Social Pug Review, Pricing, Pros and Cons

Unlock the full potential of your WordPress site with Grow Social Pro—a game-changing plugin that does more than just add social sharing buttons. Dive into a world of advanced customization, analytics, and multi-platform support that not only amplifies your social reach but also provides invaluable insights into user behavior. Whether you’re looking to level up your Pinterest game or keen on tracking your performance with Google Analytics, this comprehensive guide has got you covered. Get ready to transform your website into a social sharing powerhouse!

What is Social Pug ?

Social Pug, now rebranded as Grow Social by Mediavine, is a WordPress plugin designed to optimize websites for social sharing and newsletter signups. Originally developed by DevPups, the plugin was acquired by Mediavine and integrated into their suite of tools. It boasts over 80,000 active installations and is known for its efficiency and speed optimization.

The plugin allows for highly customizable social share buttons and is also optimized for Mediavine’s Trellis framework. The free aspects of Social Pug have been retained in Grow Social, and a premium version, Grow Social Pro, offers additional features.

The plugin aims to be more than just a social sharing tool, with plans to expand its functionalities to assist in traffic growth and website marketing.

Social Pug features

Uncover the myriad of features that make Grow Social Pro the ultimate social sharing plugin for WordPress, from customizable buttons to analytics tracking.

Floating Sidebar

This feature allows social buttons to move along with the user as they scroll down the side of your content. It enhances visibility and encourages sharing without being intrusive.

Inline Content

Buttons can appear within your content, either above or below the post. This offers flexibility in how you want to integrate social sharing within the context of your articles.

Sticky Bar

On mobile devices, the buttons stick to the bottom or top of the screen. This ensures that the sharing options are always within reach, although it may conflict with display adhesion ad units if placed at the bottom.

Pop-Up

A pop-up shows up on the screen based on user intent. This is particularly useful for capturing the attention of users who are about to leave the page or have completed a specific action.

Image Hover Pinterest Button

This adds a quick ‘Pin It’ button to the corner of images on your site. It’s a handy feature for websites that rely heavily on visual content, but may conflict with other Pinterest plugins or extensions.

Customization Settings

After choosing the button locations, a new menu option appears in your WordPress sidebar for further customization. You can enable various social networks, choose button styles, shapes, and positions. You can also add Call to Action text for your social sharing buttons.

Share Counts

The plugin allows you to enable or disable social share counts. While these counts were previously important for social proof, the focus has shifted more towards search engine traffic. Authorization is required for both Twitter and Facebook to display these counts.

Matching Social Icons to Your Site Theme

Grow Social Pro allows you to customize the colors of the social sharing icons to match your site’s theme. You can use hex codes or a color slider to achieve the desired look, keeping in mind that color can affect site accessibility.

Social Pug pricing

Navigate the cost-effective pricing plans of Grow Social Pro and discover the value-packed options that await you.

Social Pro Plan

• Yearly Price per Site: $34
• Features Included:
  • Custom Button Colors
  • 10+ Social Media Networks
  • Powerful Integrations with Google Analytics, Bitly, and more
  • GDPR Compliance
  • Mediavine Support
• Additional Capabilities:
  • Mobile sticky footer social share buttons
  • Pop-up social share buttons
  • Custom button colors and hover colors
  • Link shortening through Bitly
  • Google Analytics UTM tracking
  • Social media follow buttons widget
  • Sharable quotes (click to tweet) feature
  • Top social media shared posts widget
  • Import and export settings
• Support and Updates: Free automatic updates and access to Mediavine’s award-winning support team are included.

Note: The information provided is based on the latest available data and may be subject to change.

Conclusion

Grow Social Pro is a comprehensive WordPress plugin that goes beyond just adding social sharing buttons to your website. It offers a range of features that not only make it easier for your readers to share your content but also provide you with advanced customization options and analytics tools. The plugin is designed to enhance user engagement, increase your social media reach, and offer valuable insights into user behavior through Google Analytics integration.

Advantages

• User Engagement: Easy-to-use social sharing buttons encourage readers to share your content.
• Customization: Extensive customization options for button appearance and placement.
• Analytics: Integrated with Google Analytics for tracking user behavior.
• Multi-Platform Support: Supports over 10 social media networks.
• Mobile-Friendly: Offers mobile sticky footer and pop-up buttons.

Disadvantages

• Potential for Conflict: May conflict with other Pinterest plugins or adhesion ad units.
• Learning Curve: With extensive features, it might take some time to explore all the options.
• Cost: While there is a free version, the Pro version with advanced features comes at a price.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do I Install Grow Social Pro ?

You can install the free version, Grow Social, from the WordPress plugin repository. The Pro version can be purchased and installed to unlock additional features.

What Customization Options Are Available ?

The plugin offers extensive customization settings, including button shapes, sizes, and colors. You can also set custom open graph data for different social media platforms.

Can I Track User Engagement ?

Yes, the plugin integrates with Google Analytics, allowing you to track the source of your incoming traffic and user engagement.

What Social Media Platforms Are Supported ?

The plugin supports over 10 social media networks, including Reddit, VK, Yummly, WhatsApp, Buffer, Telegram, Flipboard, Pocket, Tumblr, and email.

Is the Plugin Mobile-Friendly ?

Yes, it offers mobile sticky footer buttons and pop-up buttons to make your website mobile-friendly.

Can I Recover Lost Share Counts ?

If you’ve upgraded from HTTP to HTTPS and lost your social share counts, they can be recovered using the plugin’s features.

Is Technical Support Available ?

Yes, you have access to Mediavine’s award-winning support team for any technical issues, questions, or feedback.

How Does It Help with Pinterest ?

The plugin allows you to add custom and hidden Pinterest images, set Pinterest descriptions for specific images, and even add a Pinterest hover button to your images within the post content.

Are There Any Known Conflicts ?

The plugin may conflict with other Pinterest plugins or extensions, and the mobile sticky footer may conflict with display adhesion ad units if placed at the bottom of the screen.