I am trying to get my university to join the Campus Biodiversity Network, and I’m trying to figure out how to promote it online once we’ve got the project up and running.
I haven’t found a quick and easy “share” button either for individual observations or for projects on INaturalist.
I realize many people come to INaturalist to escape everything they dislike about social media. I do too!
But in order to meet the university community, and especially students, where they are, I’d like to be able to share news, announcements etc. about the project on social media.
I’d appreciate any guidance on how to make this happen.
Let me know if I’m misinterpreting your question, but you can use the URL (the webpage link at the top of your browser) to share observations or project links. Or are you asking how to share from one of the mobile apps, and if so, which one?
Sure. An example: I wanted to share a beautiful NYTimes article on coral, and clicked on the share button on the article, and it gave me a menu of places to share it: FB, X, Bluesky, etc. And when I did it, the article showed up, perfectly formatted with a picture and teaser line in my Facebook feed. See the screenshots below.
It is of course possible to cut the URL, go to facebook, and paste, but it adds a couple steps and is harder when you are trying to do it from a phone.
I wonder if a “share” button might make a difference in promoting projects, and attracting people to the platform. The NYTimes clearly thinks such buttons are worth having. Perhaps INat too?
Can you share what it is about the current link previews that you would like to change? Here is what it looks like on Facebook for a few things if you just copy/paste the URL:
If you have a proposed addition or change to iNat, you can post to the Feature Requests category. Though this is what one staff member said a while ago:
Do you have an apple or android?
I have an android and when I click to share my phone gives me the option of sharing it on my FB feed or groups.
Maybe there is an option on your phone?
There is a share button in the new app that is currently under development, iNat Next (under Details, at the bottom). It’s a bit small but at least there!
I would also note that most sites (e.g., NYT) inclusion of their share buttons to various social media sites are not altruistic. They often create share links with unique ID and other information that allow them to track the activity of both the sharer and anyone who clicks on the link generated. I’m happy that iNat doesn’t have links that do this on observations.
Not sure if you’re referring to iNat Next or the standard iOS iNat app, but for the latter it’s in the upper right-hand corner of an observation’s photo. Unfortunately it can be difficult to see if the background is dark or muddled.
I’m not sure what “entirely altruistic” means in this sense, but:
From POV of the site hosting the button, they could create a bespoke share button that does not harvest any data for the hosting site.
However, any traffic directed to the social media site would allow that site to collect data about the user of course.
In fact, even loading many social media buttons when users visit a website allows the users to be tracked (even if they don’t interact with the button at all).
So I’d much rather just copy/paste a URL than have to see social media icon buttons on iNat or worry about tracking.
I think what they mean by altruistic is sharing for the sake of sharing without tracking your shares and whatever other information they collect with the link they make you use to share.
Ads might now start targeting you or whoever uses the link because of the information collected from clicking the link.
Altruistic would be a link without any tracking, or targeted ads attached to it.
The NYT lives or dies by another 1,000 viewers of its ads.
iNat lives or dies by the quality of it’s contributors, and passive viewers are not necessarily the goal!
Just because the NYT does it doesn’t mean iNat should (or should not, for that matter). How should iNat promote itself amongst potential users who will contribute to the community?
I haven’t found the post again - so approx numbers here. But Pareto Principle numbers for iNat.
1 observer.
9 who visibly engage.
But there are another 90, who read, who don’t log in, or don’t have an iNat profile.
The 90 are important to remember. ‘Just want to check what the fruit of … looks like, when it fruits, if that other sp is related, oh and what’s that bug on the fruit’.
PS Pareto Principle is 80% of people read 20% of your content. Originally research on marketing a (for sale) product / service. Which bit of your content is engaging??
