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Share buttons

Follow prompts, like bars and share popups

By Hannah Voss, Editor · Reviewed September 2026 · 3 min read

Quick answer

After-share prompts ask a reader who just shared to also follow or like your page. They were popular around 2014 to 2017 as add-ons such as like bars and video popups. Today, official like buttons need a network script and consent in many regions, so a simple follow link shown after a share, once, is the respectful version.

On this page
  1. What these add-ons did
  2. What changed since
  3. The respectful version
  4. Video share prompts
  5. Questions

What these add-ons did

The MashShare era produced a family of engagement add-ons: LikeAfterShare opened a small window asking for a page like after someone shared, a Facebook like bar sat above or below posts, and a video popup asked for shares when a video ended. Their product pages collected links, which is why they still redirect here. The idea behind all three is the same: catch readers at the moment they have shown they value the content.

What changed since

  • Official like buttons load a network script and an iframe, which set cookies. In the EU and UK that usually needs consent first; see share buttons and GDPR.
  • Like buttons were removed from some contexts by the network itself, and embedded like counts became less reliable.
  • Popup rules in search quality guidelines discourage intrusive interstitials, especially on mobile.

The respectful version

  1. Trigger after a share, not on load

    Show the prompt only after the reader clicks a share button. They have already signalled interest.

  2. Use a plain follow link

    "Follow us on LinkedIn" as a link to your profile loads nothing and needs no consent.

  3. Show it once

    Remember the dismissal for the session, or longer, using local storage rather than a tracking cookie.

  4. Make it small

    An inline note under the buttons beats a modal window.

  5. Give a clear close

    A visible close button that works with the keyboard and Escape.

A follow prompt that appears only after a share01Reader sharesclicks a button02Small notefollow link, once03Dismissedremembered locally
The prompt belongs to the share action, not to the page load.

Video share prompts

Asking for a share when a video ends still makes sense, because the viewer has just finished. Place a share row under the player rather than an overlay, since overlays conflict with the player's own controls and captions.

Questions

Do Facebook like bars still work?

Official like buttons can still be embedded, but they load a network script and need consent in many regions. A plain follow link is simpler and loads nothing.

Are share popups bad for SEO?

Popups that cover content on load, especially on mobile, are discouraged. A small prompt after a reader shares is a different, far less intrusive thing.

What was LikeAfterShare?

A MashShare add-on that asked readers to like a page after they shared. The same idea works today as a one-time follow link.

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Hannah Voss, Editor. Checks every guide against a working WordPress install and the networks' current documentation. Last reviewed September 2026.

About the editor and our methods

  1. Share buttons and GDPR: what needs consentWhich share buttons need consent under GDPR and ePrivacy rules, why plain share links usually do not, the two-click pattern, and privacy policy wording.3 min read
  2. Which share networks to show, and how manyHow to choose which social share buttons to display: match networks to your audience, keep the row short, and add copy link, email and messaging options.3 min read
  3. MashShare add-ons: what each one didA plain record of the MashShare add-ons and licences once sold on this domain, what each feature did, and where to find a current guide to the same feature.3 min read