WordPress site owners constantly face the same dilemma: how do you turn passive readers into active promoters? You can publish the most insightful content on the web, but if nobody shares it, your reach stalls. The Social Share & Locker Pro WordPress Plugin by azzaroco tackles this challenge head-on by combining a powerful set of social sharing tools with a conversion-focused content locker system. This plugin is designed for bloggers, digital marketers, course creators, and e-commerce store owners who want to grow their social footprint and build email lists without forcing visitors through complicated paywalls. Instead of just adding a few share buttons, this tool lets you strategically gate premium content—like downloadables, videos, or exclusive text—behind a simple social share action.
With nearly 5,000 sales on CodeCanyon, this plugin has established itself as a serious contender in the WordPress social sharing niche. It is not just about displaying icons; it is about creating a viral loop where your audience does the marketing for you. The plugin promises realistic share counts, deep customization, and compatibility with major page builders, making it a versatile addition to any WordPress setup. Below, we break down everything you need to know before making a purchase.
Key Features
The Social Share & Locker Pro WordPress Plugin is packed with features that go far beyond the standard “share this post” button. Here are the most impactful capabilities you will get:
- 60+ Social Sharing Options: This is not hyperbole. The plugin supports an extensive list of networks including Facebook, X (Twitter), LinkedIn, Pinterest, WhatsApp, Telegram, Reddit, Tumblr, Viber, SMS, and even niche platforms like Weibo, Baidu, and Odnoklassniki. This ensures your content can be shared on virtually any platform your audience uses.
- Integrated Social Locker: The standout feature. You can “lock” specific content—a paragraph, an image gallery, a download button, or an entire video—and require visitors to share your page on Facebook, X (Twitter), or LinkedIn before they can access it. This is a proven method for increasing virality.
- Smart Targeting Conditions: The locker is not a blunt instrument. You can set rules to show or hide the locker based on whether a user is logged in, has previously commented on your site, their WordPress user role, or even if they arrived from a specific referrer like Google or a custom source.
- Mobile Device Control: You have the power to completely disable the social locker on smartphones and tablets, or keep it active with mobile-optimized templates. This prevents a poor user experience on smaller screens if you prefer.
- 10 Predefined Retina-Ready Themes: You do not need to be a designer to make the buttons look good. The plugin includes ten distinct visual styles built with CSS3 and modern fonts, ensuring crisp display on high-resolution screens.
- Realistic Share Counters: The plugin fetches live data from the social networks themselves. It updates counts on page refresh and removes counts if a user deletes their share, giving you accurate, trustworthy numbers.
- Email Sharing Option: For visitors who do not use social media or prefer privacy, a built-in popup allows them to share your page via email with customizable pre-filled content.
- WPBakery Page Builder Integration: Dedicated modules allow you to drag and drop social icons directly into your layouts. You can even turn an entire WPBakery row into a locked content area with just a few clicks.
- Multiple Display Types: Choose between Website Display (floating or fixed positions relative to the browser window), Content Display (top, bottom, or custom positions within the article), and Shortcode Display for complete manual placement.
- Shortcode Generators: Both the share buttons and the locker have their own shortcode generators, allowing you to place them anywhere in your content, widgets, or custom templates without touching code.
Who Is This For? Use Cases
The versatility of this plugin means it suits a wide range of website types. If you rely on traffic and word-of-mouth, this tool can be a game-changer.
Content Creators & Bloggers
If you write long-form guides, tutorials, or opinion pieces, you know that a single share from a high-authority account can send a surge of traffic. This plugin ensures your content is easily shareable across 60+ networks, not just the big three. The ability to lock a “bonus” section or a printable checklist behind a share action is an excellent way to incentivize readers who might otherwise just read and leave.
Digital Product Sellers & Course Creators
If you sell e-books, courses, or software, the Social Share & Locker Pro WordPress Plugin can be used as a lead magnet tool. Instead of requiring an email signup (which has a higher friction barrier), you can require a social share to unlock a free sample chapter or a discount code. The integration with Ultimate Affiliate Pro (mentioned in the changelog) also makes this useful for affiliate marketers who want to lock custom referral links behind a share action.
E-commerce Store Owners (WooCommerce)
Product pages can benefit from social proof. The plugin is explicitly compatible with WooCommerce, JigoShop, and BuddyPress. You can place share buttons on product pages to encourage customers to share their purchases or wishlists. Additionally, you could lock a “Secret Sale” coupon code behind a social share to generate buzz before a product launch.
News & Magazine Sites
For publishers who rely on ad revenue and page views, the “Pay with a Share” model is incredibly effective. You can lock the second half of an article or a video interview, requiring a share to continue reading. The smart targeting features are perfect here—you can choose to only show the locker to new visitors while letting registered subscribers see everything without interruption.
Community & Membership Sites
If you run a BuddyPress-powered community, this plugin helps you grow your user base. You can lock premium forum content or group resources, encouraging new members to share the community with their networks. The “User Has Commented” and “User Roles” conditions give you granular control over who sees the locker, ensuring your most engaged members have a seamless experience.
