To effectively "link" on Goodreads means various things, from sharing your personal profile to linking specific books, authors, or even integrating your Goodreads activity with other platforms. The most common interpretation involves obtaining a direct URL to share.
How to Link on Goodreads
Linking on Goodreads allows you to share your reading journey, discover new books, and connect with other readers across the web. Whether you want to showcase your profile, recommend a book, or integrate your reading list with your blog, Goodreads offers straightforward methods for creating and sharing links.
Getting Your Goodreads Profile Link
Sharing your Goodreads profile link is an excellent way for friends, family, or followers to find your reading updates, shelves, and reviews. This unique URL directs others straight to your personal Goodreads page.
Steps to Obtain Your Profile URL:
- Navigate to Goodreads.com: Open your web browser and go to the official Goodreads website.
- Access Your Profile: Once logged in, locate and click on your profile picture, typically found in the top right corner of the page. From the drop-down menu that appears, select "Profile."
- Copy the URL: Upon landing on your personal profile page, observe the address bar of your web browser. The complete URL displayed there is your unique Goodreads profile link. Highlight and copy this URL.
- Share Anywhere: You can now paste this copied URL wherever you wish to share your Goodreads profile – be it in an email, a social media post, on your blog, or in a messaging app.
Example: If your username is "JaneDoe," your profile URL might look something like https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1234567-janedoe or https://www.goodreads.com/janedoe.
Linking to Books, Authors, and Reviews
Beyond your profile, you can also generate links for specific content on Goodreads, making it easy to recommend books, highlight authors, or share insightful reviews.
Sharing Book Links
When you want to recommend a specific book or discuss it online, sharing its direct Goodreads link is the most efficient way.
How to get a Book Link:
- Find the Book: Search for the desired book on Goodreads.
- Go to the Book Page: Click on the book title to navigate to its dedicated page.
- Copy the URL: In your browser's address bar, copy the URL. This is the direct link to that book's Goodreads page.
- Uses:
Sharing Author Links
Want to introduce someone to a new favorite author or discuss their works? Share their Goodreads author profile link.
How to get an Author Link:
- Find the Author: Search for the author on Goodreads, or click on an author's name from a book page.
- Go to the Author Page: This will take you to their dedicated author profile.
- Copy the URL: Copy the URL from your browser's address bar.
Sharing Review Links
If you've written a particularly insightful review, or found one that resonates with you, you can share its direct link.
How to get a Review Link:
- Find the Review: Navigate to the specific book page, then locate the review you wish to share.
- Click on the Review Timestamp: Often, clicking the date/time stamp of a review will lead you to a page displaying only that review.
- Copy the URL: Copy the URL from your browser's address bar on this individual review page.
Embedding Goodreads Content on Your Website or Blog
For bloggers and website owners, Goodreads provides widgets that allow you to dynamically display your reading activity directly on your site without manual linking.
- Shelf Widget: Display books from any of your custom shelves (e.g., "currently reading," "read," "to-read").
- Reading Challenge Widget: Showcase your progress in the annual Goodreads Reading Challenge.
- My Books Widget: A simple list of books you've rated or reviewed.
To find these widgets, typically look for an "Add to my blog" or "Widgets" section within your Goodreads settings or on specific book pages.
Connecting Goodreads to Other Social Media
Goodreads allows you to automatically share your reading updates with other social platforms, creating a seamless linking experience.
Common Social Media Connections:
| Social Platform | Description | How to Connect (General Steps) |
|---|---|---|
| Share updates like "currently reading," finished books, and reviews. | Go to Account Settings > Apps and connect your Facebook account. |
|
| Tweet about books you're reading, finishing, or reviewing. | Go to Account Settings > Apps and connect your Twitter account. |
|
| Blog/Website | Integrate Goodreads activity using RSS feeds or embeddable widgets. | Use Account Settings > Widgets or RSS Feeds for integration. |
- Steps to Connect:
- Click on your profile picture in the top right corner.
- Select "Account Settings" from the drop-down menu.
- Navigate to the "Apps" or "Widgets" tab on the left-hand sidebar.
- Follow the instructions to authorize the connection with your desired social platform or generate embed code for your website.
Best Practices for Sharing Links
- Provide Context: When sharing a link, always add a brief description of what the link is about.
- Use Link Shorteners (Optional): For very long URLs, especially on platforms with character limits, consider using a link shortener like Bitly or TinyURL.
- Verify Links: Before sharing widely, click on your generated link to ensure it leads to the correct page.
By understanding these methods, you can effectively link and share content across the Goodreads platform and beyond, enhancing your reading community experience.
