by The Computing Australia Group | Social Media Plugins
Social media and WordPress go hand in hand. You publish a great blog post or launch a new product, and the next logical step is to share it on platforms like Facebook, X (Twitter), LinkedIn, Instagram, or WhatsApp.
That’s exactly what social media plugins are for. They add familiar share and follow buttons, social proof, and even live social feeds-without you needing to touch a line of code.
In this guide, we’ll walk through:
- What to look for in a social media WordPress plugin
- Performance and UX considerations (so you don’t slow your site down)
- A detailed breakdown of leading plugins:
- Social Snap
- Smash Balloon Social Post Feed
- Shared Counts
- Novashare
- Monarch
- Social Warfare
- Practical implementation tips and common mistakes to avoid
- A quick glossary of key terms
Whether you run a blog, corporate site, or full e-commerce store, the right social media plugin can significantly improve engagement, traffic, and brand visibility.
Why Social Media Plugins Matter for WordPress Sites
Social media plugins are more than decorative icons. Done well, they help you:
- Increase content reach – Every share exposes your content to new audiences without extra ad spend.
- Build social proof – Visible share counts and follower numbers build credibility and trust.
- Improve user experience – Visitors shouldn’t have to copy and paste URLs; they expect share buttons right where they need them.
- Support campaigns and tracking – With UTM tagging and analytics, you can see which channels actually drive traffic and conversions.
However, there’s a catch: poorly built or poorly configured plugins can hurt your site speed, clutter your layout, and even introduce security risks. That’s why it’s critical to choose your plugins carefully.
Key Factors When Choosing a Social Media WordPress Plugin
1. Performance and Page Speed
Every plugin you add has a cost.
Many social media plugins load extra stylesheets and scripts, make external requests to social platforms, and can significantly increase your page size and load times.
Slow pages mean:
- Higher bounce rates
- Lower conversion rates
- Potentially lower search rankings
What to look for:
- Lightweight code, minimal HTTP requests
- Options to disable features you don’t need
- Compatibility with caching plugins and CDN setups
- The ability to lazy-load share counts or feeds
If you’re already using a performance plugin or caching solution, make sure your social media plugin works well with it.
2. Number of Plugins vs. All-in-One Solutions
It’s tempting to install a different plugin for every social feature:
- One for share buttons
- One for social feeds
- One for click-to-tweet boxes
- One for social login, and so on
Ask yourself:
- Which features directly support my goals (traffic, engagement, leads, sales)?
- Which are “nice to have” but not essential?
Prioritise what actually moves the needle.
3. Display, Placement, and User Experience
Common placement options include:
- Above and/or below posts
- Floating sidebar on desktop
- Inline buttons within content
- Sticky bars at the top or bottom of the screen
- Exit-intent or scroll-based popups (used sparingly)
For each page type (blog post, product page, landing page), ask:
- Where would visitors naturally look for a share button?
- Does the placement differ for mobile vs desktop?
- Is anything covering important content or calls-to-action?
Good plugins allow you to control exactly where and when buttons appear.
4. Design and Brand Consistency
Share buttons should feel like part of your design-not like random stickers.
Look for plugins that let you:
- Choose from multiple button styles (icon only, icon + label, shapes)
- Match your brand colours and typography
- Adjust size, spacing, and alignment
- Show or hide social network labels
Consistent visuals support your brand and make your site look more professional.
5. Analytics, Share Counts, and UTM Tracking
Visibility into performance is crucial. Many premium plugins provide:
- Share counts per platform and total shares
- UTM tagging for links, so you can track social traffic in Google Analytics
- Built-in click tracking for button interactions
Share counts can boost social proof-but if your content is new or your audience is small, you may prefer to hide counts until you reach certain thresholds.
6. Mobile Responsiveness and Device Targeting
Your audience is likely browsing on a mix of devices. Your plugin should:
- Be fully responsive
- Allow different button placements on mobile vs desktop
- Let you hide or show specific networks based on device type
7. Support, Updates, and Compatibility
Finally, look for plugins that:
- Are actively maintained and regularly updated
- Have good documentation and responsive support
- Are tested with the latest version of WordPress and major themes/builders
Outdated social plugins can quietly break your site or open security holes.
The Best Social Media WordPress Plugins (and When to Use Each)
Let’s look at some of the leading social media plugins in more detail, their standout features, and the types of sites they’re best suited for.
1. Social Snap
Social Snap is a feature-rich social sharing plugin with support for over 30 social networks. It balances functionality and design while aiming to remain performance-friendly.
