Ever heard the saying, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression”? Well, that applies online, too! Building a strong online presence is all about grabbing attention, and eye-catching social media icons are a great way to do that.
The problem? Designing custom icons can be expensive and time-consuming. That’s why I’ve hunted down the most remarkable resources and compiled a list of 20 top-notch social media icon sets for this year. These sets are packed with professional-looking icons to boost your brand image and help you build authenticity by displaying social media channels.
But what if managing all these social media channels becomes a headache, preventing you from focusing on your brand? I’ve got you covered with that, too. Now, you can schedule posts on all your platforms at once, see how your content performs, and even interact with followers – all from one place. Sounds pretty sweet, right? That’s what Social Champ does for its users. So next time you are managing multiple accounts, there’s a perfect helping hand.
Now, back to the business. Are you ready to take your social media game icon to the next level? Then continue reading this blog right till the end!
Let’s go!
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20 Best Free Social Media Icon Sets in 2024
Here are brief descriptions for each of the 20 best free social media icon sets for 2024:
Social Media Design Icons
Social media design icons refer to icons specifically designed for social media platforms and related design elements. These icons are commonly used in digital marketing, graphic design, web development, and social media management to represent various social media platforms.
Social Media Icons 3D Social Media Icons
3D social media icons are three-dimensional representations of social media platform logos or symbols. You can customize 3D icons by adjusting colors, textures, lighting effects, and angles to match your brand’s visual identity and design preferences.
3D Social Media Icons Floating Social Media Icons
Floating social media icons are commonly used in websites, blogs, and digital platforms to encourage social sharing, increase social media presence, and foster user engagement. They are often customizable in design, placement, and functionality to align with specific branding strategies and user experience goals.
Floating social media icons Flat Social Media Icons
Flat icons typically have smaller file sizes than more complex designs like 3D icons. This contributes to faster website and app loading times. Flat social media icons balance style, functionality, and versatility, making them popular among digital designers and marketers.
Flat Social Media Icons Social Media Colorful Icons
Social media icons are designed for instant recognition. They often burst with color to grab attention. Take Facebook’s vibrant blue “f” or Instagram’s playful blend of purple, pink, and orange. Even the subtler icons like LinkedIn’s gradient blue or Pinterest’s bold red “P” pack a punch.
YouTube’s fiery red play button and TikTok’s energetic teal with a black musical note are equally eye-catching. Even Snapchat’s bright yellow ghost is impossible to miss. These strategic color choices ensure the icons stand out on any platform, making it easy for users to find and connect with your social media presence.
Social Media Colorful Icons Gold Luxury Social Media Icons
Gold luxury social media icons are set designed to exude elegance and sophistication. These icons typically feature the logos of popular social media platforms rendered in a luxurious gold color. The gold itself might be metallic, glossy, or have a subtle gradient for added depth. Often, the icons will be placed on a transparent background allowing them to seamlessly integrate with your website or app’s design. These gold icons are a perfect choice for brands that want to project an image of affluence, exclusivity, or timeless style.
Gold Luxury Social Media Icons Black Background Social Media Icons
Black background social media icons aren’t actually icons with a black background themselves. Instead, it refers to social media icons designed in a dark color scheme, most commonly black or charcoal. These icons usually feature the logos of popular social media platforms in a contrasting color, often white, to stand out clearly.
This design choice can enhance the visual appeal of your website or app, particularly if it has a dark theme, creating a sleek and unified look. Beyond aesthetics, black background social media icons can also project a specific mood, like sophistication or seriousness, depending on your brand identity. And despite their dark color, the high-contrast design often ensures good readability when placed on light backgrounds.
Black Background Social Media Icons Hand-Crafted Icons for Social Media
Hand-crafted social media icons mimic the look of handwritten or hand-drawn elements. They add a personal and creative touch to digital designs, making them stand out and feel more unique.
