Web design is an ever-maturing profession because as designers we constantly need to be aware of emerging technologies; understanding their value and integrating them into client projects where appropriate.

Usability is something that more and more designers are considering when they start planning a project. Thinking about how a user will navigate your website and including strategic methods of drawing them towards the shopping cart, the opt-in mailing list or other desired action is great, but these are very much internal procedures. To truly harness the power of the social web, you need to consider ways in which users will interact with the company off-site.

Integrating Social Media at Pre-Build

Consider link placements

Many years ago, all important information was placed “above the fold” which meant the user did not have to scroll down the page. While screen resolutions have increased and users in general are more familiar with how websites actually work, this principal should still be observed.

A recent study shows that although users do scroll, they allocate only 20% of their attention below the fold.

This means that links to Twitter, Facebook, Digg and other sharing tools should be placed in an instantly viewable area above the fold. It might also be a good idea to leave some space around them so that they do not get lost in the content.

Depending on the nature of your site, you should also consider putting sharing links in other areas of the page as well: for example right here on Digital Fusion; our article pages include sharing links in both the top right and bottom left of the article.

Always include social media links in your planning stages, indicating their location at wireframe level.

Don’t go overkill

Remember, you only want users to share content that matters; an article or a quirky product is ideal for sharing, but a contact form is not.

Ensure that you include the rationale behind positioning of sharing links when pitching it to the client. Tell them why you have placed the links in their particular places and what they can expect to achieve by doing this.

Ask users to share content

Simply including a "share" button may not be enough. Many sites use informal language in their approach to persuade users to comment, such as:

As with images and copywriting you should utilise sharing links that target the demographic. The BBC, for example, is a lot more formal and informative in its approach:

Giving some thought into how you will implement sharing links at the planning stage will result in a stronger execution and a greater chance of long-term success.

Offer incentives

In order for a social media campaign to succeed there usually has to be some kind of incentive to begin the initial flow: For example, consider putting every new Twitter follower during a specific week into a prize draw. This in itself will be shared and if the prize is a good one, you could amass a few hundred followers everyday during this period.

This is not a new concept; it is simply a rehashed version of an old one that still exists. How often do you give your email address in return for the chance to win a holiday? These campaigns prove very successful and applying it to modern sharing methods can produce incredibly fast results.

Consider ongoing usage of social media at planning stages

Benefits

Planning social media integration at a pre-build stage allows you to get a stronger grasp on the project as a whole. Not only will it help when it comes to building the site but it will help create a platform for future growth.

Explaining to your client the benefits of social media and then discussing with them how you intend to integrate these tools into the website will open up a world of exciting possibility. Your client will find confidence in your ability to consider the needs of their business, its customers and the future of their company, and in turn you will have produced a piece of work that will embrace the ever-changing face of web design. At least for a couple of years.