When readers find an interesting news article, they may want to share it with friends, colleagues, or family. For example, someone reading about a new public transportation service might want to send the article to a coworker who uses that route.
Social sharing buttons make this process easier. Instead of copying the article URL and opening another app, readers can select a sharing option directly from your website.
For news publishers, social sharing buttons can also help articles reach people who haven’t visited your website before. However, adding too many buttons or placing them in the wrong areas can make your pages harder to navigate.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to choose the right social sharing options, where to place them, and how to use JNews Social Share & Counter on your WordPress news website.
Choose Social Sharing Options That Fit Your Readers
Before adding social sharing buttons, think about where your readers usually share news articles.
Different types of news may attract different audiences. For example, readers might share local news through messaging apps, while business and technology articles may reach more people through professional networks.
You don’t need to display every social media platform available. Instead, choose a few options that make sense for your website and its audience.
You can start with familiar sharing options, such as Facebook, X, WhatsApp, or email. Then, adjust your selection based on how your readers interact with your content.
It’s also useful to provide an option for copying the article link. Some readers prefer to share news through private messages, workplace communication tools, or platforms that don’t appear in your sharing menu.
Another important detail is the difference between social sharing buttons and social follow buttons.
Social sharing buttons let readers share a specific article. Meanwhile, social follow buttons direct visitors to your publication’s social media accounts.
Keep these two features separate. Readers who want to share an article should not end up on your publication’s Facebook or X profile instead.
Add Social Sharing Buttons with JNews
If you use JNews for your WordPress news website, you can manage your sharing options through its Social Share & Counter feature.
This feature lets you choose which social media platforms appear on your articles, arrange sharing options, and select different positions for the buttons.
For example, you might display Facebook, X, and WhatsApp as your primary sharing options. You can also keep additional networks under a secondary sharing option to avoid displaying too many icons at once.
This approach helps readers find the sharing option they need without making your article layout feel crowded.
JNews also provides different sharing button layouts, allowing you to choose a design that works with your website.
Before adjusting the settings, check which JNews version and companion plugins your website uses. Some options and settings may differ between setups.
For websites using the Classic setup, you can follow the JNews Social Share & Counter documentation to learn more about configuring the feature.
Once you’ve selected your preferred networks, the next step is deciding where readers should see the buttons.
Place Social Sharing Buttons Where Readers Can Find Them
The position of your social sharing buttons can affect how easily readers find and use them.
You want to make sharing convenient without distracting visitors from the article itself.
Here are some common placements to consider.
At the Beginning of an Article
Placing sharing buttons near the headline makes them visible before readers start reading.
This works well for breaking news, announcements, and other articles that readers may want to share immediately.
For example, someone who sees an important weather warning might want to forward it without reading the entire report.
However, make sure the buttons don’t take up too much space between the headline and the article content.
At the End of an Article
Adding sharing buttons after the article gives readers an easy way to share a story once they’ve finished reading.
This placement works particularly well for detailed reports, opinion articles, interviews, and other long-form content.
Readers who find the information useful can share it without scrolling back to the top.
You can also place sharing buttons near related articles or other content recommendations. Just make sure each section has enough space and a clear purpose.
In a Floating Share Bar
A floating share bar stays visible as readers scroll through an article.
This can be useful for long news reports because visitors can access sharing options without returning to the beginning or end.
However, floating buttons need more attention on mobile devices.
A large sharing bar can cover article text, images, or other important elements on smaller screens. It may also overlap with sticky headers or subscription prompts.
Before using this layout, check how much screen space the buttons occupy and whether readers can still navigate your article comfortably.
Make Your Sharing Buttons Easy to Recognize
Readers should understand what each button does without having to guess.
While social media icons are familiar to many people, not everyone will recognize every platform’s logo.
A simple label like “Share this article” can help visitors understand the purpose of the buttons.
You can also display platform names alongside their icons when your layout has enough space.
Pay attention to the spacing between buttons, especially on mobile devices. When share, bookmark, and comment buttons sit too close together, visitors may accidentally select the wrong option.
