Customize your Retweet Button

If there was ever a social sharing function to have on one’s website, a Twitter retweet button it would be. Simply having the button present and functioning is crucial, but to be sure you are maximizing your retweets, a few steps beyond basic installation and activation are needed.

TweetMeme-Retweet-Button

TweetMeme

Probably the most common form of this button is the TweetMeme option seen above. TweetMeme is available for WordPress.org, Blogger, Typepad, Tumblr and Drupal websites. TweetMeme also comes in 2 forms; the popular look shown above and as a blue-on-blue button seen below.

Blue-Retweet-Button

After installing and activating a plugin, it’s always a good idea to check to see if there are any settings that can or need to be customized. In the case of the “classic” version of the TweetMeme button at the top, you can designate the pages of your blog where it shows, whether or not you want it present in your RSS feed, the position of your button on a page (before or after content, and to the left or right), the source of the tweet (meaning, RT from @YourTwitterHandle) and if you want hashtags included.

TweetMeme-Settings

(The code in the Styling field is: float: left; margin-right: 10px; for a button that is positioned on the left side of a post. To position yours on the right side, it would read, float: right; margin-left: 10px;)

Share and Follow

Share and Follow is a popular plugin because it incorporates buttons for just about every social sharing and social bookmarking site out there. There is a section in the Share and Follow settings specifically for the Twitter Retweet Button if that’s the style you’d like to use.

Share-and-Follow-Retweet-Plugin

Settings here are fewer and simpler, though users are still given the option to choose the positioning of the button as well as including their Twitter handle.

AddThis

AddThis Social Bookmarking is another plugin that incorporates content sharing functions beyond just Twitter. It provides several options for button styles, and 2 button locations.

Twitter Button

AddThis also allows users to customize settings beyond button look.

Twitter-Retweet-ButtonAddThis does not have a default field that allows users to easily include their Twitter handle (in order for it to be mentioned in a retweet), and asks users to create a profile, username and password in order to discover how their content is being shared. It’s important to note that AddThis also provides analytics, so registering with them would be worth the effort.

A Few Extra Minutes is Worth Your Time

With a few clicks and keystrokes beyond installation and activation, you can customize your retweet button plugin settings to best fit the look and layout of your blog, encourage sharing of your content, and gain knowledge of who in your Twitter stream is promoting your content.

 

6 Comments

  1. Kristin @ Peace, Love and Muesli

    I have been really curious about this. I use shareholic, which has all the sharing buttons at the bottom. But I see a lot of the tweetmeme buttons at the top of the post. Should I have both? Would it be more effective at the top? Though I assume readers won’t tweet until the end and have decided they like the post.
    Please advise!

    Reply
    • admin

      It’s definitely better to have both a link to comments and all share buttons at the bottom. It makes it easier on the reader and they are more likely to comment/share if they don’t have to scroll back up.

      Reply
  2. Sherri

    OK, now I need to go back and look at mine again. I think mine is Add This, and it wasn’t easy for me to figure out where to change the @ to my Twitter handle.

    Thanks!

    Reply
  3. Leighann

    Great post! thanks for this!

    Reply
  4. jackie

    I’m going to have to look at this more later on. I have Add This on my blog, but I’d like to know how/if people share my posts.

    Reply

Trackbacks/Pingbacks

  1. Profile Updates | Online Identity | Social Media Profiles - [...] Share button settings (Social media [...]
  2. Bloggy Basics - Sharing is Caring - My Reflection of Something | My Reflection of Something - [...] your template to install this, I would be happy to help. I would encourage you to go check out this…

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Sign Up For Insider Tips!

Subscribe to our mailing list.

Read our privacy policy here.
* indicates required
Interests

Pin It on Pinterest

Share

Share this post now!