Open Graph & Social Meta Tags
Open Graph tags are HTML meta tags that control how your pages appear when shared on social media platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and WhatsApp. Twitter uses its own similar system called Twitter Cards.
What Are Open Graph Tags?
Open Graph (OG) is a protocol originally created by Facebook. When someone shares your URL on a social platform, the platform reads your OG tags to display a rich preview — a title, description, and image. Without these tags, social platforms either show nothing or guess at the content, often producing a poor result.
The Essential Open Graph Tags
<meta property="og:title" content="Handmade Soy Candles | Wax & Wick Co" />
<meta property="og:description" content="Natural soy candles made in the UK. Free delivery over £30." />
<meta property="og:image" content="https://example.co.uk/images/og-candles.jpg" />
<meta property="og:type" content="website" />
<meta property="og:url" content="https://example.co.uk/" />Twitter Card Tags
Twitter uses its own set of tags. The most commonly used is summary_large_image, which shows a large image above the title and description:
<meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image" />
<meta name="twitter:title" content="Handmade Soy Candles | Wax & Wick Co" />
<meta name="twitter:description" content="Natural soy candles made in the UK." />
<meta name="twitter:image" content="https://example.co.uk/images/og-candles.jpg" />Why Social Tags Matter for SEO
While social media shares are not a direct Google ranking factor, they create indirect benefits: more shares lead to more visits, which can generate backlinks and brand signals that do influence rankings. A compelling social preview dramatically increases the likelihood of a share being clicked.
OG Image Best Practices
- Use an image at least 1200 × 630 pixels
- Keep important content away from the edges (platforms crop differently)
- Use HTTPS URLs for all images
- Test with the Facebook Sharing Debugger