---
title: Optimizely Social Reach
slug: cms-11/dev-docs/optimizely-social-reach
docTags: 
createdAt: 2026-07-22T19:45:20.939Z
---

:::hint{type="info"}
**Note**
Optimizely Social Reach is for CMS 11 and is not available on later versions of CMS.
:::

![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/0XAgZ62MqrqS1sGDYJ_Jw_80b61c2-socialreach.png)

## Requirements

- No additional license fee.
- An Optimizely Content Management System (CMS) or Optimizely Customized Commerce installation.
- Accounts for the social channels to be used.
- See [Add-ons platform compatibility](docId\:bXYbY3IauDz9fts3sKR_c) for package and version information.

## Install Social Reach

These instructions apply to Social Reach for CMS version 7.5 and higher. To install Social Reach, you need a working site with CMS 7.5 or higher, with a valid license installed.

- Versions 7.5 and higher are [installed through NuGet](https://nuget.optimizely.com).

Social Reach contains the following:

- **Files** – The installed files are located under **Modules/Social**.
- **Virtual roles** – The virtual roles **SocialEditors** and **SocialAdmins** are included in the default configuration. You can change the access rights as described in [Change Default Access Rights](docId\:ldLOAQsEjF4vdyYQGg2Gr).
- **Providers** – The social channels are created based on a provider model. Available example providers are **Twitter**, **LinkedIn** and **Facebook**. The shortening service is also based on a provider model. The available shortening service provider is **bit.ly**. Providers are registered in `web.config` with a default configuration to use Optimizely's accounts as follows:

```xml
<social>
  <providers>
    <provider name="Twitter" 
              consumerKey="" 
              consumerSecret="" 
              type="EPiServer.Social.Providers.TwitterProvider, EPiServer.Social.Providers" />
    <provider name="LinkedIn" 
              consumerKey="" 
              consumerSecret="" 
              type="EPiServer.Social.Providers.LinkedInProvider, EPiServer.Social.Providers" />
    <provider name="Facebook" 
              consumerKey="" 
              consumerSecret="" 
              type="EPiServer.Social.Providers.FacebookProvider, EPiServer.Social.Providers" />
    <provider name="Bitly" 
              providerType="UrlShortener" 
              consumerKey="" 
              consumerSecret="" 
              type="EPiServer.Social.Providers.Bitly, EPiServer.Social.Providers" />
  </providers>
</social>
```

## Change default access rights

You can change which roles that have access to the different views in Optimizely Social Reach by using the virtual roles **SocialEditors** and **SocialAdmins** through the `<location>` section in `episerverframework.config` and `web.config` for the following elements:

`<location path="/modules/EPiServer.Social">`

and

`<location path="/modules/EPiServer.Social/Settings">`

## How the Social Reach App gadget constructs the auto-input message

This section explains how the Social Reach App gadget constructs the auto-input message. The message is created when a Social Reach user is posting a message and selects a link. Social Reach then populates the message's `Name` and `Message` fields by extracting information from the link per the following logic. The user can accept the values or edit them before sending the message.

1. The widget gets the `contentlink` from Edit View and sends it to the **OutReach** panel.
2. In the **OutReach** panel, the widget extracts `contentData` from the `contentLink`.
3. Using the following components, the widget populates the **OutReach** UI components.

- `message.Name = contentData.Name`
- `message.MessageBody = contentData\["MetaDescription"\]` or `"MainBody"` or `"Info\_Description"` (in priority order).

**Additional explanation of MessageBody**

**OutReach** uses the `contentData` meta-description property if it exists.

- If that property has no value, **OutReach** uses the `MainBody` property.
- If that property has no value, **OutReach** uses the `Info_Description` property.

See also: [Social Reach Add-on](/epiui/CMS/Content/add-ons/social-reach,,113952/?epieditmode=False)