Sharing content on social media has become a ubiquitous part of the online experience. With just a click or tap, users can easily spread posts, articles, images, and more across platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and beyond. However, some content online does not come equipped with a designated share button. There are a few key reasons why certain posts may not offer readers a sharing option.
Limiting Virality
One of the main reasons a website or platform may choose to exclude a share button is to limit the viral potential of a post. Share buttons make it very easy for users to spread content, which can lead to sudden surges in traffic and attention. This can be beneficial in some cases, but harmful in others. Sites may want to restrict sharing for sensitive content, like financial or medical information, where virality could have negative consequences. Share buttons also carry security and privacy risks, so removing them reduces the ability to unwittingly spread malware or reveal private data.
Additionally, publishers and content creators may wish to keep their proprietary or licensed material on their own websites, rather than see it widely disseminated on social media. News outlets, for example, may lose out on advertising revenue and subscriptions if their articles go viral on external platforms. By making sharing inconvenient or impossible, publishers retain control over their content and limit unauthorized distribution.
Informal or Ephemeral Content
Many social media platforms now host content meant to be consumed casually and ephemerally, rather than widely shared. Features like Instagram Stories, Facebook Stories, Snapchat, and TikTok center around this transient, informal content. Posts on these platforms often do not include sharing functions because they are not designed to be syndicated elsewhere. The limited nature of stories and ephemeral posts creates a sense of exclusivity and makes them feel more personal. Enabling shares also goes against the networks’ intentions to have users directly engaging with their service.
Individual users similarly may not add share buttons to more temporary content like chat messages, emails, or internal communication. Consumer messaging apps like WhatsApp, WeChat, and iMessage give users control over their privacy and sharing preferences, restricting virality. The default expectation is that conversations and causal messages will remain private unless explicitly spread.
Technical Limitations
There are also a few technical reasons why share buttons may not be present. On some websites, the feature simply may not have been built or enabled. Implementing share buttons requires adding code across all pages and posts, which can be a labor-intensive process, especially for larger sites. If a site has not focused resources on enabling sharing, the functionality will be missing.
Additionally, web and app developers may face platform limitations that prevent adding share buttons. For example, Apple previously blocked apps from including any external sharing options other than email and SMS. This policy restricted integrations with social networks. Some developers also choose to tightly lock down their apps and services to control the user experience, which can mean excluding features like sharing. Technical constraints end up indirectly removing the option.
The use of paywalls on news sites also inhibits adding share buttons. Share functionality enables non-subscribers to view and spread paywalled content for free via social platforms. To protect their revenue, publishers omit sharing capability so content stays locked for paying customers only.
Avoid Clutter
Another design decision is to simply avoid clutter and minimize buttons where possible. Share buttons take up valuable screen real estate, especially on mobile. Keeping interfaces clean and focused on primary content improves usability. Users have been conditioned to look for familiar sharing icons, so removing them concentrates attention on core info.
Similarly, some online communities like Reddit consciously avoid adding share buttons to encourage discussion on their own platform rather than spreading to external sites. The goal is user engagement within a contained environment. Removing extraneous buttons along with other UI simplifications helps create this type of focused experience.
User Experience Testing
Eliminating share functionality on some posts can also be part of user experience testing. Large sites may wish to experiment with reducing sharing options to see how it impacts site metrics and visitor behavior. Gradual rollout helps isolate the effects of removing share buttons across different types of content. Similarly, adding friction to sharing lets sites gauge how interested users really are in spreading posts. The insights gained allow optimizing sharing features for target audience needs.
When Share Buttons are Removed
Looking at when share buttons are commonly removed also provides insight into why they may be excluded. Some examples include:
- Financial content – To prevent spreading sensitive info
- Breaking news – To keep readers on site and control syndication
- Opinion or analysis pieces – To retain ownership of proprietary content
- Longform investigative features – To build exclusivity and retain value
- App onboarding flows – To focus on in-app experience
- Paid content – To protect subscriber/member value
These categories highlight some motives around limiting virality. Publishers want to control distribution of high-value material. Platforms aim to drive in-app engagement and signups. Creators try to manage how content flows across the social web.
When Share Buttons Remain
Contrastingly, share buttons persist in places where distribution is desirable:
- Blog posts – To boost audience reach
- Listicles or memes – To tap into viral potential
- News event liveblogs – To rapidly spread info
- Contests or giveaways – To increase awareness
- Petitions – To drive advocacy and signatures
- Promotional offers – To extend brand visibility
For these post types, virality aligns with creator and publisher goals around awareness, traffic, and engagement. As a result, frictionless sharing options remain present.
Conclusion
Share buttons are omitted for a variety of reasons depending on goals around privacy, exclusivity, revenue, clutter, and platform experience. Eliminating sharing functionality allows better control over distribution and engagement patterns. However, share buttons persist where virality provides value, like on promotional content, blogs, and contests. Understanding these motives gives insight into the strategic decisions around enabling or restricting social sharing.