Key strengths:
- Share buttons for a wide range of platforms
- Multiple placement options:
- Inline buttons (above/below content)
- Floating sidebar
- Share hub or share button menu
- Sticky bar options
- Highly customisable styling:
- Shapes, colours, sizes
- Icon-only or icon + text
- Social share counts (per network and total)
Advanced features:
- Auto-posting content to your social profiles
- Click-to-Tweet boxes to encourage bite-size sharing
- Social login for membership or community sites
- Device targeting so you can tailor which buttons appear on which devices
Best for:
- Blogs and content-heavy sites that want highly visible share buttons
- Membership or community sites needing social login
- Businesses wanting a visually polished, flexible plugin with strong design controls
2. Smash Balloon Social Post Feed
Smash Balloon focuses on integrating your social media feeds directly into your website so visitors can see your latest content without leaving your site.
It offers separate plugins for platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and X/Twitter.
Standout features:
- Embed social feeds that match your theme or customise the design
- Popup lightbox to view content without leaving your site
- Responsive, mobile-optimised layouts
- Options to filter posts, display specific hashtags, or highlight certain content
Instead of just adding share buttons, Smash Balloon helps you showcase your social presence as part of your brand experience.
Best for:
- Brands with active social channels who want to display live feeds
- Creators, photographers, and retailers who rely heavily on visual content
- Businesses wanting to boost time on site and engagement using social posts
3. Shared Counts
Shared Counts is a lightweight, performance-focused social sharing plugin used by sites with very high traffic volumes—think millions of page views per month.
It deliberately focuses on doing a few things very well:
- Clean, fast share buttons
- Multiple styling options for button layout
- Efficient share count retrieval (HTTP and HTTPS)
Shared Counts intentionally supports a limited number of social networks, but it focuses on the ones most commonly used for sharing. This is often a benefit, not a drawback, as it keeps the plugin lean.
Notable add-on plugins:
- Shared Counts – Pinterest Image – lets you upload a dedicated image for Pinterest shares (ideal for blog posts and recipes)
- Shared Counts – Cache Status – helps you build and monitor the status of your share count cache
Best for:
- High-traffic sites where performance is critical
- Publishers who only need core social networks, not dozens of options
- Developers and technical users who prefer lean, well-coded plugins
4. Novashare
Novashare is a relatively new third-party plugin that has quickly gained attention as a speed-optimised, user-friendly social sharing solution.
One of its biggest selling points: it reportedly adds as little as around 6 KB and 2 requests to the front end of your site when configured correctly—impressively lightweight for a feature-rich plugin.
Core features:
- Clean, minimal admin interface that’s easy to set up
- Inline and floating share buttons with modern styling
- Share Count Recovery – preserves share counts when you change domains or move from HTTP to HTTPS
- Breakpoint options so you can hide or adjust buttons based on viewport size
Advanced tools:
- Click-to-Tweet boxes
- UTM tagging for share URLs, allowing you to track social traffic accurately
- Pinterest Pin support for optimised images
Best for:
- Site owners who care deeply about performance and Core Web Vitals
- Blogs, agencies, and businesses looking for a modern sharing interface
- Marketers who rely heavily on analytics and tracking
5. Monarch (by Elegant Themes)
Monarch is developed by Elegant Themes (the creators of the Divi theme and builder). It’s a powerful plugin that offers both social sharing and social follow features.
Key features:
- Support for over 35 social networks
- Multiple placement options:
- Floating sidebar
- Above/below content
- On images or videos
- Automatic popups
- Automatic fly-ins (triggered by time, scroll depth, or exit intent)
- Social follow widgets to highlight and grow your follower counts
Monarch also includes built-in analytics, so you can monitor:
- Share counts
- Like counts
- Follower counts
- Sites already using Divi or other Elegant Themes products
- Businesses wanting visually striking popups and fly-ins (used responsibly)
- Brand-focused sites aiming to grow both shares and followers
6. Social Warfare
Social Warfare is another popular plugin known for its balance of performance and features.
It’s especially appreciated by bloggers, publishers, and marketers who want strong control over how their content appears on social platforms.
Key features:
- Polished, professional button designs with varied colours, shapes, and styles
- Flexible placement (floating, inline, above/below content, etc.)
- Share recovery for domain changes or protocol switches
- Customised social snippets:
- Set custom titles, descriptions, and images for each network
- Fine-tune how your content appears when shared
Advanced capabilities:
- Link shortening through integrated services
- Campaign tracking with analytics support
- Button click tracking for more detailed performance insights
- Author and publisher attribution for networks like Facebook and X/Twitter
Best for:
- Blogs, news sites, and content marketers who care about click-through rates
- Businesses that frequently run social campaigns and want strong tracking
- Anyone wanting fine-tuned control over how their pages look when shared
Implementation Tips: Getting the Most from Your Social Media Plugins
Installing a plugin is just step one. To make it work hard for your business, focus on smart configuration and ongoing optimisation.
1. Start Simple, Then Iterate
Instead of enabling every feature at once:
1. Choose a primary plugin for sharing (and, if needed, one for feeds).
2. Configure basic placements: above/below posts and a simple floating bar.
3. Enable only your most important networks (usually 3–6).
4. Test on desktop and mobile.
Once that’s stable, experiment with advanced features like click-to-tweet, popups, or social login.
