It seems that there are many contradictory opinions as to whether it's advised or not to put social sharing buttons on a landing page.
Some say it's good and some say it lowers the conversion rate.
Who's right?
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Someone just posted a similar question: ux.stackexchange.com/questions/40803/… – rk. Jun 12 '13 at 1:20
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1There is no mention of form submission in your question. – rk. Jun 12 '13 at 1:24
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1Maybe I'm mistaken but, usually, if not always, a landing page is supposed to include a form to be submitted. – majimekun Jun 12 '13 at 1:43
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4Well, I didn't know that a landing page is supposed to include anything. A landing page is just a page where a user enters the site from somewhere else. Now if that somewhere else is an advertisement, yes, I can imagine there could be a form to fill out, but to all intents and purposes, a lone "buy me" button would be just as valid. – Marjan Venema Jun 12 '13 at 7:30
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1@FranckInJapan, I agree that "landing page" does not necessarily imply filling out a form. I suggest you edit your question to clarify what you mean. – user31143 Jun 12 '13 at 10:57
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If you want to increase conversion rate on a web page, landing page or not, social sharing is important. This is because users who follow/are friends with each other share an interest, a school, a workplace, a group or any other social relationship and because of that are more likely to use similar services and products.
Remember also that social sharing is more trusted among users than general advertising. Therefore social sharing should be present where you find products and services.
Social Sharing: Do not forget to give visitors an opportunity to share this amazing offer you are giving them. There is a marketing principle that states people who have similar interests and fit in similar profiles typically hang out together. There’s a good chance that the visitors friends, family or coworkers could also be great targeted prospects for your offer.
Reference: How to Get a 30%+ Landing Page Conversion Rate [case study]
Leaving landing pages behind, there are other sources on using social sharing to increase conversion rates:
THETFORD CENTER: Digital marketers regard social sharing and third-party credibility indicators as two of the most effective ways to boost conversion rates, research from Adobe, the software company, has found.
The Adobe 2013 Digital Marketing Optimization Survey, which received global responses from more than 1,800 digital marketers across North America, Europe, and Asia, asked marketers to rate the effectiveness of various digital elements in increasing conversion rates.
It found that 39% saw activities such as putting social sharing icons on pages to be "very effective" while 37% indicated that third-party credibility indicators, such as security seals, achieved a similar outcome.
Reference: Social sharing boosts conversion rates
Still, that may not convince you, but I wouldn't leave social sharing out of any web page. The best would be to start measuring before and after that kind of change to a web page and measure the outcome. It's the only way to be sure that your improvement have the desired effect.
If you're still in doubt, take a look at professor Eric Qualmans video Social Media 2013.
answered Jun 12 '13 at 3:45
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I don't see how that article answers the issue. They changed many things, one of which was social sharing, with no indication of what caused the improvement. – JohnGB♦ Jun 12 '13 at 4:18
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I still don't see the new article and video supporting your assertion. One deals with launching a product on Facebook and the other is an opinion poll of marketers with no indication of whether it is based on data or just a feeling. – JohnGB♦ Jun 12 '13 at 4:46
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@FranckInJapan I can see that "Social media sharing widget? Come on! Nobody shares a landing page offer. Get rid of it." looks like an issue, but that depends on what your landing page is all about. Do you only show categories, without products or services? Well, then you can leave it out. But if you have product or services on your landing page, I see no reason not to use share capability. – Benny Skogberg Jun 12 '13 at 11:44
