Where to place the 1 button in page layout

[serenoo]

I want to add the facebook like button, twitter, +1 of google,....
I only have two places on my template: top of the page or bottom.

If I put it at the top I risk that google devaluate the text/page.
(I knew that more things are over the text then less chances you have to rank well)
If I put them at the bottom I have less chances they will be clicked.

What is the best place?

[goodroi]

It depends on your visitors and content. I have seen some sites benefit from having the button on top since their visitors never scrolled. Other site benefited from placing social buttons on the bottom since people didnt click the buttons till the read all the content.

Have you thought about using a simple A/B test?

[deadsea]

I hid mine behind my most clicked on link. Now when people click that link they automatically +1 my site as well. Seems to be working wonders. ;-)

[Planet13]

I hid mine behind my most clicked on link. Now when people click that link they automatically +1 my site as well. Seems to be working wonders. ;-)

Seriously deadsea? This works? How do you do it?

[Planet13]

If I put it at the top I risk that google devaluate the text/page.

I am not sure how true that is anymore. Hopefully others can chime in on this.

I don't think that having social media buttons near the top of the page is going to reduce the importance of the content of your page.

[bw100]

Here's one analysis of the +1 button's performance, and recommendations on positioning it in your code:

Google tells you that it's fine to place the script tag in the HEAD section of the HTML document. And that is bad advice.... If you place the Google +1 Button script in the HEAD, it will delay the initial rendering of the page. The visitor will be staring at an empty screen longer. Bounce rate goes up, revenues and user satisfaction goes down.
[aaronpeters.nl ]

Seems like page load performance may be more important than aesthetics, or other factors. Is a workaround to allow the +1 script to load last, allowing the button to be positioned anywhere on the page?

[serenoo]

The author of the article has the +1 button on top.

[Planet13]

The author of the article has the +1 button on top.

I think we are confused about this:

there are two separate pieces of code that need to be added.

One is a javascript that calls to the google server, the other is the tag that displays the button.

The author probably means that the javascript that calls the google server should be in the body just before the closing body tag.

i wonder if it work if the script was called after the closing body tag.

[Pjman]

I'm curious what the clicks are when you compare the buttons at the top versus the bottom.

@goodroi

You're totally right why would people scroll back up to click. I'm moving my buttons to the bottom.

[tangor]

Buttons? We don't need no steekin' buttons... but if you ARE, then AFTER the content (immediately) that you offered the visitor... that's when they will be most receptive to click.

[Whitey]

but if you ARE, then AFTER the content (immediately) that you offered the visitor... that's when they will be most receptive to click.

After a good read, yes, but depending on the site you may need a couple more in different places depending on the workflow. I've seen buttons in the purchasing funnel for e-commerce sites that get ignored because the visitor is focused on completion. You have to read your own situation carefully and cover the options.

I would do both, observe the A/B , and decide then.

[tangor]

Last place I'd put a "like" is on a check out page... no sense is confusing a customer... :)

For the belt and suspenders kind of guys (those worried about getting on the train) put one in the header, one in the footer, and one after every 200 words. (No smilie this time, because that's exactly what will happen in this yet again misdirection by Google).

Meanwhile, I'm not doing it one way or the other... just know where I'd place such a thing if I did...