Overview
Social locks require users to interact with your social media presence before downloading. Options include sharing on LinkedIn, tweeting, following on Twitter, or liking on Facebook. This increases your social reach while providing free downloads.
Prerequisites
- WordPress Download Manager installed
- Social media accounts configured
- OAuth credentials (for some lock types)
Quick Start
- Edit a package
- Find Lock Options panel
- Enable desired social lock(s)
- Save package
Available Social Locks
| Lock Type | Action Required |
|---|---|
| LinkedIn Share | Share package on LinkedIn |
| Tweet | Tweet about the package |
| Twitter Follow | Follow your Twitter account |
| Facebook Like | Like your Facebook page |
LinkedIn Lock
Enabling LinkedIn Lock
- Edit package
- Enable LinkedIn Lock
- Save package
How It Works
- User clicks download button
- LinkedIn share dialog opens
- User shares the package
- Download unlocks
LinkedIn Settings
At Downloads > Settings > Social:
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Company Page URL | Your LinkedIn company page |
| Share Message | Default share text |
| Include URL | Add package link to share |
Share Preview
┌─────────────────────────────────────┐ │ 🔗 LinkedIn │ ├─────────────────────────────────────┤ │ │ │ Share to Download │ │ │ │ [Share on LinkedIn] │ │ │ │ Share this post on LinkedIn to │ │ unlock your free download. │ │ │ └─────────────────────────────────────┘
Twitter/X Locks
Tweet Lock
Require users to tweet about the package.
Enabling Tweet Lock
- Edit package
- Enable Tweet Lock
- Configure tweet text (optional)
- Save package
Tweet Settings
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Tweet Text | Pre-filled tweet content |
| Include URL | Add package link |
| Include Hashtags | Add hashtags |
| Via Account | Your @username |
Example Tweet
Check out this awesome download! [Package Title] https://yoursite.com/download/package/ via @youraccount #free #download
Twitter Follow Lock
Require users to follow your Twitter account.
Enabling Follow Lock
- Edit package
- Enable Twitter Follow Lock
- Enter Twitter username
- Save package
Follow Settings
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Twitter Username | Account to follow (@username) |
| Verify Follow | Confirm follow via API |
Twitter API Setup
For follow verification:
- Create Twitter Developer account
- Create an app at developer.twitter.com
- Get API keys and tokens
- Enter at Downloads > Settings > Social > Twitter
API Key: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx API Secret: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Access Token: xxxxxxxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Access Secret: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Facebook Lock
Enabling Facebook Like Lock
- Edit package
- Enable Facebook Like Lock
- Enter Facebook Page URL
- Save package
Facebook Settings
At Downloads > Settings > Social > Facebook:
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| App ID | Your Facebook App ID |
| Page URL | Your Facebook Page URL |
| Verify Like | Confirm like via API |
Facebook App Setup
For like verification:
- Go to developers.facebook.com
- Create a new app
- Add Facebook Login product
- Get App ID and Secret
- Enter at Downloads > Settings > Social > Facebook
Like Button Display
┌─────────────────────────────────────┐ │ 👍 Facebook │ ├─────────────────────────────────────┤ │ │ │ Like to Download │ │ │ │ [👍 Like Our Page] │ │ │ │ Like our Facebook page to │ │ unlock your free download. │ │ │ └─────────────────────────────────────┘
Multiple Social Locks
Combining Locks
You can require multiple social actions:
Locks: ☑ LinkedIn Lock ☑ Tweet Lock ☑ Facebook Like Lock
Lock Behavior
| Mode | Description |
|---|---|
| Any | Complete ANY one lock |
| All | Complete ALL locks |
Configure at package level or globally.
User Experience
Social Lock Display
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ 🔒 Unlock Your Download │ ├─────────────────────────────────────────────┤ │ │ │ Complete one action to download: │ │ │ │ ┌───────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ 🔗 Share on LinkedIn │ │ │ └───────────────────────────────────────┘ │ │ │ │ ┌───────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ 🐦 Tweet This │ │ │ └───────────────────────────────────────┘ │ │ │ │ ┌───────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ 👍 Like on Facebook │ │ │ └───────────────────────────────────────┘ │ │ │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Mobile Experience
Social locks work on mobile with:
- Native share sheets on supported platforms
- App deep links when apps installed
- Web fallbacks when apps not available
Global Social Settings
At Downloads > Settings > Social:
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Default Share Message | Template for all shares |
| Include Package Title | Add title to shares |
| Include Featured Image | Add image to shares |
| Open Graph Tags | Enable OG tags for previews |
| Twitter Cards | Enable Twitter card markup |
Custom Share Content
Per-Package Share Text
- Edit package
- Find Social Settings section
- Enter custom share message
- Save package
Dynamic Tags
Use tags in share messages:
{title} - Package title
{url} - Package URL
{site} - Site name
{description} - Package excerpt
Example:
Download {title} for free! {url} via @yoursite
Styling Social Buttons
CSS Customization
/* Social lock container */
.wpdm-social-locks {
display: flex;
flex-direction: column;
gap: 12px;
max-width: 300px;
margin: 20px auto;
}
/* Individual lock buttons */
.wpdm-social-lock {
display: flex;
align-items: center;
justify-content: center;
padding: 12px 24px;
border-radius: 8px;
font-weight: 600;
text-decoration: none;
transition: transform 0.2s, box-shadow 0.2s;
}
.wpdm-social-lock:hover {
transform: translateY(-2px);
box-shadow: 0 4px 12px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15);
}
/* LinkedIn */
.wpdm-social-lock.linkedin {
background: #0077b5;
color: white;
}
/* Twitter */
.wpdm-social-lock.twitter {
background: #1da1f2;
color: white;
}
/* Facebook */
.wpdm-social-lock.facebook {
background: #1877f2;
color: white;
}
Tracking Social Unlocks
Statistics
View social lock usage:
- Go to Downloads > Statistics
- Filter by package
- View unlock methods
Data Collected
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Unlock Type | Which social action |
| Date/Time | When unlocked |
| User | If logged in |
| Package | Which package |
Troubleshooting
Share Window Doesn’t Open
Cause: Popup blocker
Solution:
- Advise users to allow popups
- Use inline share instead of popup
Like Not Detected
Causes:
- API not configured
- User using private browsing
- Third-party cookies blocked
Solutions:
- Verify Facebook App ID
- Inform users about cookie requirements
- Use honor system fallback
Twitter API Errors
Causes:
- Invalid API credentials
- Rate limit exceeded
- API version outdated
Solutions:
- Regenerate API tokens
- Wait for rate limit reset
- Update to latest WPDM version
Social Buttons Not Appearing
Causes:
- Lock not enabled
- JavaScript error
- CSS conflict
Solutions:
- Verify lock is enabled
- Check browser console
- Test with default theme
Privacy Considerations
What’s Shared
When users share:
- Package title and URL (you control)
- Their profile posts the share
- No private data collected by WPDM
Transparency
Best practices:
- Clearly state what action is required
- Explain the share will be on their profile
- Provide alternative access methods if needed
Related Documentation
Last updated: January 2026
Applies to: WordPress Download Manager 7.x