Keep their appearance consistent with your website’s design. Use appropriate icon sizes, readable labels, and enough contrast to make the controls visible.
You should also consider how sharing buttons interact with other elements on your news website.
For example, a sticky header, floating share bar, and subscription popup can occupy a significant portion of a mobile screen.
Try reading one of your published articles from beginning to end. This helps you identify areas where the sharing buttons interrupt the reading experience.
Don’t forget to test articles with longer headlines, images, and captions. These elements can change how your sharing buttons appear across different pages.
Check That Your Social Sharing Buttons Work Correctly
After adding social sharing buttons, test them before relying on them across your website.
A button may look correct but still open the wrong page or prepare an incorrect article URL.
Start by opening a published article on your news website. Avoid using a draft preview because people outside your WordPress account may not be able to access it.
Then, select each sharing button and check what happens.
For example, when someone shares an article about a new railway service, the sharing link should direct recipients to that specific report.
It should not send them to your homepage, category archive, or another unrelated page.
Also, check how the article appears when shared.
Some platforms automatically display a preview containing the article’s title, description, and featured image. These details help people understand what the shared link contains.
If you recently changed an article’s headline or featured image, the preview may still show older information because of cached data.
In that case, review your article’s sharing metadata and check whether the platform needs to refresh its preview.
Finally, open the article URL in a private or signed-out browser window.
This helps you confirm that other people can access the shared page. It’s especially important if your news website uses subscriptions, paywalls, or content restrictions.
Test Social Sharing Buttons on Mobile Devices
Many readers access news websites through their phones, so your sharing buttons should work properly on mobile screens.
Open an article on your phone and try each available sharing option.
Check whether the buttons are easy to tap, whether the correct application opens, and whether the shared link points to the right article.
Some sharing options may open an installed app instead of a browser. This is normal, but you should still check that the action works as expected.
Also, make sure visitors can return to your article after opening a sharing option.
For desktop visitors, test the buttons using a keyboard as well. Readers should be able to move between the controls and identify which button is currently selected.
If you notice any problems, record the affected article, device, and sharing option. This makes it easier to identify and fix the issue.
Understand How Social Share Counts Work
Besides sharing buttons, some news websites display the number of times an article has been shared.
These counts can give readers an indication of an article’s popularity. However, the displayed number doesn’t always represent the exact number of people who shared the article.
JNews Social Share & Counter includes options for configuring starting values and adjusting counts based on article views.
Because of these settings, the number displayed on your website may differ from actual sharing activity.
Before enabling share counts, understand how your website calculates them.
You should also avoid treating adjusted share totals as confirmed sharing activity in your audience reports.
If you’re unsure whether the displayed numbers accurately reflect sharing activity, you can keep the focus on the sharing buttons themselves.
Making it easy for readers to share an article is more important than displaying a large number beside the buttons.
FAQ
No. Social sharing buttons should let readers share the article they’re currently viewing. Links to your publication’s social media profiles serve a different purpose. Keep sharing and following options separate so readers can easily find the action they want.
No. Start with a few platforms that your readers are likely to use. Adding too many options can make your article layout crowded and harder to navigate. You can always introduce more sharing options later if your audience needs them.
Yes. JNews provides Social Share & Counter features that let you configure sharing networks and button placement. You can use these options to add sharing controls to your news articles and adjust their appearance to match your website.
Not always. The displayed number depends on how your sharing tool collects or calculates its data. JNews includes options for adjustable starting counts and view-based values, so the total may not represent actual sharing activity. Review your settings before using these numbers to measure performance.
Final Thoughts
Social sharing buttons give readers a convenient way to share your news articles with other people.
To make them useful, focus on choosing relevant platforms, placing buttons where readers can find them, and keeping the article layout easy to navigate.
With JNews Social Share & Counter, you can customize your sharing options and choose placements that work with your news website.
Before publishing your changes, test the buttons on desktop and mobile. Make sure each option shares the correct article and doesn’t interfere with the reading experience.
A simple, reliable sharing experience can help readers pass along your stories and introduce your publication to a wider audience.