One of the things I’ve been thinking more about lately is how to encourage sharing without overwhelming readers. Just dumping ten buttons at the top or bottom of every post doesn’t really work, most people don’t use half of them, and it just creates noise. That’s why I built Socialize and why I’ve been using it to test different ways of integrating social sharing into my posts more intentionally.
The key, I’ve found, is placement and relevance. With Socialize, I’ve been adding just two or three buttons inline, usually Twitter and Facebook, and then using the customizable call-to-action box at the bottom to prompt readers to share or leave a comment. What’s nice is that I can tailor this setup per post. For example, if I’m writing something that’s more business-focused, I’ll throw in LinkedIn. If it’s more visual, maybe Pinterest. The CTA box also gives me space to say something useful or timely, instead of relying on generic “Share This Post” language.
The results have been solid. I’ve seen more click-throughs on the share buttons when they’re placed closer to the actual content, and the personalized CTA seems to increase comments as well. I’m still tweaking things, but Socialize gives me the flexibility to experiment without editing templates or writing extra code. If you’re looking for a way to make your posts a little more actionable without going overboard, it might be worth checking out.
8 replies on “Optimizing WordPress Posts With Socialize”
hi
amazing plugin
but sir how i can chang the words that written in the box
and how i can make a border and chang the color
waitting you
thanks
You can change the words in the box on a post to post basis or across the entire site in the default settings. The default settings only work for posts that were published before the plugin was activated.
This is a wonderful concept. People often underestimate the power of social proof. Please keep this going.
Thanks Antonio. I really believe in my plugin and am hoping with more videos like this others will share my view.
This is THE best social wordpress plugin I have come across. I’ve been wrestling with so many of them to no avail. I love the call to action box! Thank you so much!
Hi Jon. love the plugin. The call to action text is tiny on my site for some reason, much smaller than any text I use in my own CSS, i’ve tried editing directly in the PHP and in the CSS but am having no luck. How do you make the text match your website text so well?
Thank you
I love the plugin! I was wondering if there is also a fb share button, and a way to change the message of the tweet?
Thanks!
Ok, I have setup Open graph (I have a “Facebook App” that links to my Facebook page and used that information for my WordPress website. Is that correct? Or should I create a new app and link it to my WordPress Site?
After this, what do I do now?
Will I see stats in Socialize or do I have to log into Open Graph or something?