Do people really use social media icons?

[GoodKarmaKid]

I'm just curious on everyones opinions of including social media icons(digg, delicious, stumble, spurl, etc) with their articles or posts on blogs & Forums.

I see lots of people use these social media icons and I have them installed in a few spots but as far as I can tell very few, if any of my visitors every actually use them.

Definitely interested in others opinions, ideas, best use practices, etc as I'm having a new design made and need to figure out if I'm going to include them or leave them off.

Jason

[DealerDan]

From my experience not really - only on specific articles(ie: Cardspike) that really are "Wow I have to share this with people" - and then most likely they will share that with them anyway. I'm in the process of removing them from all my sites.

[TheShortStack]

I'm in the process of removing them from all my sites.

For any particular reason? I'm guessing it doesn't do any harm to leave them on there??

[PokerNations]

I don't think they cause any harm to have up, even if people aren't really clicking them much. In the least, it gives your blogs or articles a more current and connected appearance with the times.

But if they're taking up space you could use for something else, by all means yank em down if they aren't seeing any usage.

[Jeremy]

I don't think it hurts anything. I have personally found that barely anybody uses them on standard blog posts or articles.

It should also be noted that you probably want to make sure any social media links are tagged with no follow link. No sense in sending free juice to them.

[RockbetJohn]

I don't know if they are worth the effort. I think they make no difference other than you're spending more time dealing with them. I like looking at sites where you don't have 6 or more social media icons all over the place.

[Kyle]

Yea people use them alot I find, just not a lot in poker.

[LadyHoldem]

They are outgoing links, so that's the difference they make.

[DealerDan]

For any particular reason? I'm guessing it doesn't do any harm to leave them on there??

I think I can have something more valuable in that space instead. And I'll add them for specific articles that I think people would actually share, but I think for most articles even a banner ad in place of them would be more valuable.

[TheDonk]

Timely topic, I was just considering whether to get rid of mine or leave them. I like the idea that someone 'can' use them if they want to, but the extra clutter is, well..clutter. Although the 'Add to Any' one is pretty clean looking. I'm also slowly gutting my sites more an more as well, that damn Prop guy has got me on this kick lately I put up 15 sites a couple weeks ago, can't stop myself from ripping out everything that isn't absolutely valuable.