Create Stylish Bootstrap 3 Social Media Icons

Hi, I’m going to show you how to create bootstrap 3 social media icons without images. Yes! We are going to use an icon font library called Font Awesome. It is a scalable vector icon font which is supported by all modern browsers and IE version of 8 or above. It can be used to add social media buttons (ex., Login with Facebook button) or social media icons for websites without images. Also it’s fully compatible with Twitter Bootstrap 3 and we’ll see how to use it for adding social media icons in bootstrap websites.

Did you see the tiny round social media icons in the above image? Awesome isn’t it? Those are css social media icons without using any images. Also they are fully customizable by their size, color and effects, hence the possibilities are unlimited. All we have to do is style the icons with little bit of css code. Font Awesome is not only limited to bootstrap sites and you can use it on any other types of sites built in html/css websites, wordpress blogs etc. Adding the social media icons for websites not built with bootstrap css framework would be the same as the procedure given in this post.

Creating Bootstrap 3 Social Media Icons for Websites

First let’s include the required bootstrap and font awesome files. You can download and use them locally or load it directly from CDN, which is recommended. For this tutorial sake, I stick to link them from max cdn. Pretty much like any other css stylesheets, you have to link them within the <head></head> section of the html file.

Here in Koding Made Simple we have constantly discussed about creating css buttons without images and customizing bootstrap framework components. I strongly recommend you to read this post on creating css social media icons using font awesome.

<head>
    <title>Bootstrap 3 Social Media Icons Tutorial</title>
    <meta charset="utf-8"> 
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
    <!--Load Bootstrap css-->
    <link href="//maxcdn.bootstrapcdn.com/bootstrap/3.3.0/css/bootstrap.min.css" rel="stylesheet">
    <!--load font awesome-->
    <link href="//maxcdn.bootstrapcdn.com/font-awesome/4.2.0/css/font-awesome.min.css" rel="stylesheet">
</head>

Having added the required css files, we’ll insert the social icons into the page with html markup. The font awesome icon classes should be wrapped either inside <i></i> tag or <span></span> tag.

I have given the code for around 20 popular css social media icons and if you want it for some other brands not mentioned here, use it similarly with their corresponding classes. To see the complete list of social media icons available goto http://fontawesome.io and in the top menu select icons >> brand icons.

I’m going to create round social media icons for bootstrap 3 as they are always lucrative. And they will be of medium gray in color with a hover transition to their respective brand colors.

HTML Code for Bootstrap Social Media Icons

Here goes the html code for bootstrap social media icons. Add them in an unordered list.

<div class="social">
    <ul>
        <li><a href="#"><i class="fa fa-lg fa-facebook"></i></a></li>
        <li><a href="#"><i class="fa fa-lg fa-twitter"></i></a></li>
        <li><a href="#"><i class="fa fa-lg fa-google-plus"></i></a></li>
        <li><a href="#"><i class="fa fa-lg fa-github"></i></a></li>
        <li><a href="#"><i class="fa fa-lg fa-pinterest"></i></a></li>
        <li><a href="#"><i class="fa fa-lg fa-linkedin"></i></a></li>
        <li><a href="#"><i class="fa fa-lg fa-flickr"></i></a></li>
        <li><a href="#"><i class="fa fa-lg fa-instagram"></i></a></li>
        <li><a href="#"><i class="fa fa-lg fa-vimeo-square"></i></a></li>
        <li><a href="#"><i class="fa fa-lg fa-stack-overflow"></i></a></li>
        <li><a href="#"><i class="fa fa-lg fa-dropbox"></i></a></li>
        <li><a href="#"><i class="fa fa-lg fa-tumblr"></i></a></li>
        <li><a href="#"><i class="fa fa-lg fa-dribbble"></i></a></li>
        <li><a href="#"><i class="fa fa-lg fa-skype"></i></a></li>
        <li><a href="#"><i class="fa fa-lg fa-stack-exchange"></i></a></li>
        <li><a href="#"><i class="fa fa-lg fa-youtube"></i></a></li>
        <li><a href="#"><i class="fa fa-lg fa-xing"></i></a></li>
        <li><a href="#"><i class="fa fa-lg fa-rss"></i></a></li>
        <li><a href="#"><i class="fa fa-lg fa-foursquare"></i></a></li>
        <li><a href="#"><i class="fa fa-lg fa-youtube-play"></i></a></li>
    </ul>
</div>

Now we’ll get something like this...

