Shortcode Usage Guide

Learn how to use Lion Social Share shortcodes to add social sharing buttons anywhere on your WordPress site

Basic Shortcode

The simplest way to add social sharing buttons is using the basic shortcode:

[lion_social_share]

This will display social sharing buttons with your default settings from the plugin options page.

✨ Example Result:

The shortcode above will show all enabled social platforms using your selected default style (Default, Compact, Lion, etc.).

Shortcode Parameters

You can customize the social sharing buttons by adding parameters to the shortcode:

Parameter	Description	Options	Default
style	Button display style	default, compact, compact-square, compact-diamond, compact-hexagon, lion	default
platforms	Specific platforms to show	facebook, twitter, linkedin, pinterest, whatsapp, etc.	All enabled
title	Custom title for sharing	Any text	Current page title
url	Custom URL to share	Any valid URL	Current page URL
alignment	Button alignment	left, center, right	left
size	Button size	small, medium, large	medium

Shortcode Examples

Style Examples

🎨 Different Styles

Default style:

[lion_social_share style="default"]

Compact round buttons:

[lion_social_share style="compact"]

Lion theme style:

[lion_social_share style="lion"]

Square compact buttons:

[lion_social_share style="compact-square"]

Platform Selection

🌐 Specific Platforms

Only major platforms:

[lion_social_share platforms="facebook,twitter,linkedin,whatsapp"]

Social media only:

[lion_social_share platforms="facebook,twitter,instagram,tiktok"]

Professional platforms:

[lion_social_share platforms="linkedin,email,copy"]

Custom Content

📝 Custom Title & URL

Custom sharing text:

[lion_social_share title="Check out this amazing WordPress plugin!"]

Share specific URL:

[lion_social_share url="https://lionwp.com/plugins/" title="LionWP Plugins"]

Complete custom share:

[lion_social_share url="https://lionwp.com/demo/" title="Try Lion Social Share Demo" platforms="facebook,twitter,linkedin"]

Styling Options

🎯 Alignment & Size

Center-aligned buttons:

[lion_social_share alignment="center"]

Large buttons, right-aligned:

[lion_social_share size="large" alignment="right"]

Small compact buttons, centered:

[lion_social_share style="compact" size="small" alignment="center"]

Advanced Examples

⚡ Complex Configurations

Mobile-optimized sharing:

[lion_social_share style="compact" platforms="whatsapp,facebook,twitter,email" alignment="center"]

Blog post sharing:

[lion_social_share style="default" platforms="facebook,twitter,linkedin,pinterest,reddit" size="medium"]

Landing page CTA:

[lion_social_share style="lion" platforms="facebook,twitter,linkedin" title="Share with Lion Social Share!" alignment="center" size="large"]

Where to Use Shortcodes

In Posts and Pages

Add shortcodes directly in the WordPress editor:

Classic Editor: Paste the shortcode anywhere in your content
Block Editor (Gutenberg): Add a "Shortcode" block and paste the code
Page Builders: Most page builders support shortcodes in text/HTML elements

In Widgets

Add social sharing to sidebars and widget areas:

Go to Appearance → Widgets
Add a "Text" or "Custom HTML" widget
Paste your shortcode in the widget content

In Theme Files

For developers, use shortcodes in theme templates:

<?php echo do_shortcode('[lion_social_share style="compact"]'); ?>

💡 Pro Tip

When using shortcodes in theme files, always wrap them in the do_shortcode() function to ensure they render properly.

Troubleshooting Shortcodes

Shortcode Not Working

Check spelling: Ensure [lion_social_share] is spelled correctly
Plugin activation: Make sure Lion Social Share plugin is activated
Parameter format: Use quotes around parameter values: style="compact"
Platform names: Use lowercase platform names without spaces

Buttons Not Displaying

Platform availability: Check if specified platforms are enabled in plugin settings
Theme conflicts: Try switching to a default WordPress theme temporarily
JavaScript errors: Check browser console for JavaScript errors
CSS conflicts: Check if theme CSS is hiding the buttons

Styling Issues

Style not applying: Clear any caching plugins
Alignment problems: Check if your theme has conflicting CSS
Mobile display: Test on different screen sizes and devices

🔧 Still Having Issues?

If shortcodes aren't working, try adding this basic shortcode first: [lion_social_share] to test if the plugin is functioning correctly.