Hand-crafted icons for Social Media Black and White Social Media Logos
Black and white social media logos are simply the icons we know and love but rendered in a two-tone palette. This means the logos are typically presented in black or white, sometimes with a touch of grey for shading, while the background remains the opposite color. These monochrome versions offer several benefits: they can seamlessly integrate with minimalist designs, maintain readability on various colored backgrounds, and even add a touch of elegance or sophistication to your website or app.
Black and White Social Media Logos Multi-Style Social Media Icons
Multi-style social media icons are a collection of icons representing different social media platforms, such as TikTok and Pinterest. They come in various designs, such as flat, 3D, colorful, black-and-white, outlined, filled, and simple styles.
Multi-Style Social Media Icons Vector Social Media Icons
These icons are scalable, vectorize images that can achieve this without losing quality, making them ideal for various design projects such as websites, presentations, infographics, and more. Vector icons are typically available in popular file formats like SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics), AI (Adobe Illustrator), EPS (Encapsulated PostScript), and PDF (Portable Document Format).
Hexagon Social Media Icons
Hexagon social media icons are shaped like hexagons, a six-sided polygon with straight sides. These icons offer a unique and visually appealing alternative to the more common square or round social media icons. In addition, they offer creative flexibility in design projects.
Hexagon Social Media Icons 3D Glass Social Media Icons
3D Glass Social Media Icons depict popular social media platform logos reimagined with a three-dimensional, glossy effect. The icons appear to be crafted from clear or slightly tinted glass, catching light and offering a reflective, almost wet appearance.
This creates a sense of depth and dynamism compared to flat icons. Depending on the design style, the social media logos might be rendered within the glass or etched on its surface. These icons can elevate the visual appeal of your website or app, particularly for those with a modern or tech-forward aesthetic.
3D Glass Social Media Icons Premium PSD Social Media Icon
The PSD format allows for easy customization. Users can modify colors, sizes, shapes, and other elements to align with their brand or project requirements. This customization ensures consistency in design across different platforms and materials, contributing to a cohesive and professional appearance.
Premium PSD Social Media Icon Faded Social Media Icons
Social media icons that appear faint or faded are referred to as faded icons. They are often used in design projects to give them a more delicate or vintage feel. So, if you are looking for faded icons for your brand or business, you can use these icons for social media.
Faded Social Media Icons Neon Social Media Icons
These icons are popular in modern web and app designs. They add a touch of vibrancy and energy to the user interface while maintaining recognizability and familiarity with the social media platforms they represent.
Neon Social Media Icons Pink Social Media Icons
Pink is often associated with femininity, love, compassion, and creativity. It is a popular choice for social media icons, especially for brands or designs targeting audiences with these characteristics or themes. These icons are ideal for promoting cosmetics and clothing websites.
Pink Social Media Icons Aesthetic Social Media Icons
Popular social media icons with an aesthetic design often include variations of well-known platform logos or symbols creatively stylized to appeal to a specific aesthetic sensibility.
Aesthetic Social Media Icons Gradient Social Media Icons
Gradient social media icons create a visual effect by blending two or more colors. These can range from subtle color transitions to more vibrant and eye-catching combinations.
These social media icons can add a touch of personality and modernity to your website or app’s design. Depending on the chosen color combination, they can also be used to create a specific mood or theme. For instance, a set with teal and purple gradients might evoke feelings of creativity or technology, while a sunset gradient set could create a more calming and inviting atmosphere.
Gradient Social Media Icons Dark Social Media Icon Set
Dark social media icon sets offer a collection of popular platform icons designed with a shadowy color scheme. These icons, typically black or charcoal with contrasting white logos, can complement your website or app’s dark theme for a unified look.
They can also set a specific mood, like sophistication or mystery, depending on your brand. While dark, these icons often use high-contrast colors for readability on light backgrounds. When choosing a dark social media icon set, ensure clarity and recognizability, especially at small sizes. Consistency in style and detail across the icons is also important. Finally, make sure the set comes in usable formats and scales well to different sizes.