Hmm... Not looking good. We have to add css code cleverly to style them.

CSS Code for Bootstrap Social Media Icons

As we have added the icons in an unordered list, it got stacked one by one as a bulleted list. We have to strip off the bullet points and should align the icons side-by-side with little bit of padding. Here goes it’s css code.

.social {
    margin: 0;
    padding: 0;
}

.social ul {
    margin: 0;
    padding: 5px;
}

.social ul li {
    margin: 5px;
    list-style: none outside none;
    display: inline-block;
}

Next I’ll change the text & background colors and make it round. Also I’ll apply some mild transition effect for smooth mouse hover.

.social i {
    width: 40px;
    height: 40px;
    color: #FFF;
    background-color: #909AA0;
    font-size: 22px;
    text-align:center;
    padding-top: 12px;
    border-radius: 50%;
    -moz-border-radius: 50%;
    -webkit-border-radius: 50%;
    -o-border-radius: 50%;
    transition: all ease 0.3s;
    -moz-transition: all ease 0.3s;
    -webkit-transition: all ease 0.3s;
    -o-transition: all ease 0.3s;
    -ms-transition: all ease 0.3s;
}

.social i:hover {
    color: #FFF;
    text-decoration: none;
    transition: all ease 0.3s;
    -moz-transition: all ease 0.3s;
    -webkit-transition: all ease 0.3s;
    -o-transition: all ease 0.3s;
    -ms-transition: all ease 0.3s;
}

Now our bootstrap social media buttons are looking really nice. But we are not yet done.

Still all our bootstrap 3 social media icons will be the same old gray color on hover. We have to change their backgrounds to their brand logo colors.

Here goes the css code.

.social .fa-facebook:hover { /* round facebook icon*/
    background: #4060A5;
}

.social .fa-twitter:hover { /* round twitter icon*/
    background: #00ABE3;
}

.social .fa-google-plus:hover { /* round google plus icon*/
    background: #e64522;
}

.social .fa-github:hover { /* round github icon*/
    background: #343434;
}

.social .fa-pinterest:hover { /* round pinterest icon*/
    background: #cb2027;
}

.social .fa-linkedin:hover { /* round linkedin icon*/
    background: #0094BC;
}

.social .fa-flickr:hover { /* round flickr icon*/
    background: #FF57AE;
}

.social .fa-instagram:hover { /* round instagram icon*/
    background: #375989;
}

.social .fa-vimeo-square:hover { /* round vimeo square icon*/
    background: #83DAEB;
}

.social .fa-stack-overflow:hover { /* round stack overflow icon*/
    background: #FEA501;
}

.social .fa-dropbox:hover { /* round dropbox icon*/
    background: #017FE5;
}

.social .fa-tumblr:hover { /* round tumblr icon*/
    background: #3a5876;
}

.social .fa-dribbble:hover { /* round dribble icon*/
    background: #F46899;
}

.social .fa-skype:hover { /* round skype icon*/
    background: #00C6FF;
}

.social .fa-stack-exchange:hover { /* round stack exchange icon*/
    background: #4D86C9;
}

.social .fa-youtube:hover { /* round youtube icon*/
    background: #FF1F25;
}

.social .fa-xing:hover { /* round xing icon*/
    background: #005C5E;
}

.social .fa-rss:hover { /* round rss icon*/
    background: #e88845;
}

.social .fa-foursquare:hover { /* round foursquare icon*/
    background: #09B9E0;
}

.social .fa-youtube-play:hover { /* round youtube play button icon*/
    background: #DF192A;
}

Well. Our social media icons for bootstrap 3 now looks very colorful on mouse hover.

Here is the complete css code for the social media icons style we have created.

