So you just read a fascinating article online and want to share it with a friend on Facebook. Simple, right?
After scouring the page, you find the Share options.
There it is: Facebook. Click.
And…you just liked their Facebook page. Great.
But that’s not at all what you wanted to do.
Try, try again.
There’s a collection of thumbnails to the left of the article. Click Facebook, window pops up. Great.
Now for the sharing options. Which are less than user friendly: you can’t share it with an individual via a message, only on your page or their page. Which doesn’t help at all.
Now did I really want to share this that badly?
Grumble, mumble, something unprintable.
Wait. One. Minute.
I shared a piece on CNN the other day via Facebook message. I know I did. So why not now and why not on this site?
This is the current state of affairs when sharing content online and the fact that it’s still a frustrating experience is truly a mystery.
The irony is that for content creators sharing is a very important component of their work, if not the most important. Getting others to recommend your content to other eyeballs is key to your success.
Presuming that you and your online business are in the business of getting people to recommend your content, you must have a more than decent social media sharing process.
One that’s turned my head is WordPress’s Jetpack, which boasts a full litany of social media options. Click in and check it out.
But whichever one you settle on, take time to doff your business headgear and think like one of your customers.
Run through scenarios like the one I noted above and see how easy it is to share your content.
Can you share it as a message, post, email or however in all variations?
If so, great. You’re set. But if you find it lacking, don’t go any further.
Having such an archaic clumsy, inflexible plug-in on your page is about more than losing opportunities to get your message around. It’s also a de facto referendum on your brand.
As a user struggles with your social media widget, they’re bound to be asking themselves, ‘What kind of company can this be if their website is this clumsy?’
And that’s a question you don’t want to have them answer for you.
And if you’re feeling the love…don’t forget to share this article using one of our nifty social sharing buttons below:-)