As a front-ender developer I am often tasked with helping solve user interface and accessibility issues in liaison with designers. Headings, body copy and even image placement is a pretty tried and tested thing, however where do you put the social buttons?
- Do you put them above your content headings?
- Do you put them below your content headings?
- Do you put them at the end of your content?
- Do you put them in the middle of your content?
There are some rules of thumb you should abide by when deciding where to place social media buttons:
- Only ever put social media buttons on pages and content that someone would share. Would putting a Facebook like button on this contact page actually make any sense? Ask yourself reasonably: would I share this on my Facebook stream?
- Only add in the social buttons that matter. If you have too many, it’ll look spammy and desperate like using the AddThis widget. Not that many and you’ll run the risk of someone not being able to easily share your article. Stick to the major choices like; Twitter, Facebook and Email.
- ALWAYS put your social media buttons at the end of the content and never anywhere else. Who in their right mind would share an article they haven’t read yet? I’ve seen social media buttons added beneath the headings of news posts and articles and it makes no sense.
- It is acceptable to put social media buttons into a sidebar, but only where needed and makes sense. Think logically, you most likely want the social media buttons attached to the content, not beside it.
