I've been asked a lot about the social media icons many blogs have in their sidebar (i.e. like the Twitter, Facebook, RSS, YouTube icons you see there to the right). Stacy and Jordan both asked about them when I called for reader questions and others have asked me via email.
If you want a quick way to add social media icons and you prefer a plugin over inputting them manually, I recommend Social Media Widget. (Here's how to install a plugin if you'd like more information than what's below — complete with video!)
At the very least, you can include icons for your RSS feed and email subscription (assuming you followed the instructions to get a FeedBurner feed). You can sign up for the other services at their respective websites if you choose.
How to install Social Media Widget
- From your Dashboard, click "Plugins" in the left column.
- Click "Add New."
- In the search box, enter "Social Media Widget."
- Click "Install" on the right side of the page (make sure you're installing "Social Media Widget" and not another plugin on the list).
- Activate the plugin.
How to configure Social Media Widget
- From your Dashboard, click "Appearance" in the left column.
- Click "Widgets."
- Click and drag the "Social Widget" widget to your sidebar. It should automatically open.
- Enter the URLs of the services you want to show up (ex. http://twitter.com/amylynnandrews for Twitter or http://facebook.com/BloggingWithAmy for your Facebook Fan Page). For services you don't have or don't want, just leave blank. (By the way, "Subscription URL" at the bottom of the list Update: "E-mail URL" in the right column towards the bottom is where you'd enter the URL for your email subscription. If you use FeedBurner, you get this by logging into your FeedBurner account, clicking the "Publicize" tab, then "Email Subscriptions" in the left column. Scroll down a bit until you see "Preview Subscription Link…" and click on that. A new window will pop up. Copy the URL in that new window. This is the URL you'd paste into your Social Media Widget under "E-mail URL.")
- Choose your icon size, icon style (icon pack) and opacity (whether or not you want your icons to be slightly faded so when someone scrolls over them they brighten slightly; otherwise, choose 100%).
- Click "Save."
That's it!
Informal poll: Do you use a plugin for your icons or are they hard-coded?
Here at BloggingWithAmy you'll find tips, tools & tutorials about blogging and websites. In plain English. Want to 
mine are hard coded
Any links/suggestions to get a similar widget for a Blogger blog?
Hi Shelly,
I haven't tried it, but here's a tutorial that might work for ya. It's a little techy, but I bet you could do it, just make sure you save a copy of your template before making any changes!!
Hi Amy, I'm not seeing a link?
Thanks!
Oh shoot, sorry. Forgot to add that! (That'd be helpful, wouldn't it.
)
Here ya go.
Hard coded here…they are in a widget, but not a plugin. I wanted them to change color when you hover over them.
Thanks, Amy! I was wondering how to get this done!!!
I wonder how much has to do with the template you choose. In my case, using template "twenty ten" on wordpress.com, I tried to follow your hard coding instructions but the template does not have a "Social Widget" under widgets in Appearances. Does anyone else have this problem? Or am I doing something wrong?
Hi Rhonda,
The method describe above is actually not hard-coded but a plugin. You'll only see a "Social Widget" widget after installing the "Social Media Widget" so be sure it's installed and activated.
However, it is possible your theme is not widget-enabled. Often you can find out if it is by going to the theme's home page by clicking the credit link in your footer. If yours is not, you might consider finding one that is, as that will give you much more flexibility. I recommend free Atahualpa which I've used in many of my videos thus far (here, here and here). It's free.
Question.. anybody knows how to get your market from twitter???
Hi Amy,
I'm using Thesis, but for some reason I can't drag any of the widgets into the sidebars. In the past I've had no problems doing this, but currently when I grab the widget, it spans across the whole page and doesn't allow me to drop it. Do you have any idea what would be causing this-it's so bazarre! I just want to get the site up and going!
Hmmmm…not sure what to tell you. You might try logging out and then in again. You also might try the Thesis forums.
Thanks Amy, I'll check there. It's so strange.
You rock!! I have been trying (with the little computer knowledge that I have) to do this for over a week! All the routes I tried did not come across quite as simple as yours did. You made it super easy
Thanks a lot! I will definitely be visiting your site in the future for more helpful tips.
Glad to help!
Is there a way to autopublish your blog posts onto facebook or will I need to post in both places?
Thanks!
Yes. Currently, I'm giving RSS Graffiti a whirl. I'll let you know how it goes!
I'm using Networked Blogs on Facebook for this right now and it's worked well so far. I've seen a few people using the RSS Graffiti – so I'll be looking forward to hearing what Amy has to say.
I successfully used RSS Graffiti on FBook and it worked great. Any thoughts on whether it is best to import it to both your business and personal pages? Or is that overkill?
I import only to my fan page (not my personal profile). If I think a particular post is one my personal family and friends might be interested in, I just post a link on my personal profile.
