Assuming you have a content that you think is "share-worthy", attention to details such as the basic HTML tags, placements of the link and chiclet, and what will be shared, should remove obstacles and increase the likelihood of something being shared.
Need for basic tags
Lacking the basic tags such as <html>, <head>, <title> may not matter when the message is displayed in Outlook or Lotus Notes or even web based email clients.
We can all agree that creating an email message that renders in an email client requires different strategy than creating a page that will render well in a web browser.
However, they are necessary if you wish the email to not only display in a browser but also to render well as a shared item in Facebook, Twitter, MySpace or LinkedIn.
Facebook specifically scans the page for the following:
<meta name="title" content="Title Here">
<meta name="description" content="Description Here">
<link rel="image_src" href="preview-image-here.jpg">
If you don’t have the title defined, then Facebook will use the URL of the web page.
Other networks will use either the subject line or the title of the hosted message to name the shared item.
If you don’t define the image to be displayed, Facebook will include thumbnails of all the images in the message.
The most compelling one may not always the first one referenced in the code. If you want the customer to be able to choose, make sure they show up in the correct order.
Placement of a link or chiclet
The placement of the link and/or "chiclet" that allows the reader to share the email with their network should be placed above the fold in an appropriate place.
If it must be below the fold, then it should be close to image or copy that will draw their attention.
Check what will be shared
Test, test and more test! Make sure you have accounts in the major social networks and the ones that your audiences are mostly likely to use.
That’s all for now!
With deft use of tags, optimal placement of the social network link and rigorous testing, you can provide a better experience for your customers and make your content not only more "share-worthy" but also "share-able."
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