Against Social Media Buttons

Sweep the Sleaze:

What we know for sure is that these magic buttons promote their own brands — and that they tend to make you look a little desperate.

(Via Daring Fireball.)

Social media buttons are junk and they’re harmful. Not helpful or useful.

I’m less likely to read — and especially less likely to link to — sites that use those web-trailer-park buttons. Ditch ’em.

Update 10:50 a.m.: Here’s Shawn Blanc on that same article:

But as I watched and measured the use of that button I found that people were organically sharing my articles on Twitter at a ratio of 5-to-1 those who were clicking the “Tweet this” link.