=== Simple Follow Buttons ===
Contributors: sharethis, scottstorebloom
Tags: follow buttons, facebook, x, follow, follow links
Requires at least: 5.9
Tested up to: 7.1
Requires PHP: 7.0
Stable tag: 2.0.0
License: GPLv2 or later

A simple plugin that enables you to add follow buttons to all of your posts and/or pages.

== Description ==

Simple Follow Buttons does exactly what it says on the tin – adds follow buttons to all of your posts and pages, simply.

Choose from eleven button themes and set your own button, hover and icon colours - or leave them blank and each network keeps its own brand colour.

By downloading and installing this plugin you are agreeing to the <a href="https://sharethis.com/privacy/" target="_blank">Privacy Policy</a> and <a href="https://sharethis.com/publisher-terms-of-use/" target="_blank">Terms of Service</a>.

Once you accept the ShareThis terms from the plugin's settings screen, a ShareThis property is created for your site and the ShareThis platform script (platform-api.sharethis.com/js/sharethis.js) is loaded on your pages. Until you accept, no ShareThis script is loaded and no request is made.

Simple Follow Buttons utilizes features that, as a WordPress user, you will be familiar with. A self-explanatory administration screen will have you showing your Follow Buttons on your posts and pages in no time!

== Installation ==

1. Upload the 'simple-follow-buttons' folder to the `/wp-content/plugins/` directory
2. Activate the plugin through the 'Plugins' menu in WordPress
3. Navigate to the ‘Follow Buttons’ menu in your dashboard to change the settings as desired.


== Frequently Asked Questions ==

= Where are the settings? =

In your dashboard under **Follow Buttons**. It is a top-level menu item, not under Settings.

= I picked a network but nothing appears on my site. Why? =

A network is only rendered once you give it something to link to. Open **Set Follow URLs** on the settings screen and fill in your username or page for that network. Networks with an empty field are skipped rather than linking to an empty profile.

= What do I put in the follow URL field? =

Just the part that comes after the address shown beside the field. For example, enter `sharethis` for Facebook and the button links to `https://www.facebook.com/sharethis`.

A few networks have no fixed address, so paste the complete profile URL instead: Mastodon, ResearchGate, WeChat, Bandcamp and Google Maps. The Email button takes an email address.

= Can I put the buttons somewhere other than my posts and pages? =

Yes, in three ways:

* The **Follow Buttons** widget, for sidebars and other widget areas.
* The `[sfb]` shortcode, anywhere shortcodes are allowed.
* Turn off Pages and Posts under Locations and use only the shortcode or widget.

= How do I hide the buttons on one particular post? =

Add the `[sfb_hide]` shortcode anywhere in that post's content. The buttons are left off that post, while every other post is unaffected.

= Can I change the colours? =

Yes. Leave the colour fields empty and every network keeps its own brand colour. Fill any of them in - button, button hover, icon or icon hover - and your choice is used for every button instead. The preview on the settings screen updates as you type, so you can see the result before saving.

= What happened to the image sets and the custom image uploads? =

Version 2.0.0 replaced them with eleven button themes and colour controls. The icons are now scalable SVG, so they stay sharp on high-resolution screens and can be resized and recoloured without uploading anything.

If you were using a custom image for a network, pick the theme and colours that come closest. Your network selection, follow URLs and other settings are kept.

= Does the plugin load anything from ShareThis? =

Only after you accept the ShareThis terms on the settings screen. Until you do, no ShareThis script is loaded and no request is made. Once accepted, a ShareThis property is created for your site and the ShareThis platform script is loaded on your pages.

The follow button icons themselves are served from your own site, not from a third party.

= Does it work with a caching plugin? =

Yes. The buttons are rendered as ordinary HTML with no per-visitor content, so they cache safely.

== Screenshots ==

1. The core settings tab - where you can choose where you want your buttons and which networks to include and style.
2. The advanced settings tab - where you can apply more advanced features
3. The additional/custom CSS field - where you can add your own CSS
4. An example of the buttons in content.

== Changelog ==

= 2.0.0 =
* Add: 51 networks, matching the set offered by ShareThis Follow Buttons.
  Among the new ones are Instagram, YouTube, Bluesky, Threads, Mastodon, GitHub,
  Spotify, Twitch, WhatsApp, Snapchat, Flipboard, Medium, Behance and Dribbble.
* Add: eleven button themes - Round, Square, Logo Name, Rounded, 3D, Border Round,
  Border Logo Name, Black Border, Underline, Auto Square and Name.
* Add: button colour, hover colour, icon colour and icon hover colour. Leave them
  blank and each network keeps its own brand colour.
* Add: separate button size and icon size settings.
* Add: a live preview on the settings screen that updates as you change the styling.
* Add: ShareThis integration. Accept the terms on the settings screen and a
  ShareThis property is created for your site.
* Change: the settings screen is now a top-level Follow Buttons menu in the
  dashboard rather than an item under Settings.
* Change: the Core and Styling tabs are merged into one screen, so the preview
  stays in view while you adjust the styling.
* Change: icons are now inline SVG instead of PNG images, so they stay sharp at
  any size and can be recoloured.
* Change: Twitter now links to x.com.
* Remove: the eight PNG image sets and the custom image uploads, replaced by the
  button themes and colour settings above.
* Remove: the Google+ and Yummly buttons. Google+ has been shut down since 2019.
* Fix: a fatal error on PHP 8 caused by the removed create_function().
* Fix: uninstalling the plugin now removes its settings, which it previously left
  behind.
* Fix: the widget follow text setting had no effect.
* Fix: follow links open with rel="noopener noreferrer" when set to open in a new
  window.
* Fix: buttons no longer open in a popup window, which was share-button behaviour
  and was blocked by most browsers. They now follow the open-in-a-new-window
  setting.
* Fix: escape and sanitise every setting on save and on output.
* Fix: stylesheets and scripts are versioned by file, so an update is no longer
  served from a stale browser cache.
* Fix: buttons are given an accessible label.

= 1.0.0 =
* Initial release

== Upgrade Notice ==

= 2.0.0 =
The PNG image sets and custom image uploads are replaced by eleven button themes
and colour settings. The Google+ and Yummly buttons are removed. Your network
selection and follow URLs are kept. The settings screen moves to its own
Follow Buttons menu in the dashboard.
