That's where it starts isn't it?
You could be a blogging nobody and write a powerful article.But unless you've made the tools available to share your content quickly and easily, you risk losing the article's share potential, and there you remain, a blogging nobody.
How to share content
Twitter's "tweet" button is standard. As is Facebook's "like" button. The same can be said for LinkedIn, Digg, StumbleUpon, But as technology rages on in its can't-be-caught pace, so do do the Internet's sharing options.
Here's three more recent social plug-ins you may want to consider incorporating into your own site -- all of which I'm currently using in one form or another on my own blog.
- 1. Google's "+1" button
Google's past social marketing endeavors didn't work out all that well. Buzz never really took off the way it was intended; neither did Wave. And yet, I'm fairly confident Google's next initiative, the +1 button, will have a mighty strong impact on digital marketing in the social environment (considering SEO and value of word-of-mouth recommendation).
The +1 button is basically a public stamp of approval. As a Google user, you can view your friend's and colleague's +1 recommendations in your Google search results.
Placing the button on your site enables site visitors who appreciate your content to give their approval, right then, in the moment of reading, and then later be viewed by their contacts searching for that content.
If you're reading this at www.TheSmartMarketingBlog.com (rather than via email subscription or RSS), you'll see the +1 button in the far right side bar. If you're a Google user, click on +1 to publicly tell your connections that this article is worth reading.
- 2. Facebook's "Send" button
If you're like me, you have a very diverse selection of friends on Facebook. Some are family, some are friends, some are clients, and some are colleagues.
The "Send" button functions very similarly to Facebook's infamous "Like" button, except in this variety, you're able to specify who you'd like to send the respective web page to, rather all your friends.
If I'm viewing a ridiculous cat video on YouTube (and I would never), I wouldn't necessarily want my clients to see it, but it may be something my sister would appreciate -- so I can target my "like" accordingly by sending it only to my sister; nobody else knows otherwise.
Even better, the Send button is a great addition to any commerce-driven sites. If you incorporate the button into a product's page, it makes it exponentially easier for people to share with a select group of Facebook friends -- rather than their entire list.
The Like and Send buttons can work together, or completely separate -- it's up to you.
If you're reading this at www.TheSmartMarketingBlog.com, you'll see the Send button at the bottom of each post -- along with other social, email, and print options.
- 3. Twitter's "Follow" button
Since its launch, there's been a host of Twitter "follow me" call-to-actions -- an icon, embedding a profile, a script that shows your last few updates, etc.
But not until recently was it so easy to follow a Twitter user from an external site, and not while residing on Twitter.com.
Using the same functionality as Facebook's external Like button (if you're signed-in you can Like or Recommend an external URL), Twitter's Follow button is both simple and easy.
Simply click the Follow button, and you'll be following that respective user from your Twitter account. It's never been easier to empower visitors to follow you.
While it's certainly a nice addition to your blog or corporate site, the Follow button will also find great use in e-newsletters and email blasts, email signatures, and sidebars.
- If you're reading this at www.TheSmartMarketingBlog.com you'll see the Follow button in the far right sidebar under the Tweet button.
- So if you're not yet following me, you can do so now easier than ever before.
The aesthetics of sharing
It goes without saying that the sharing act is a sacrifice on web design and functionality.Too many share graphics clutter a site's design and discourage comprehension and use. Similarly, too many external-referring widgets can bog down page load time.
So it's a delicate balancing act -- managing the user functionality of sharing versus the appeal of the perfectly-designed site. But when it comes down to it, you may have the most beautiful site design, but without the sharing capability, it's all for naught.
What's next?
Do you have any questions about how or why I'm using the buttons the way I am? Or maybe you have a suggestion or two of your own. In either case, leave a comment below and let's talk about it!
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