As a social media manager, I often run into instances where I am on a website and I think to myself, a small change about this page could make a HUGE difference. People are losing the opportunity to be heard of. They aren’t getting 100% credit for whatever content of theirs people are sharing, because they aren’t providing visitors with an easy way to find their Follow and Share buttons.
Some websites don’t have their social media accounts on their site, or sometimes they do, but you can’t tell if you’re sharing that information, or clicking their Follow buttons. If you don’t have social accounts right now, you are making a big mistake, because social media is kind of a big deal right now. Don’t believe me? Check out these statistics of 2014.
“Remember: people are naturally inclined to share content they find valuable”
Your website is your virtual storefront, so shouldn’t it be boldly displaying all your business has to offer? If you don’t want your Follow buttons in the header or footer of your site, at least provide them on your Contact page. Help us get your name out there. The same goes for your Share buttons, you are already providing great articles, so if someone is looking to share them, make it easy for them. Place the Share buttons at the top or bottom of your article, or both.
Here are some helpful tips for social sharing:
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Make sure you have ALL social sites possible to help with getting your information out there. I come across a lot of great information with no idea who to tag. The more the merrier!
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Don’t let your beloved sliders within your website cover up your Follow/Share buttons. If the slider covers up the Follow buttons before people see them, they may scroll away too quickly to see your Follow buttons, and you may possibly lose a follower.
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Show your Twitter handle on your website. This eliminates the need for people to go on the prowl for your Twitter information.
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Clarify your Share buttons and your Follow buttons. Sometimes there is big confusion with Share/Follow buttons when all you have are the icons. Put a label like, “Follow us” or “Share this story” next to the buttons you are trying to get “shares” or “follows” with to alleviate confusion.
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Make sure you have a separate set of both Follow and Share buttons. Some people will add a set of Share buttons to the top and bottom of an article which is fine, but no need to get crazy with it by adding more options to share on the same page. It just gets confusing for those of us sharing it.
You wouldn’t paint a masterpiece without your signature, would you? So why would you deliver great information, and not give us your social information to share it for you? I hope these tips help, and I promise you; if you make your social accounts more visible, you will see your brand getting much more attention.
Nicole Fassl is the Social Media Manager here at KBK Communications, where she manages our clients’ blogs and social media. You can connect with Nicole (also known by her nickname, Teddi) on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google Plus, or read more of her posts on KBK Communications’ blog.
Photo credit: mkhmarketing via photopin cc
