Social media platforms help make businesses and websites popular and well-known to audiences. It boosts brand awareness which brings many benefits.
Knowing how to add social media icons to the WordPress footer can:
- Boost SEO score
- Earn valuable word-of-mouth promotion
- Help build a closer relationship with audiences or visitors
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and other platforms can have a positive impact on a business. They can improve and enhance the connection with potential clients or prospective customers.
Social media marketing is also much more manageable now. You can schedule Facebook posts really easily and there are tools that integrate with all the popular platforms, so managing multiple Facebook pages is made easier.
It is important to connect visitors with the business’s social media accounts. That makes it necessary to display links to the relevant platforms on the website.
This will encourage visitors to follow the social media accounts of the business. They can stay updated about the company, products, or services.
Site owners can accomplish this by adding social media icons to the website. The great thing about these icons is that they take very little space on the page.
There are several ways to invite visitors to social media pages. The easiest and the most convenient is to use plugins to share social media accounts.
There are various free and premium options to add social media icons to the WordPress footer.
Where to Place Social Media Profile Icons
The main goal is to lead visitors to the social media profiles of the business.
That’s why it is important to keep in mind that these icons should not look spammy or cluttered. Consider the current theme and web design before adding icons.
Site owners can place icons directly in the footer or use the widget area that is available in the theme.
It’s possible to place social media icons in the widget next to the header. Other possibilities are the sidebar widgets, end of article contents, and footer widgets.
Outlined below is a step-by-step guide on how to add social media icons to the WordPress footer.
How to Add Social Media Icons to The WordPress Footer
Before adding plugins, check whether the theme has an option to add icons to page sections. If not, then it will be necessary to use coding or a third-party icon WordPress plugin.
For those who don’t have technical or coding skills, plugins are a good option. The plugin will do all the hard work.
All the well-known platforms are included. However, less popular social media platforms will require manual addition.
How to Add Social Media Icons to The WordPress Footer Without a Plugin
Sometimes, adding social media icons manually has its advantages. It is possible to customize and add less popular social media to the article or website sections.
Although this requires the use of HTML code, the instructions are easy to follow.
The following section outlines how to do it, despite being a beginner in coding. This guide is easy to understand, even for those without knowledge of CSS or developer skills.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Using icons from different websites can lead to copyright issues. To avoid this, follow these steps:
Go to Images > Select Tools > Click on Usage Rights > Labeled for reuse
- Search for and download official social media icons.
- Go to the WordPress Dashboard section, hover mouse to “Media”, then select “Add New.”
- From the Media Library, open the icon’s image, and copy the direct link.
- Select Appearance > Widgets
- Choose the widget area on where to place the social media icons, then add a Custom HTML widget.
- Copy and paste the HTML code below to create and edit a customized HTML.
<a href="web address like address of facebook page ,twitter etc"><img border="0" alt="alternet text" src="[Paste SM Icon Direct Link here]" width="100" height="100"></a>
- Paste the HTML code, and use the image as a link.
- Save widget.
- Refresh the site, and check whether the icon placement was successful.
If the input of social media icons to a widget is successful, then repeat the process as needed.
Learning how to add social media icons to the WordPress footer without a plugin brings a sense of fulfillment. It’s easy and convenient and boosts your online presence on social media platforms.
How to Add Social Media Icons to the WordPress Footer with Social Media Plugins
WordPress comes with several plugins for the development of the website. Site owners who learn how to install and use these plugins will enjoy many benefits.
Plugins can boost page functionality, leading to improved traffic and conversion rates. Install the plugins, activate them, and they are ready for use.
When adding social media icons to a WordPress website, the following add-ons can increase the site’s usability:
Social Icons Widget by WPZOOM
This plugin is customizable, allowing users to search for icons by keyword. They can also adjust size and padding, and choose different styles and colors.
Social Media Buttons
It enables users to edit and change the icon colors.
Social Media Icons
It has a simple and clutter-free web interface.
How to Install a WordPress Plugin
- Login to the WordPress dashboard, and select “Plugins” from the sidebar menu.
- Under the “Plugin” section, click on the “Add New” button.
- The screen with plugin lists will appear. Scroll through the list or search the plugin’s name in the search box.
- Choose the plugin that provides the best WordPress functionality.
- Select the “Install Now” button.
- WordPress will start to download the plugin. The “Install Now” button will switch to the “Activate” button.
Instructions on How to Add Social Media Icons to the WordPress Footer
- Visit WordPress Plugin Repository.
