There are lots of ways to make it easy for your readers to share your content, should they be so inspired. And if you’re trying to reach a broader audience, you want to make sharing as easy as you can.
While there are many options available, here at the Happy Accident, I use two plugins: ShareThis and TweetMeme.
TweetMeme makes tweeting or retweeting a post a one click affair. If you’re on Blogger, WordPress, or TypePad, you simply install the plugin (available here at the TweetMeme site) and set a few options: do you want the button at the top or bottom of the post; do you want the button included with your feed; what URL shortener you want to use.
I have the button at the bottom of my post, have it set to use bit.ly as my URL shortener, and include the button in my feed (which lets folks tweet the link right from their reader). The button looks like this…
until someone tweets the link. Then “tweet” changes to “tweeted” and the counter progresses like this:
You can also make it so that the default format of the tweet is RT @yourname rather than RT @tweetmeme – a change I made.
ShareThis makes it easy to share across multiple networks and via email. Again, on Blogger, TypePad, and WordPress you simply install the plugin and make a few choices: do you want the button on each post and/or each page.
What appears on each of my posts is this small button at the bottom:
When you click on the button, you get an expanded window:
This allows readers to share to any of the platforms listed above with a single click (well, assuming they’re signed in to whichever network they choose. If not, they click then sign in and then can share!).
Look at many other blogs and see what sharing options they present. You might prefer bigger buttons for Facebook sharing rather than sorta-hidden in the ShareThis menu. Or you might prefer other networks entirely.
If you search, you’ll probably find a plugin or widget that fits your exact needs. The point, however, will be the same no matter what you choose: make it easy for people to pass along your posts.
And don’t forget to share other people’s good content, too!
Do you have a favorite plugin, widget, or bit of code of your own? Or have you found something that works or doesn’t work for you? Please share!
red straws by TheTruthAbout
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Very useful info, Greg. Thanks much for posting!