Websites using Sharethis

Okay, let s break down ShareThis with an overview, revenue, alternatives, pricing, and customer care details.

Overview of ShareThis

ShareThis is a social media sharing platform that provides website owners with tools to enable their visitors to easily share content across various social media networks and other platforms. They primarily focus on providing social sharing buttons and related analytics, aiming to increase website traffic and engagement through social sharing.

Key Features:

• Social Sharing Buttons: Offers a variety of button styles and placement options (inline, floating, etc.) that integrate with major social platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and more.
• Share Counts: Displays the number of times content has been shared, which can encourage more sharing.
• Follow Buttons: Enables users to follow social media accounts directly from the website.
• Customization: Allows for some customization of the button appearance and sharing behavior.
• Analytics: Provides basic analytics on sharing activity.
• Integrations: Works with various website platforms such as WordPress, Shopify, and others.
• Data Marketplace: On the B2B side, they offer data services, aggregating user data for targeted marketing.

Revenue

ShareThis operates with a multi-faceted revenue model:

1. Data Marketplace: This is likely the primary driver of revenue. They collect data from users who interact with the ShareThis tools on various websites. This data is then aggregated and sold to advertisers and other businesses for targeted marketing campaigns. This is a significant part of their business model, although specific revenue figures aren t publicly released.
2. Freemium Model: While the core social sharing buttons are available for free, they offer enhanced features and support in their paid plans, which will contribute to their revenue.

Alternatives to ShareThis

Several alternatives exist, offering similar social sharing functionality:

• AddThis: A well-established competitor, offering similar sharing buttons and social tools, along with website analytics.
• AddToAny: Known for being a lightweight and privacy-focused option with a wide range of sharing options. It s often used by developers who prefer minimal bloat.
• Sumo (formerly SumoMe): Provides a suite of website tools including social sharing, email capture, and other marketing features.
• Social Warfare: A premium WordPress plugin that offers advanced features, including customized share counts and detailed analytics.
• Simple Share Buttons Adder: A simple and lightweight social sharing plugin available for WordPress.
• Jetpack: (WordPress plugin) Offers social sharing along with many other website functionalities.
• Official Social Platform Buttons: You can integrate buttons directly from Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, etc. into your website, avoiding third-party services but typically requiring more customization on your part.

Pricing

ShareThis primarily uses a freemium model. Their social sharing buttons are generally free to use, but they also offer paid plans for advanced features and analytics:

• Free Plan: Offers the basic social sharing buttons, limited customization, and basic reporting. It s often adequate for small websites.
• Paid Plans: Paid tiers typically include features like:
  • Advanced customization
  • Enhanced analytics
  • Priority support
  • Potentially access to premium data insights for businesses
  • Removal of ShareThis branding

The exact pricing structure and features may vary, so it s best to check their official website for the latest details. Keep in mind, the data they collect via your website users is also part of this free to use business model

Customer Care Details

ShareThis provides customer support through various channels, though details can be somewhat limited on their official website:

• Help Center/Knowledge Base: A collection of articles and guides aimed at helping users implement and use the platform.
• Support Tickets: Users can often submit support tickets through the website.
• Email Support: Likely available for both free and paid users.
• Priority Support: Usually offered with their premium plans, offering faster response times.
• Community Forum/Social Media: They may have communities on social media platforms where users can interact with each other and potentially get support, though these are typically not the main channels for support requests.

Key Points to Consider:

• Data Privacy: ShareThis s data marketplace and data collection practices can be a concern for some users concerned with privacy. Consider reviewing their privacy policy thoroughly.
• Performance: While generally lightweight, having too many social sharing plugins can potentially slow down website loading times.
• Alternatives: Weigh your needs and compare various sharing plugins before committing to ShareThis. Many alternatives offer similar features and have a variety of pros/cons.
• Customization Needs: If you need advanced customization options, ensure the platform you choose supports it adequately.
• Analytics Requirements: Evaluate your analytic requirements and choose a plugin that offers the level of reporting you require.

In Conclusion

ShareThis is a well-established platform for social sharing, but understanding its data collection practices is crucial before integrating it. They offer free options with paid plans for enhanced functionality. Carefully consider your website s needs, privacy concerns, and explore the available alternatives to find the right fit.