- Choose any social media icon plugin and install it.
- Customize the widget according to preferences. Add a title, change the background color, choose an icon font color, configure icon size, change the alignment, and customize the hover color.
This makes it easy to coordinate the icon’s design with the current theme’s color. Users can make icons flat, change the icon’s border radius to 0, and increase icon size to about 30.
- After activating the plugin, select the “Appearance” button. From that section, users can navigate to the Widget page.
- The Social Icon Widget’s location is on the Widget page.
- In the Footer section, hold and drag the Social Media icon.
- Customize the widget according to needs and preferences.
- Save the changes, and review them on the front-end page.
FAQ about adding social media icons to the WordPress footer
How do I add social media icons to my WordPress footer?
Well, it’s pretty simple! To add social media icons, you can either use a WordPress plugin or manually add the icons using HTML code. Some popular plugins are Simple Social Icons, Social Icons Widget, and Social Media Share Buttons.
Just install the plugin and follow its instructions. If you’d rather do it manually, just copy and paste the appropriate HTML code into a Text or Custom HTML widget in your footer area.
What kind of social media icons can I use?
You’ve got a ton of options! There are loads of free and premium icon sets available. You can find some on websites like Font Awesome, IcoMoon, and Flaticon. Just choose a set that suits your website’s style and aesthetic. You can even customize the colors and sizes to make them blend seamlessly with your website design.
Can I customize the size and color of the icons?
Absolutely! If you’re using a plugin, you’ll likely find customization options within the plugin settings. If you’re manually adding the icons, you can change the size and color by editing the HTML and CSS code. Just tweak the values for font size, width, height, and background or font color to your liking.
How can I add custom social media icons to my footer?
To add custom icons, first, download the icon files (usually in SVG or PNG format) or create your own using a design tool. Then, manually insert the icons into your footer using HTML code. You’ll need to upload the icon files to your WordPress Media Library, copy their URLs, and include those URLs in the appropriate HTML <img> tags.
How do I link the social media icons to my profiles?
Easy peasy! When you insert the icons, whether through a plugin or HTML code, you’ll need to include a link to your social media profiles. For HTML, simply wrap the icon code in an <a> tag, and add the URL of your profile as the href attribute. For plugins, there’s usually a field to input your profile URLs.
Are there any recommended WordPress plugins for adding social media icons?
Definitely! Some popular and user-friendly plugins include Simple Social Icons, Social Icons Widget, and Social Media Share Buttons. These plugins offer various customization options and support a wide range of social media platforms. Just pick the one that suits your needs and install it on your WordPress site.
How do I align the social media icons in my footer?
You’ve got a couple of options. If you’re using a plugin, look for alignment settings within the plugin itself. If you’re manually adding icons via HTML, you can use CSS to control the alignment. You can use properties like text-align, display, and margin to align the icons to the left, right, or center of your footer.
Can I add sharing buttons instead of just links to my social media profiles?
Of course! There are WordPress plugins specifically designed for this purpose, like AddToAny Share Buttons and Sassy Social Share. These plugins allow visitors to share your content on various social media platforms, helping to increase your reach and engagement.
How do I make social media icons responsive on mobile devices?
If you’re using a plugin, chances are it’s already responsive. If you’re manually adding the icons using HTML, you can use CSS media queries to adjust the size and alignment of the icons based on the device’s screen size. This way, your icons will look great on both desktop and mobile devices.
Are there any best practices for adding social media icons to my footer?
Sure thing! First, choose icons that complement your website’s design, and don’t clutter the footer. Stick to the most relevant social media platforms for your audience.
Ensure your icons are easily clickable and visible, with enough spacing between them to avoid accidental clicks.
Make sure the icons are responsive for mobile devices. Lastly, regularly test the links to ensure they’re working correctly and leading visitors to the right profiles. Following these best practices will result in a clean, user-friendly footer with effective social media icons.
Ending thoughts on how to add social media icons to the WordPress footer
Knowing how to add social media icons to the WordPress footer gives a sense of fulfillment. It will boost brand awareness and increase followers.
Engagement with visitors through social media platforms brings a lot of advantages.
Social media icons enable website visitors to become followers. They can then receive updates about new posts, products, and services.
Linking a business website with social media platforms is always a great idea. Adding social media icons to the WordPress footer is one way to do so.
Then encourage visitors to share social media links with their family and friends. This will further help to increase the website’s traffic.
If you enjoyed reading this article on how to add social media icons to the WordPress footer, you should check out this one about how to remove dates from WordPress.
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