Dark Social Media Icon Set
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Where to Source Social Media Icons.
You can source social icons for your website or design projects in several places:
- Icon Packs: Many icon packs are available online and offer collections of social media icons in formats like PNG, SVG, and AI. Some popular options include Flaticon, Noun Project, and Icon Finder. These packs often come with icons in different sizes and styles, making finding one that suits your design easier.
- Stock Photo/Vector Sites like Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, and Freepik offer a vast library of social icons you can purchase and download. These icons are usually available in multiple formats, including vector graphics, allowing easy resizing and customization.
- Social Media Platforms Many social media platforms provide official brand assets, including logos and icons, which you can download and use according to their guidelines. To find these assets, visit the platform’s brand resource center or developer documentation.
- Design Tools: Popular design tools like Adobe Illustrator, Sketch, and Figma often have built-in icon libraries, including social icons. You can access these libraries within the software and use the icons in your designs.
Utilize social media icons (SVG) to ensure crisp and clear images on any screen size. Additionally, following the brand guidelines the respective social media platforms provide is essential to ensure consistent and appropriate usage of their icons.
What Are Social Media Icons and Why Should You Use Them
Social media icons are those tiny, recognizable logos representing popular social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. These icons serve as visual links that enable users to connect easily with a brand, business, or individual on their social media channels. Using social media icons is crucial for several reasons:
- First and foremost, social media icons enhance user experience and navigation on websites or digital platforms.
- They provide a convenient and intuitive way for visitors to access and follow a brand’s or individual’s social media presence. By incorporating these recognizable icons, users can instantly identify and access the desired social media platforms without searching for them or typing in lengthy URLs.
- Secondly, social media icons play a vital role in promoting brand awareness and increasing online visibility.
- When users encounter these icons on a website or digital platform, they are reminded of the brand’s presence on various social media channels.
- This exposure can lead to increased engagement, as users may be prompted to follow or connect with the brand, ultimately expanding its reach and potential customer base.
- Furthermore, social media icons contribute to a website or digital platform’s overall aesthetic appeal and professionalism.
A cohesive and visually appealing presentation of social media icons can enhance the overall design and user experience, projecting a polished and modern image for the brand or individual.
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How to Use Social Media Icons Legally for Marketing Your Brand
Using social media icons to market your brand can be an effective strategy. Still, it is crucial to ensure you’re doing it legally and in compliance with the respective platform’s guidelines. Here are some tips to help you use social media icons legally:
Websites
Social media icons are a key connection point for website visitors. Their placement significantly impacts visibility and user engagement. Here are two optimal locations:
- Header (Top Right): This prime spot ensures icons are readily seen during browsing, encouraging clicks and follows.
- Footer: Placing them at the bottom keeps the layout clean while still offering easy access.
Gmail Signature
- Go to the Gmail settings by clicking on the gear icon in the top right corner and selecting “Settings.”
- Scroll down to the “Signature” section and click on the signature you want to edit, or you can create a new one.
- In the signature editor, click on the social media icon to insert.
- Upload the social media icon you want to use from your computer or enter the URL of the icon images hosted online.
- Position and resize the icons within the signature editor as desired.
- Add hyperlinks to each social media icon by highlighting it and clicking the “Link” icon, then entering the URL of your corresponding social media profile.
- Preview your signature with the embedded social media icons to ensure everything looks correct.
- Scroll down and click “Save Changes” at the bottom of the settings page
Newsletters
Strategic placement of social media icons in your newsletter can significantly impact engagement. Here’s a breakdown of popular options:
- Header: While less prominent, header placement works well for clean designs and encourages early interaction.
- Footer: A highly popular choice. Readers often scan to the end, making footer icons highly visible.
- Sidebar: Ideal for newsletters with side columns, offering a dedicated space for easy access.
