One of the functions of your website is to connect all the pieces of your online presence. Having links to your social media can help your website visitors find and follow you in different places around the web.
Your website makes an effective hub for the rest of your social media channels and other places you might show up on the web. Your site can be a home base for your brand.
Social media links
Let’s talk about the links to your social media from your website.
Make sure they work
It’s odd, but I have links go wonky all the time. Just because they used to work doesn’t mean they still do, so click on them to check.
Consider the location of your social links
Are they in your header? Your footer? Other locations on the page?
Is following you on social one of your calls to action? Where should this call to action fit in the attention people are paying to your website? That decision can determine the best place to put your call to action.
Note that your social icons can appear in different places on your website depending on whether you are looking at mobile, tablet, or desktop. Look your website at all three screen sizes to make sure they are where you want them.
There are pros and cons for the various locations.
Having your social icons in your header or a prominent place on the page can lead people away from your website fairly early in their journey.
Some people advise against having social links in your header for that reason.
However, if your goal is to build your following on a social platform, then maybe you DO want a link to it in a place that will be noticed (and clicked on) more.
Consider your strategy
So go back to your strategy and the purpose of your website to help you decide what’s best for your business and your website.
I typically put social links in the footer of most of the websites I build, because it allows people to find them but doesn’t lead people away from the site.
Let's look at a couple other ways to integrate social into your website besides just links to the platforms.
Social sharing for posts or products
You can offer ways to share your content on your users' social platforms. Making your content shareable is a win-win because your users get to share content, and you get links and user-generated content.
For example, some website platforms have apps or plugins that allow you to add “Pin to Pinterest” buttons or links for every blog post or product.
Social feeds on your website
You can also add feeds for your social platforms on your website so that your website visitors can get a taste of your social posts. It can show the most recent content without updating your website all the time.
Most website platforms offer social feed apps or integrations so that you can add a social feed on a website page. One of the most common ways to do this is to add an Instagram or Facebook feed at the bottom of your Home page.
Social media is an integrated part of our lives, at least for many of us. So making the online experience seamless for your users makes sense. They can experience your brand in the various ways you show up online, and your website is the hub for all your online channels.
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