much for coming by! It really is one of the easiest ways to promote your content 🙂
Thanks for sharing your tips on using social media tools! I think more bloggers should pay attention to things like this! It is annoying when one cannot see very easily whatever they are looking for one someone's site!
You are so welcome!! Yes! I get so annoyed scrolling up and down searching for things that should be a priority …
I really need to examine mine on my blog. I just put them there to match my theme and never really considered anything else, so thank you for writing this, it's made me think!
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That’s what I did at first too Sara-Jayne. I thought installing and activating was all I needed to do. It wasn’t until I start trying to use them on other people’s sites that I realized there was more to it. So glad you found everything helpful 😀 Thanks so much for coming by!
So many people underestimate the power of a simple thank you! I think it's so important to thank people who share your content.
Yes Robin! I know it definitely means a lot to me and encourages me to support even more. So Thank YOU for coming by today and I hope your week is off to a wonderful start.
great tips…I know it's annoying when I want to share a post I read and the @ account is not the bloggers. If I have time I will open their twitter and share through there, but it's a hassle. I only have one set of share buttons, will have to see how I can add amother set to the top of the post.
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Thanks Karen! It really is because instead of 2 steps you have to go through an entire process and sometimes it’s just a lot. Okay! If you have any questions or anything let me know if I can help 😀 Thanks so much for coming by!
I get so confused when I try to set these up–I sure hope I have them correct!! I put mine on the side so they are visible but never could figure oit how to put them directly beneath the post!!
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Hey Michele! It can be a bit daunting at times. Feel free to shoot me a message if you get to flustered and I’ll definitely try to help…what PlugIn do you use and on what platform (WordPress or Blogger)?
Plugins usually have some shortcodes or settings that can surely help out. Try to check it out. Michele.
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Agreed.
These are great tips. #5 is so important. Thanks for sharing.
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Thanks! Yes, showing gratitude can go a lot further than many realize. Thank YOU for coming by today 🙂