What is Social Sharing?
ELI5 — The Simple Version
Think of social sharing like when you find an amazing toy at a playground. You play with it and love it so much, you want to tell all your friends about it. So, you invite them to come see and play with it too. Social sharing online is similar. When you discover something cool like a funny video or a neat article, you share it with your friends on social media, just like showing them the toy. This helps spread the word because your friends trust your judgment. Why does this matter? When you share something online, it reaches people who might not have seen it otherwise, like how your friends might not have noticed the toy without you. For businesses, this means more people visiting their websites, just like more kids coming to play. Social sharing makes things popular and brings more visitors, all because of your online recommendations!
Technical Deep Dive
Definition
Social sharing is when users distribute content from a website or landing page on social media platforms. This can include sharing links, images, videos, or other media, enhancing the content's visibility and reach.
How It Works
- Websites often use social sharing buttons or widgets from platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
- Visitors find content they like and click these buttons to share it on their social media accounts.
- The shared content appears in the visitor's social media feed, reaching their friends and followers.
- Each share acts as a personal endorsement, driving new traffic back to the original site.
Key Characteristics
- Ease of Use: Sharing should require minimal effort.
- Virality Potential: Content that engages users is more likely to be shared.
- Platform Integration: Smooth integration with major social media platforms improves user experience.
Comparison
| Concept | Description |
|------------------|------------------------------------------------------------|
| Social Sharing | Sharing content on social media to increase reach |
| Social Proof | Influence from others' actions and attitudes |
| Referral Marketing | Encouraging customer referrals through incentives |
Real-World Example
A/B tests by Buzzfeed revealed that articles with well-placed social sharing buttons had a 30% higher share rate compared to those without.
Best Practices
- Use prominent and visually appealing social sharing buttons.
- Customize share messages to be engaging and concise.
- Test different placements of sharing buttons with tools like Optimizely or VWO to optimize visibility.
- Encourage sharing through calls-to-action (CTAs) or incentives.
Common Misconceptions
- Myth: More buttons mean more shares.
Fact: Too many buttons can overwhelm users. Focus on key platforms.
- Myth: Only flashy content gets shared.
Fact: Informative or helpful content can also be widely shared.