What is Open Graph?

Open Graph is a protocol created by Facebook to make web content more shareable on social media.  

It uses special tags in your website’s HTML to control how your pages look when shared on platforms like Facebook, X, and LinkedIn. 

These tags tell social networks what image, title, and description to use for your content.  

This helps your links stand out and get more clicks when shared. 

You can use Open Graph tags to: 

  • Choose the perfect image for social shares
  • Write catchy titles and descriptions
  • Set the content type (article, video, etc.)
  • Add other details like publication date

By using Open Graph, you’ll make your content more appealing and engaging when it’s shared across social media. 

How does Open Graph work

Open Graph uses special meta tags on web pages to control how content appears when shared on social media. 

When you share a link on Facebook or X, these platforms look for Open Graph tags to pull key information. 

The main Open Graph tags are: 

  • Page title
  • Brief summary
  • Preview image
  • Canonical URL

For example, when you share a blog post on Facebook, Open Graph tags tell Facebook what title, description, and image to display in the post preview.

This lets you optimize how your content looks in social feeds. 

To use Open Graph, you add meta tags to your HTML. Social platforms then read these tags to create rich previews of your content.

Why is Open Graph important for your social media strategy?

Open Graph tags can boost your social media game big time.  

When you share links on platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn, these tags control how your content looks. They help you grab attention and get more clicks.

With Open Graph, you pick the image, title, and description that show up in link previews.  

This means you can make your posts look great and stand out in busy social feeds. Better-looking posts often lead to more engagement and shares.

Open Graph tags also improve your social media visibility.  

They help search engines and social platforms understand your content better. This can lead to more people finding and clicking on your links.

By using these tags, you’re setting yourself up for better social media engagement rates and more traffic to your website. 

Best practices for using Open Graph tags

Make your content shine on social media with these Open Graph tag tips: 

  • Create a catchy, descriptive title under 60 characters
  • Write a compelling 2-3 sentence summary
  • Use high-quality images sized 1200×630 pixels
  • Add the exact URL of your page

Keep tags up-to-date as you revise content.  

Test how your pages appear when shared using Facebook’s Sharing Debugger tool. 

You can use Brandwatch to track how your Open Graph-tagged content performs on social platforms, too. Monitor shares, engagement, and clicks to refine your approach over time. 

Remember to optimize tags for each social network. 

While Facebook pioneered Open Graph, other platforms like X and LinkedIn have their own meta tag preferences too. 

How to implement Open Graph on your website

Adding Open Graph tags to your website is simpler than you might think. Here’s a quick guide: 

  • Open your web page’s HTML file 
  • Locate the section
  • Add these basic meta tags: 
    • <meta property=”og:title” content=”Your Page Title”>
    • <meta property=”og:description” content=”Brief description”>
    • <meta property=”og:image” content=”https://example.com/image.jpg”>
    • <meta property=”og:url” content=”https://example.com/page”>

Choose a high-quality image that’s at least 1200×630 pixels.  

Test your tags using Facebook’s Sharing Debugger to see how your content will appear on social media.

Brandwatch’s social media tools can help you optimize your content for better engagement.  

Remember to update your Open Graph tags whenever you change your page content. 

Optimize your social media previews with Open Graph and Brandwatch

Open Graph tags are key to creating eye-catching social media previews. They tell platforms like Facebook and X how to display your content when shared.

To get started, add relevant tags to your web pages

Brandwatch’s social media tools can help you track how your shared content performs. 

You’ll see which previews get the most engagement, allowing you to fine-tune your Open Graph tags for better results. 

With Brandwatch, you can ensure your social media presence stays strong and visually appealing. It’s the perfect companion to your Open Graph optimization efforts.