Membership & community plugin with user profiles, registration & login, member directories, content re...
Free
200k+ installs 4.4★ (1,444)
Async Social Sharing
widgets, social networks, performance Requires at least: 3.5 Tested up to: 3.9.1 Stable tag: 1.8.1 License: GPLv3 or later License URI: http://www.
The facts
- Rating
- 4.3★ from 12
- Active installs
- 200+
- Price
- Free
- Last updated
- 25 Jun 2014
- Added
- May 2012
- Downloads
- 51,137
Our analysis
AI-assistedAsync Social Sharing is a WordPress plugin designed to enhance site performance by loading social sharing scripts asynchronously after the page has fully loaded. This approach allows for faster loading times as it does not block the rendering of the page while waiting for third-party scripts to load.
The plugin supports sharing options for Twitter, Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, and Hacker News. You can configure the display of these sharing widgets above or below content, on specific custom post types, or across blog and archive pages.
Best for: This plugin is suitable for WordPress users who want to improve site loading speed while providing social sharing options.
What it does well
- ✓Loads social sharing scripts asynchronously to improve site performance
- ✓Supports multiple social media platforms for sharing
- ✓Configurable display options for placement of sharing widgets
Where it falls short
- •Last updated in June 2014, which may raise concerns about ongoing support
- •Limited information on additional features or future updates
Verdict
Async Social Sharing offers a straightforward solution for adding social sharing buttons without compromising site performance. However, its age may limit its appeal for users seeking actively maintained plugins.
From the developer
Rachel Baker's own description of Async Social Sharing, lightly tidied.
Simple social sharing plugin that loads the third-party scripts asynchronously
and after the page loads to improve site performance.
The plugin provides settings to load any of the following sharing widgets:
- Google+
- Hacker News
Available display options include ability to display the sharing widgets on
above or below content on pages, specific custom post types or blog and archive pages.
Why is Asynchronous script loading better?
Asynchronous loading allows multiple files to load parallel to each other.
Instead of having to wait for Twitter to respond with their script, the browser
moves on and starts fetching the next request.
Dependencies
- WordPress 3.5+
- Content worth sharing
Contributors Welcome
- Submit a pull request on Github
Upcoming Versions Wishlist
- Allow re-arranging of social widgets
Credits
- Inspired by Stoyan Stefanov’s blog post “Social Button BFFs”
- HackerNews button code by Ilya Grigorik
Author
1.8.1
Tagged as
Alternatives
Other plugins for community building.
WP ULike
88One-click like buttons your visitors actually use, plus a built-in analytics dashboard that shows what your au...
Free
60k+ installs 4.8★ (281)
Real-time messaging and chat rooms for WordPress ecosystem: private conversations, public and private chat roo...
Free
10k+ installs 4.8★ (141)
wpForo Forum
87Number one WordPress forum plugin with AI features. Full-fledged forum solution with modern forum design. Comm...
Free
20k+ installs 4.7★ (390)
Hubbub Lite
86Your content is worth sharing. Let's makes it easier!
Free
30k+ installs 4.7★ (173)
The most customizable profiles & community builder WordPress plugin with front-end login, registration, pr...
Free
10k+ installs 4.7★ (350)