Digg Digg is a popular social plugin that is used to add social media sharing buttons to a WordPress powered website. What is different about this plugin is that it is capable of adding a floating bar with the official sharing widgets. When a website is integrated with it, you will be able to configure Facebook Like, Tweet button etc. to float besides the post as a user scrolls through the content.
This plugin uses the official buttons. That means it does not display some fancy Facebook or other social site custom button or logo. It will display something that was made familiar by Facebook, Twitter, and Google Plus etc. The buttons can also have counts to display how many users have interacted and shared on a particular site.
To get such buttons, the first thing that you must do is install Digg Digg plugin by Buffer.
Supported Social Networks
Here is the list of supported social networks and websites:
- Buffer
- Stumbleupon
- DZone
- TweetMeme
- Topsy
- Google +1
- Tumblr
- Delicious
- Yahoo Buzz
- Comments
- DesignBump
- Serpd
- TheWebBlend
- BlogEngage
- Flattr
The list is long but most people will be using the common ones like Twitter, Facebook, Reddit, LinkedIn, Tumblr, Pinterest and even Google Plus.
Configurations
The plugin will add a top level menu to the WordPress admin dashboard. You will see it as Digg Digg. Once you access it, you will be able to make some global configuration.
Global Configuration
There isn’t much to be configured here.
- Global Config for Facebook: You can choose the default thumbnail image, whether or not to display faces and use post images as Facebook wall thumbnails.
- Twitter Configuration: You can input your twitter username in two places- (1) Official twitter configuration and (2) Buffer configuration. Both of them will allow you to be mentioned and recommended to be followed when links are shared.
There are other social networks too, but they aren’t that relevant.
Configuring Normal Display
Normal display allows us to place the social sharing buttons in a post. Just check the option Enable Normal Display and you’re done.
There are additional configuration options such as:
- Displaying buttons horizontally or vertically.
- Where to display the buttons: Homepage, Posts, Pages, Categories, Tags and Archive Pages.
We can also configure to only include them in certain categories or exclude them from some.
Buttons Selection for Normal Display
This is an important option for displaying the social buttons.
- Integration type: Choose between left_float, right_float, before_content and after_content. The display location depends upon what you choose. If you choose none for a particular social network then the it won’t be used.
- Button Design: Different social networks have different button types. This option allows you to activate a type between: Normal, Compact, No Count, Icon etc.
- Weight: It designates which one to display first and the ones after that.
- Lazy Loading: Loads the buttons only when required to save bandwidth and speed up website loading time.
Configuring Floating Display
Once the Enable Floating Display is checked and the change is saved, the main attractive feature of this plugin will be activated. Floating buttons will appear automatically besides the left margin of your content.
Most configuration options between normal and floating display are the same. But there are additional options like how far from the left content should the floating bar be place. The value is entered in pixels. You can also allow the post to float past the post content or let it stop before the commenting area starts.
Buttons Selection for Floating Display
- Weight: Assign a weight to specify the order of display.
- Enabled: Check it to enable a social network button.
- Lazy Loading: Speed up your page loading time with this option if available.
Manual Placement
This is the last option and should be used by users who are confident in placing codes in WordPress PHP files. You will find the PHP codes for all types of buttons and social networks.
Example: For Facebook Like Box with Count the code looks something like
[php light=”true”]
<?php dd_fblike_generate(‘Like Box Count’); ?>
[/php]
Place the code by editing WordPress theme files under /wp-content/themes/<current-theme>/. Files like single.php or category.php should be edited depending upon how the theme is designed.
Final Words
Digg Digg was a very popular plugin used to display floating sharing buttons of social networks in WordPress. It still is popular but users have switched to advanced plugins like the one from Addthis or similar ones. Those display fancy icons and counts, and can float in the right or left side of the browser window. But if you want something simple, powerful and totally free, Digg Digg is an easy winner.