Outlook Signature
- Open Outlook and go to File > Options > Mail > Signatures
- Click ‘New’ to create a new signature or ‘Edit’ to modify an existing one
- In the signature editor, place your cursor where you want the icons to appear
- Click the ‘Picture’ icon in the toolbar and select ‘Picture from File.’
- Browse and select the social media icon image file, then click ‘Insert.’
- Repeat this process to add multiple social media icons
- Highlight each icon image and click the ‘Hyperlink’ icon in the toolbar
- Click ‘OK’ to save the new signature with social media icons
Best Practices for Using Social Media Icons in 2024
As we move into 2024, social media icons are essential to digital marketing and website design. However, staying up-to-date with the best practices for using these icons effectively is essential with evolving trends and platform updates. Here are some recommendations:
Download from Official Source
Always download social media icons directly from the official source or brand asset library the respective platforms provide. This ensures you’re using the most up-to-date and legally approved versions of the icons.
Minimalist and Flat Design
The trend towards minimalist and flat design will continue in 2024. Choose social media icons with a clean, simple, flat aesthetic that aligns with modern design principles. Avoid overly detailed or skiagraphic icons, as they may appear outdated.
Go for the Upgraded Version
Social media platforms occasionally update their branding and icons. Ensure you’re using the latest version of the icons to maintain a consistent and professional look aligned with the platform’s current branding.
Brand Consistency
Ensure your social icons match your brand’s overall visual identity. Consider customizing the icons’ colors or styles to match your brand’s palette and design language if necessary.
Accessibility Considerations
Make sure your social icons are accessible to users with disabilities. Provide appropriate alternative text (alt tags) for screen readers and ensure the icons have sufficient color contrast and legibility.
Strategic Placement
Place social media icons or marketing materials on your website in prominent and intuitive locations. Consider positioning them in the header, footer, or sidebar for easy discoverability. Additionally, icons should be incorporated within relevant content sections to encourage social sharing.
Choose Minimum Icons
While social media provides numerous platforms to connect with your audience, using too many icons in your marketing materials can create clutter and distract from your brand’s message. It is generally recommended that you focus on three to five social media icons most relevant to your business and target audience.
Use Legal Icons
Ensure you have legal permission to use any custom-designed social media icons that are not officially created by the platform.
Use Consistent Styling
For an amazing look, maintain consistent styling across all social media icons, such as color, size, and design.
Include Alt Text
Add descriptive alt text to social media icons for accessibility and SEO purposes.
Review and update your social media icons regularly to ensure they remain visually appealing, compliant with platform guidelines, and aligned with best practices.
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How to Add Social Media Icons in WordPress in 2024
Adding social media icons to your WordPress website in 2024 can be accomplished through various methods, depending on your specific requirements and preferences.
Here are some common approaches:
- Using a WordPress Plugin: Plugins are a popular and convenient way to add social icons to your WordPress site. Some popular options include:
- Social Media Icons Widget & Block by WPZOOM: This plugin allows you to easily add icons to your website’s widget areas or as a Gutenberg block.
- Smash Balloon Social Photo Feed: This plugin displays social media feeds and lets you add customizable icons.
- Shared Counts: This plugin adds social icons and displays share counts for each platform.
- Utilizing a WordPress Theme: Many modern WordPress themes have built-in options for adding social icons. Look for themes that allow you to customize social media icons in the theme settings or provide dedicated widget areas.
- Manually Adding Icons with HTML/CSS: If you prefer a more hands-on approach, you can manually add social media icons to your WordPress website using HTML and CSS. This method involves creating a custom widget or embedding the HTML code directly into your theme files.
In Conclusion
Incorporating these high-quality, freely available social media icons into your websites, applications, or marketing materials can elevate your brand’s visual identity, improve user experience, and seamlessly integrate with popular social media platforms.
As trends and design standards evolve, these icon sets provide a solid foundation for maintaining a contemporary and engaging online presence in 2024.
