GetResponse just launched the new generation of social share buttons. Using them is quick and simple. But you’d better watch out — optimizing your email for social sharing takes more than a simple drag ‘n’ drop operation. Read on to find out which strategies maximize the effectiveness of social sharing buttons inside your newsletters.

When you plan your email for social sharing, there are a few things to consider.

1. Remember WHAT you’re doing.

There are two types of reactions you can request of your audience. Whichever you choose, know WHAT you’re doing:

• Encourage your recipients to promote the content of your newsletter, or specifically, the link to the web archive where the newsletter is available online. This action is triggered by pre-configured GetResponse Social Share buttons. We connect you to the most popular networks: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn and Google+. All you need to do is drag’n'drop them from the editor right-hand toolbar.

• Like or follow your social profile. This is more effective if your aim is to enlarge your social audiences. Make it clear in your email and incentivize it. For now in GetResponse editor you’ll need to upload these buttons as images yourself, place them in the newsletter and then link them to your social account URL. Or you can simply hyperlink the call to action – whichever works better for you.

2. Remember WHY you’re doing it.

Make sure you and your readers are clear on why they should click.

• If you want your subscribers to share your newsletter, give them a good reason to do so , e.g. let others know about the new offer. Entertaining content is best for creating buzz. So whenever you’re announcing a contest, a new event, a giveaway, etc. — let your subscribers help you create buzz about it.

• If you want to invite the reader to join your network, they need to know the WIIFM, e.g. get more great deals, have a chance to express their opinion, connect to stay up-to-date, etc.

Leaving the buttons on their own with no persuasive call to action might turn out to be just a waste of space.

3. Remember HOW you’re doing it.

For your social share buttons to be effective, they need to be visible and clearly described. Remember about:

• Call to action

Use a CTA — otherwise your subscribers simply might not realize what you expect them to do. Just take a look.

• Location

Hiding the buttons deep at the bottom (especially if you skip number 1) is less effective than placing them in a prominent place “above the fold.” Whichever it is that you opt for – the buttons need to be well described. See examples.

Top:

Bottom:

• Size

To be effective the button needs to be noticeable. Too small is not worth including at all – no one will look for it.

• Number of buttons

How many social media do you link to in your newsletter? Again – you need to know what your goals are.

If you invite the reader to share, focus on places where your followers already are. This way your message reaches maximum online resonance. You can quickly identify engaged audiences by using GetResponse Social Share Analytics, which tells you exactly how many reactions your emails inspire and at which networks. This enables you to target only those sites that bring the best results.

If your goal is to gain new fans and followers, you can link to more social media. But again – you should know where your audience is. If your business model is B2B, your audience is more likely to be at LinkedIn rather than Pinterest. Again the social share stats will help you quickly identify which work best for you.

Note: The more icons you use, the more difficult it might be for the recipient to make a decision to click.

That’s it for starters. For best results, test various locations, button combinations, calls to action, etc. Smart use of the social share buttons helps you reach new audiences and increase brand exposure.

So — to share or not to share? We’d really like to know your answers.