Mine are hard-coded (I think) in a text widget box. I already knew how to link a URL to an image, so I found so cool social media icons I liked, downloaded them, FTP'd them, and put them in. (Probably would have gone with the social media widget if I'd known about it!)
Woohoo! Way to go!
Thank you so much! I just added this widget and it looks great!
Thanks for the instructions! Once the widget is installed and configured, how do you get rid of the little text box that shows up to the left of the words "Follow Us". It looks like a small icon of a piece of paper. I'm using an Elegant Theme template.
Hi Sonya. Do all the title sin your sidebar have the icon? If so, it's specified in your theme. I'm not familiar with Elegant Theme, but you should be able to find it in your CSS. It would most likely be specified something like this:
background: url([imageURL]);
You can try deleting it if you can locate it. But if you do, back up first!!!
Amy,
You have SO much incredibly helpful info here and it's so easy to use (unlike some high tech sites that assume I know so much already!) quick question….I installed this widget, and configured all my stuff except the email. I just want it to go to my AOL email, but can't seem to figure out what my URL for that is? Any ideas? I've played around with a few guesses, but not getting it right.
Thanks for all you do!
Try this: mailto:email@aol.com
Amy,
If I am not mistaken, the URL that you want for your email subscription link comes up in the window just under the "Preview Subscription Link", as opposed to after you click on it. Clicking on it leads you to a preview window of what the subscriber will see after clicking on the link.
You can grab the link either way. I suggested previewing first so one could grab the link easily simply by copying the URL in the new window as opposed to having to extract the link from the code in the box. But it'll work either way.
Hi Amy,
My question is, how do you set up a facebook account for your blog? I tried entering my blogs name as the first name and "website" for last name but it was rejected. Help. Thank you!
Go here and follow the steps. Initially you'll be given a default page name. Once you have 25 Likes, you can set up a vanity url (i.e. facebook.com/BloggingWithAmy) here.
How did you get your Pinterest icon? I am really new to all this. I am using the Social Media Widget, but it doesn't have Pinterest. Your site is a huge help! Thanks so much!
Hi Deborah, you can grab it here.
Amy, thanks so much!
Amy, you're the greatest! Your tutorials go so smoothly. Thank you so much.
I love your blog Amy! I'm no expert when it comes to website back end development but your blog has made it really easy to give it a go for my small biz. I'm keen to know how I can get the social media widget to appear in my Twenty Eleven Header? Is this possible, are you able to point me in the right direction?
Thanks again.
Unfortunately there's not a way to put social media icons in the Twenty Eleven header without a fair amount of coding since it doesn't come out of the box with that functionality. I would go ahead and put my icons in my sidebar, or, if it's really important, think about upgrading to Genesis which makes this super easy to do.
Thanks Amy I might investigate that, I really appreciate you getting back to me so quickly.
Awesome, I wasn't sure of how to put in the subscription to RSS feed link in & this was very helpful! Thank you!
Okay I have to say I am thankful for you and your extensive information. Without you I would have never made it this far. I am so excited!! I can't seem to get the pinterest button to show up in the widget. I copy and pasted the code from the link you provided but I must not know where to put it?? Also I can't figure our the RSS feed. How do I find the url for that? I have googled it and it sure seems like it would be simple but I am not clicking on what goes in the widget? Thanks so much!!!!!!
The code for the Pin It button goes in the Sharebar plugin (not this plugin). You might also try searching for a plugin "Pinterest" or something similar. There might be another one to try. In order to get the feed URL you need to check FeedBurner. (Follow my links in the post to get and optimize a FeedBurner account.)
Amy, Is there a way that I can do this for blogger, so that it shows up and works the same as yours in my sidebar area? I have one similar to yours that comes with blogger but it only lets you put it at the bottom of your post. {DISLIKE}
I just found your site and have to say this recommendation has saved me a lot of time. I was looking at downloading separate buttons and trying to get them placed in my header, adding links to all of my profiles and trying to make it look right with CSS. You have just made this process super simple. Thanks!
You're welcome, Matt. Glad you stopped by!
Hi Amy! I am going through your blogging series and just love it!
I installed the social media widget. I currently have fb, twitter, google +, and rss on there. I really would like to get pinterest as well. I noticed you posted something in the comments to someone else. I tried going to the link to get it and inserting it into the widget under like extra ones..however, I can't get it to work. Do you have any idea what I'm doing wrong? I notice you have it. How did you get yours?
Hey Amy, can you tell me how to use this widget to use a custom icon pack? I've read the developers instructions multiple times and just can not figure out where I'm supposed to create a folder and how to find the "full path." I thought it was supposed to go in the back end control panel area, but that's not working. I'd really appreciate your help in taking the developer's tech talk and turning it into plain English. Thanks!
Hi Amy -
I installed social media widget and configured for FB icon in my header (also had to code in widgetized header) however, I don't see any FB icon ever show up in my header. Quite aggrevated at this point because I've been stuck on this one for about 2 weeks.