2. Limit the Number of Networks
More icons are not always better. Too many options can lead to decision fatigue and clutter.
Ask:
- Where is my audience actually active?
- Which platforms drive meaningful traffic or conversions?
Prioritise those and hide rarely used networks.
3. Pay Attention to Mobile Experience
Check your site on several devices:
- Are buttons too large or too small on mobile?
- Are they overlapping other elements (menus, chat widgets, cookie banners)?
- Is a floating bar taking up too much vertical space?
Use device targeting and responsive settings to fine-tune the experience.
4. Use UTM Tags and Analytics
Where supported (e.g., Novashare, Social Warfare), enable UTM tagging so each share includes campaign parameters such as:
utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=blog_shares
This allows you to:
- See which social platforms drive the most visitors
- Identify which posts perform best
- Tie social traffic to conversions and sales
Review these insights regularly and adjust your content and promotion strategy accordingly.
5. Keep an Eye on Performance
After enabling or updating social media plugins:
- Test page speed with tools like PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix
- Check for any increase in load time or total page size
- Ensure caching and minification still work correctly
If performance drops noticeably:
- Disable unnecessary networks or features
- Adjust where and when social scripts load
- Consider switching to a more lightweight plugin like Shared Counts or Novashare
6. Maintain and Update Plugins Regularly
Treat social media plugins like any other part of your WordPress stack:
- Keep them updated to the latest stable version
- Remove any you no longer use
- Test updates on a staging site if possible, especially on high-traffic or e-commerce sites
This reduces security risks and ensures ongoing compatibility.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Avoid these pitfalls to keep your site fast, usable, and effective:
1. Installing too many overlapping plugins
Using multiple plugins for similar functionality increases the risk of conflicts, slower pages, and a messy admin area.
2. Ignoring mobile visitors
Buttons that look great on desktop might be intrusive or broken on mobile.
3. Overloading pages with popups and fly-ins
Aggressive social prompts can frustrate users and harm UX, especially if combined with other overlays (newsletter popups, cookie banners, chat widgets).
4. Displaying low share counts
Very low numbers can damage perceived credibility. Hide counts until you reach a certain threshold or switch to total share counts only.
5. Not tracking results
If you don’t monitor share activity and social traffic, you won’t know which content or networks are working best.
Measuring Success: Key Metrics to Watch
To understand whether your social media plugin setup is performing well, monitor:
- Share rate – Number of shares per page view or per post
- Referral traffic – Visitors arriving from social channels (via analytics)
- Engagement on social – Click-through rates, likes, comments, and saves on shared posts
- Conversions from social – Leads, enquiries, or sales attributed to social traffic
Use these insights to refine your content, call-to-actions, and plugin configuration.
The plugins mentioned above are available in both free and premium versions. The free versions cover all the basic options, although advanced features may require payment. Choosing the right one based on your requirements, like speed and styles is important as social share buttons play a crucial role in prompting a visitor to share your content. These plugins are also great choices if you plan to start an e- commerce website. For more information on social media plugins and other web development topics, reach out to us at sales@computingaustralia.group.
Jargon Buster
Stylesheets and scripts – the technical term of designing the various elements of a webpage like fonts and colours.Domain migration – moving all the resources from one website to another
Plugin – a software add-on that is installed to a host program to add additional features while not altering the host program itself.
E-commerce – Electronic commerce – Online Buying or selling products and the transactions involved in executing these processes.
UTM tag – Urchin Tracking Module tag – or UTM code is a snippet of coded data that you can attach to the end of a URL to track the performance of your content and campaigns.
FAQ
Do social media plugins slow down my WordPress site?
They can—but they don’t have to. Poorly coded plugins or excessive features can definitely impact performance. To minimise this:
1. Choose lightweight, well-maintained plugins
2. Only enable the features and networks you actually need
3. Combine with good caching and optimisation practices
How many social media plugins should I use?
For most sites, one main share plugin and (optionally) one feed plugin are enough. More than that can complicate maintenance and slow down your site. Whenever possible, pick multi-purpose plugins that cover several needs.
Which social networks should I include?
It depends on your audience and business goals. Start with the platforms where:
1. Your ideal customers are most active
2. Your content naturally fits (visual, professional, short-form, etc.)
3. You already see engagement or conversions
Common starting points are Facebook, X (Twitter), LinkedIn, WhatsApp, and Pinterest—but adjust this to your niche.
Are free versions of these plugins enough?
Can penetration testing reveal unknown vulnerabilities in legacy systems?
Yes, penetration testing is especially valuable for uncovering vulnerabilities in older or legacy systems. These systems may not have received updates or security patches in a while, making them highly susceptible to exploitation. Penetration tests can highlight these issues and help modernise security strategies for such systems.
