There’s no doubt that your email list is your most valuable asset online – yes, even more than your blog or website.
Last week I unleashed (haha! A slight over exageration there!) my new free report, “5 Simple Steps to Local Business Facebook Success“. I thought I would try something that doesn’t seem to be mentioned in the gazillion “build your list” articles online.
If you downloaded the report would have spotted the social share buttons.
Click any of the share buttons on the PDF and the report isn’t actually shared…
A link back to the sign up page to download the report is shared. Adding social share buttons to your PDF reports and documents has two benefits:
- It encourages others to sign up to receive the report and helps build your list
- You get social shares and mentions pointing back to your site
Since then, several people have asked, “Jan, how did you add those social share buttons to the report?“ Grab a coffee, this could turn out to be a long post.
How To Add Social Share Buttons To A PDF Document
Depending on where I am sat, I use either Word or Open Office to create short PDFs. Both allow linking images and export to PDF in the current versions.
To add social share buttons to a PDF, you will need:
- A way of creating PDFs that allows linking images
- Social share icons
- The link to your opt-in page
Add a Facebook Share Button
1. First, you need to prepare your target URL. The part that tells Facebook to share is:
http://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=
2. Directly after the equals symbol, add the URL of your opt-in page where people can sign up to download your PDF (including the http://)
http://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=http://www.your-opt-in-page.co.uk
3. Copy and paste your Facebook share URL into your browser to test it
4. Next, you add the link to the share icon. Follow the next steps for each share icon you add. The screenshot is from Open Office.
- Insert your chosen share icon and click on it so that it is selected
- Click on the add hyperlink icon in the menu and enter the complete share URL into the target box
- Click the frame dropdown and select _blank then click apply
Add a Twitter Share Button
You can add your own tweet to be shared, although it can be altered by the person tweeting. Keep your message short to allow room to retweet. I do recommend you shorten your landing page URL with a service such as bit.ly.
The first part of the URL that you need is:
http://twitter.com/home/?status=
1. Prepare your tweet message including your Twitter handle and hash tags as required e.g.
I downloaded this fab report from @jankearney http://bit.ly/1234 #genius
2. Replace all spaces with a + and the # with %23
I+downloaded+this+fab+report+from+@jankearney+http://bit.ly/1234+%23genius
3. Add your Twitter message to the share URL directly after the equals sign
http://twitter.com/home/?status=I+downloaded+this+fab+report+from+@jankearney+http://bit.ly/1234+%23genius
4. Copy and paste your Twitter share URL into your browser to test it
5. Insert your chosen Twitter icon to your document and add the link as outlined above
Add a LinkedIn Share Button
The first section of the link that allows sharing is:
http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=
1. Immediately after the equals sign add your landing page URL (including the http://)
http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=http://www.your-opt-in-page.co.uk
2. Copy and paste the LinkedIn share URL into your browser to test
3. Add your LinkedIn icon to your document and insert the link as outlined above
Add a Google+ Share Button
The first part of the share URL you need is:
https://plus.google.com/share?url=
1. Directly after the equals symbol, add your URL
https://plus.google.com/share?url=http://www.your-opt-in-page.co.uk
2. Copy and paste the complete URL into your browser to test it. Note that this isn’t a +1 but adds your link to the sharer’s posts page
3. Add your Google+ icon to your document and insert the link as above.
Once you have added the social icons with links to your document, convert to a PDF.
In Word, click File > Save as and select PDF from the drop down menu under the file name
In Open Office it is File > Export to PDF
What about Pinterest?
Pinterest is growing in popularity and as yet I have not found a way of adding a linked Pinterest button to a PDF. If you know, please do share in the comments!
Take a PDF cheat sheet with you
You can download this tutorial as a PDF cheet sheet to refer to again and again. No opt in needed, simply click here
Over to you…
Will you add social share buttons to your PDF documents?
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This sounds like a cool idea. I will be trying this out on our free articles. Thanks for the idea!
Roy A. Ackerman, PhD, EA recently posted..Manager Material?
I’m glad it was useful for you, Roy – let me know how you get on adding it to your articles
Jan, I notice that you’re using a landing page as an example. I’m wondering… could you share a PDF file in the same way?
What if I want to allow people to download the PDF directly from the shared link. Would it work?
Bonnie Gean recently posted..Blogging with John Chow, 30 Day Action Plan, Day 22-30
I don’t see why not, Bonnie. Instead of a landing page URL put in the file URL. The other option is to link it back to your resources page?
Wow – I did not even know we could do that! Great info.
I am going to have to try this out on some pdfs…
Mary Kathan
Mary Kathan recently posted..Vlog Update: Squidoo, New Tools and Going Deep
Glad you found it useful, Mary – let us see your finished results too
What a fantastic idea and you beat me to a great tutorial! LOL
I’m going to try this since I started offering my tutorials as share-able reports! Thanks dear!
Bonnie Gean recently posted..Video Sunday – Episode #10×2
Well that makes a change me being half a step ahead of you, Bonnie! lol Share buttons will make a good addition to your tutorials too
Super idea, Jan! And thanks so much for supplying a PDF with all of the info included! It is saved and will be used!
Peggy Lee Hanson recently posted..I’m going to the Oscars!
Enjoy, Peggy Lee! Don’t forget to hit those share buttons
Oh, I have, Jan…. I have
Peggy Lee Hanson recently posted..I’m going to the Oscars!
Your cartoon on Facebook to get me to this post definitely worked, Jan. I’ve been meaning to read this since you published it(well, before actually as I saw Sue asking you for it), but that cartoon got my attention and reminded me to do it NOW! That’s a really valuable tutorial.
I thought that cartoon summed it up well
Will we be seeing share buttons in your PDF’s now, Janie?
Several months ago I learned about putting your links in your pdf reports but I didn’t realize you could also add in twitter, google+ etc. Great step by step tips!
Toni Nelson recently posted..10 Facts About Blogging You Should Know
I hope you’ll be putting them to good use, Toni! Thanks for popping in and commenting
Jan, great blog and thanks! I definitely need to do this for my “freebie”. The instructions are also easy to follow!
Debra Moser recently posted..Say It, Believe It: I Am Enough!
Glad it helped, Debra
Too cool. I need to start delegating more of this stuff because I just don’t have time to do/learn it all. We need to plan a Skype call after I get moved. Thanks for another great post for the DIY motivated.
Nanette Levin recently posted..Creative writing can be hysterical
I look forward to it – good luck with your move, Nanette
Hello Jan, thanks so much for your help! I was like a crazy person trying to discover the codes to share my e-book
But I still need some way to insert Pinterest as my E-book is about it! Waiting for someone’s help! 
Greetings from Brazil!
Hello there Denise! If you find a Pinterest method, do let me know