11 Jun Where Do Social Media Buttons Belong On Your Website?

Combining the robust nature of a website with the rich interactions of social media is the ideal recipe for a powerful digital marketing plan. Providing a way for website visitors to find your social media pages is an important ingredient. As social media specialists we often get asked a series of marketing questions regarding the interaction of a business website and social media outlets. One such question is, “Where do social media buttons belong on my website?” The answer to this question is not as simple and obvious as some might like. Truly, it depends on the layout of your design and goals of your site. However, the one clear answer is this: “Put them where your audience will find them.” Here are a few ways to accomplish this objective.  

Top of the Page

Putting social media icons at the top of the page is a logical choice. It is the typical location of the navigation menu bar and contact details, so important links to your social pages should be there as well. Social icons placed at the top of the page need to be correctly proportioned so that they are neither too small nor too large. In many cases somewhere between 25-75 pixels is best. This is a design flow choice which must be considered on an individual site basis.  

Side Bar

The side bar is another logical choice for placing social media buttons. Many website designs have the side bar anchored while the main text scrolls. This keeps the side bar always handy for site visitors. If your social icons are there, they will always be seen and easy to access.  

Bottom of Page

The bottom of the page is the least pertinent placement for social media icons for most businesses. However, there are a few cases where it can be argued that the bottom of the page is fitting. In the first case, if you have very long articles or a scrolling style of web design, then placement at both the top and bottom is a good choice. This way, readers don’t have to return to the top to visit your Facebook page. Another case where it’s ok to place social icons at the bottom is for certain kinds of businesses or sites. For example, if you have dedicated an entire site to a very delicate, grievous, or sacred subject, you may wish to put the emphasis on the other elements of the site. But then again, if your social media profiles match up well with the intended message, then this lower placement is not necessary.  

Individual Articles and Images

So far we’ve been primarily discussing social media buttons which link to your social media profile pages. However, there are also social share buttons which can be implemented into the site design as well. Social media share buttons are very useful for blogs, individual articles, infographics, and special images. Using these can vary widely from site to site, depending on the business goals. For example, wedding photographers would often like their images shared in as many realms as possible. Social media share buttons are ideal in this case. Again, in another case — news sites — social media share buttons are immensely powerful to make articles and videos viral. (Read this article to see what we mean.) Alternatively, a standard graphic logo of a typical lawyer’s office may have less appeal for sharing. Such an image would not be likely to benefit from a social action button. Social share buttons do not need to be placed on every page, nor every image — only those which will benefit most should have these features. Choosing to include social share buttons should be carefully considered by a design expert for best placement and style.  

Which Social Buttons Do You Need?

Again, this is another question which requires an individual response. Please read our article about how to choose which social sites are best for your business before implementing a profile on each social site. Want a professional review of the placement of your social buttons? Get a website audit from the Social Spice team for an expert opinion paired with data-driven results.