What are Open Graph tags and why are they important?
Open Graph (OG) tags are meta tags that control how your content appears when shared on social media platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. They determine the title, description, image, and other metadata that displays in link previews. Proper OG tags significantly improve click-through rates and make your shared links look more professional and engaging.
What's the ideal image size for Open Graph images?
The recommended size for Open Graph images is 1200x630 pixels with a 1.91:1 aspect ratio. This size works well across most social platforms. For optimal results, use high-quality images that are relevant to your content and avoid using images with important elements near the edges, as they may get cropped on different devices.
Do I need both Open Graph and Twitter Card tags?
While Open Graph tags work on most platforms including Facebook and LinkedIn, Twitter uses its own Twitter Card system. It's recommended to include both for maximum compatibility. Many platforms will fall back to Open Graph tags if Twitter Cards aren't present, but including both ensures optimal display across all social networks.
How can I test if my Open Graph tags are working correctly?
You can test your Open Graph tags using Facebook's Sharing Debugger (developers.facebook.com/tools/debug) or Twitter's Card Validator (cards-dev.twitter.com/validator). These tools will show you exactly how your content will appear when shared and identify any issues with your meta tags that need to be fixed.
What's the difference between og:type options?
The og:type specifies the type of content being shared. Common values include "website" for general web pages, "article" for blog posts and news articles, "video.movie" for videos, "music.song" for audio content, and "profile" for personal profiles. Using the correct type helps social platforms display your content appropriately and may provide additional features specific to that content type.