.social {
    margin: 0;
    padding: 0;
}

.social ul {
    margin: 0;
    padding: 5px;
}

.social ul li {
    margin: 5px;
    list-style: none outside none;
    display: inline-block;
}

.social i {
    width: 40px;
    height: 40px;
    color: #FFF;
    background-color: #909AA0;
    font-size: 22px;
    text-align:center;
    padding-top: 12px;
    border-radius: 50%;
    -moz-border-radius: 50%;
    -webkit-border-radius: 50%;
    -o-border-radius: 50%;
    transition: all ease 0.3s;
    -moz-transition: all ease 0.3s;
    -webkit-transition: all ease 0.3s;
    -o-transition: all ease 0.3s;
    -ms-transition: all ease 0.3s;
}

.social i:hover {
    color: #FFF;
    text-decoration: none;
    transition: all ease 0.3s;
    -moz-transition: all ease 0.3s;
    -webkit-transition: all ease 0.3s;
    -o-transition: all ease 0.3s;
    -ms-transition: all ease 0.3s;
}

.social .fa-facebook:hover {
    background: #4060A5;
}

.social .fa-twitter:hover {
    background: #00ABE3;
}

.social .fa-google-plus:hover {
    background: #e64522;
}

.social .fa-github:hover {
    background: #343434;
}

.social .fa-pinterest:hover {
    background: #cb2027;
}

.social .fa-linkedin:hover {
    background: #0094BC;
}

.social .fa-flickr:hover {
    background: #FF57AE;
}

.social .fa-instagram:hover {
    background: #375989;
}

.social .fa-vimeo-square:hover {
    background: #83DAEB;
}

.social .fa-stack-overflow:hover {
    background: #FEA501;
}

.social .fa-dropbox:hover {
    background: #017FE5;
}

.social .fa-tumblr:hover {
    background: #3a5876;
}

.social .fa-dribbble:hover {
    background: #F46899;
}

.social .fa-skype:hover {
    background: #00C6FF;
}

.social .fa-stack-exchange:hover {
    background: #4D86C9;
}

.social .fa-youtube:hover {
    background: #FF1F25;
}

.social .fa-xing:hover {
    background: #005C5E;
}

.social .fa-rss:hover {
    background: #e88845;
}

.social .fa-foursquare:hover {
    background: #09B9E0;
}

.social .fa-youtube-play:hover {
    background: #DF192A;
}

Just note the above list of social media icons includes css code for 20 different social networks. Now don’t get excited and line up all these icons in your websites/blogs. Remember to use only the networks in which you are popular. Less is always good.

Also Read: 5 Free Black and White Social Media Icons Sets using CSS and HTML

Final Word

Although you can add social icons anywhere on the website, it will be best if you place these social media icons on bootstrap top navigation bar, footer, side bar or on contact page. Choice is yours.

Make use of these stylish bootstrap 3 social media icons cleverly and power up your websites and blogs. Find this tutorial helpful? I would appreciate if you return me the favor and share it in your circle :)

23 comments:

javaanimalMarch 30, 2015 7:43 PM
you could complete your tutorial showing how to add these buttons in a hidden sidebar, and when the user passes the mouse over the lateral of the page, this sidebar get displayed. thanks
UnknownApril 06, 2015 11:58 AM
These are awesome, I'm adding them to pawnstocker.com. Thanks!
Aswin LutchanahMay 25, 2015 5:22 PM
Hello,

Thanks a lot for this tutorial. It would be great if you could update it for font-awesome 4.30 :)

Take Care
UnknownAugust 15, 2015 12:56 AM
I can't view icons on my page. I added all what you say, but nothing have to see...
Learn Web Developement OnlineAugust 19, 2015 8:47 AM
These icons Not Compatible in Chrome what i do for that Issue
UnknownSeptember 03, 2015 11:30 AM
This was awesome! Exactly the magic I was looking for thanks!
UnknownSeptember 03, 2015 11:31 AM
Awesome! This was exactly the magic I was looking for. Thanks!
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What a post
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UnknownNovember 10, 2016 10:48 AM
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Peter FloydNovember 14, 2016 11:45 AM
Beautiful post
UnknownNovember 26, 2016 11:15 PM
THANKYOU SO MUCH, BEAUTIFUL POST!
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Create Stylish Bootstrap 3 Social Media Icons | How-To Guide

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