Technical Details & Compatibility
Before installing any plugin, you need to know if it will work with your current stack. Here is what you need to know about the technical side of this product:
- WordPress Version: The plugin requires WordPress 3.0 or higher. This is a very low barrier, meaning it will run on virtually any modern WordPress installation.
- Page Builder Compatibility: The plugin has dedicated integration for WPBakery Page Builder (versions 5.x and above). You can add social elements and lock entire rows directly from the builder interface.
- E-commerce & Community: Tested and compatible with WooCommerce, JigoShop, and BuddyPress.
- Responsive Design: All themes are responsive and retina-ready. The plugin includes special mobile templates and gives you the option to disable the locker on mobile devices entirely.
- Performance: The developer has consistently updated the plugin to improve “JS workflow” and “counts loading” speed, indicating a focus on not slowing down your site.
- Last Update: The changelog shows a version 7.8 update from October 2022, which included fixes for Gutenberg integration and performance improvements. This signals active maintenance and support.
- External Dependencies: The plugin uses FontAwesome icons and jQuery UI libraries. It also requires a Facebook App ID for the most reliable Facebook share and locker functionality, though it can work without one for basic sharing.
Pros and Cons
No plugin is perfect. Here is an honest look at the strengths and potential drawbacks of the Social Share & Locker Pro WordPress Plugin.
Pros
- Unmatched Network Coverage: The sheer number of share options (60+) is rare. Whether your audience is in the West or uses platforms like VKontakte, Weibo, or Baidu, they are covered.
- Powerful Locker Logic: The ability to conditionally show the locker based on user roles, comments, and referrers is a sophisticated feature usually found in expensive marketing automation tools.
- Accurate Counters: The plugin does not inflate numbers. It checks with the networks directly, which builds trust with your audience when they see a “real” share count.
- Design Flexibility: With 10 themes, horizontal/vertical alignment, and options to show/hide network names and counters, you can match the buttons to your brand aesthetic.
- WPBakery Integration: For users of this popular page builder, the ability to lock entire rows without shortcodes is a massive time-saver.
- Active Development: With a changelog spanning years and updates through 2022, the developer (azzaroco) is clearly invested in keeping the plugin compatible with WordPress and social API changes.
- Value for Money: At just $20.00, this is a one-time purchase that replaces the need for multiple premium plugins (a share plugin, a locker plugin, and a counter plugin).
Cons
- Facebook App ID Requirement: To get the most out of the Facebook share counts and locker, you will need to create a Facebook App and obtain an App ID. This is a technical step that might intimidate beginners, though Facebook provides clear instructions.
- Potential for Over-Complexity: With so many options, the dashboard can feel overwhelming at first. New users may spend time exploring settings before finding the perfect configuration.
- Not a “Set and Forget” Plugin: Social networks frequently update their APIs (as seen in the changelog fixes for Facebook and LinkedIn). You will need to keep the plugin updated to ensure counts and share functions continue working.
- Locker Risk: If used too aggressively, locking content can annoy visitors and increase bounce rates. The smart targeting features help mitigate this, but it requires strategic planning on your part.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Social Share & Locker Pro WordPress Plugin compatible with the Gutenberg block editor?
Yes. While the plugin has deep integration with WPBakery Page Builder, the developer specifically addressed Gutenberg compatibility in version 7.8. You can use the shortcode generators to insert share buttons or lockers into any Gutenberg block, such as a Shortcode block or a Custom HTML block. This ensures the plugin works regardless of which editor you prefer.
Does the plugin work with WooCommerce product pages?
Absolutely. WooCommerce compatibility was added early in the plugin’s development (version 1.3) and has been maintained since. You can display share buttons on individual product pages, use the shortcode to place them in specific spots, or even lock a portion of your product description to encourage shares before purchase. The plugin also integrates with Ultimate Affiliate Pro, allowing you to lock custom affiliate links, which is a unique use case for WooCommerce store owners.
Can I disable the social locker on mobile devices?
Yes, this is a core feature of the plugin. In the Social Locker settings, you will find a “Mobile Devices” condition under the Smart Targeting options. You can choose to hide the locker entirely when the page is visited from a smartphone or tablet. Alternatively, you can keep it enabled and rely on the special mobile templates included with the plugin to ensure the locker looks good on smaller screens.
Final Verdict
The Social Share & Locker Pro WordPress Plugin stands out because it combines two distinct functionalities—sharing and locking—into one cohesive package. For a modest $20.00, you are getting a tool that can actively grow your social reach, build email lists, and protect your premium content. The developer, azzaroco, has demonstrated a commitment to quality through years of updates, fixing API changes, and adding new networks. With 4,880 sales, you are not buying into an untested experiment; you are joining a community of site owners who rely on this plugin for their daily traffic needs.
If your current social sharing strategy consists of a single “Tweet This” button, you are leaving growth on the table. This plugin gives you the granular control to place share triggers exactly where they convert best, and the locker feature provides a tangible incentive for your readers to spread the word. While the sheer number of options requires a short learning curve, the potential return on investment in terms of viral traffic and lead capture is substantial.
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