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Open Graph Image for SEO: Definition & How to Add It
Last updated: Oct 11, 2024
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In today's digital age, social media and other sharing platforms have revolutionized the way we share information, and articles are no exception.
Sharing articles on social media can boost engagement and business visibility. Yet, you cannot just create or post them randomly. You must ensure your content is easy to click on, share, and discover across social platforms.
When scrolling through social media and coming across content linked to an article, you are more likely to click on an image personalized with a catchy headline than a plain link, right? In this case, the Open Graph for SEO plays a vital role. Read the full article below to see how it works!
What Is Open Graph Image Tags in SEO?
Open Graph meta tags are snippets of code that manage how URLs appear when shared on social media. They are the key to making your content look more appealing, easier to access, and better organized on social platforms.
Without these tags, the social media platform where you share your content will automatically decide how it’s displayed, often resulting in less relevant and less appealing visuals.
In general, Open Graph tags are part of Facebook’s Open Graph Protocol, which is also used by other social media platforms like X (Twitter) and LinkedIn. Open Graph code is found in a web page's <head> section, and all tags that begin with "og:" are Open Graph tags.
Why Open Graph Tags Matter?
Aside from making your posts more visually appealing, Open Graph tags are also crucial for giving social media users a quick overview of your content and helping platforms like Facebook understand what your content is about.
This can lead to greater brand visibility in social media searches. Additionally, it allows platforms to create link previews when shared in direct messages on apps that use the Open Graph protocol, such as Facebook, WhatsApp, iMessage, and Slack.
Why Are Open Graph Images Important for SEO?
Open Graph image is primarily designed for social media optimization. However, they also have an impact on SEO, such as:
1. Images Can Show Up in Google Image Search
Open Graph image for SEO helps your images appear in Google Image Search results, mainly when they include text that aligns with your content.
This means that when users search on Google Images, your content’s images can be displayed, increasing the chances of driving traffic to your website.
2. Enhancing Click-Through Rate
Open Graph images can help improve SEO indirectly by boosting the click-through rate (CTR) from social media. Appealing images tend to trigger more shares and engagement, which can increase traffic to your website.
3. Building Brand Awareness
Open Graph images effectively increase brand awareness by refining your posts' descriptions, titles, and images. Customizing an Open Graph image for SEO enables you to create a striking article preview and a visual experience that draws in your audience.
4. Streamlining Brand Appearance and Visual Identity
Incorporating Open Graph images for SEO, particularly for articles or product pages, lets you control how your brand is showcased on social media.
This involves aligning branding, logos, and visual elements between your website and social platforms, ensuring consistency that makes your brand more memorable to your audience.
Types of Open Graph Meta Tags
There are various types of tags you can use, depending on your intended purpose. Here’s a list of the meta tags you should know.
1. og:title
The og meta tag is used for the page title and should be added to all sharable pages. To prevent overflow, aim for 40 characters for mobile devices and 60 characters for desktops.
It’s essential to use a straightforward title and avoid including any branding, like your site name, in this tag. Additionally, avoid all caps to improve readability.
The tag code should look like this:
<meta property=”og” content=”An Engaging Title Here”/>
2. og:description
This tag displays the content description to users. You can use it to capture readers' attention and encourage them to click through to your post.
3. og:url
This tag is useful if you have multiple URLs for the same content and want to create a single URL for all social media. The code would look like this:
<meta property=”og” content=”http://www.yourwonderfulsite.com”/>
4. og:type
This code defines the type of object shared on social media, such as a website or article. You can give additional details about the object type, though it’s not required. The code usually appears as follows:
<meta property="og:type" content="article" />
5. og:image
This tag is used for the image that acts as a snippet on social media. It’s likely the most important element, as it takes up a lot of space in social media feeds.
Additionally, keep the image size in mind. You can use images up to 5MB, and those sized at 1200 pixels x 627 pixels generally work best for capturing attention without breaching Facebook's guidelines.
Smaller images, especially those under 400 pixels, will appear as thumbnails, which probably won’t be as engaging as higher-quality images. Using JPEG or PNG formats is also recommended for optimal results.
Remember to link to the URL where the image is stored when creating the Open Graph tag for this image. The code should look like this:
<meta property="og:image" content="http://www.yourwonderfulsite.com/image-name.jpg" />
6. og:locale
This element helps you specify the location and language of your target audience. If you skip this tag, it will default to English for the language and the United States for the location.
7. og:audio
This Open Graph tag enables you to include a URL for an audio file. It allows your audience to listen to the audio directly on the social platform, eliminating the need to find the file elsewhere.
8. og:site_name
This tag helps you display your site's full name when the shared content is part of something larger. However, to keep it concise, avoid including your brand name in the og:title if you are using og:site_name.
Additionally, avoid special characters and inconsistent capitalization. It's better to write the name exactly as it is according to your company's branding.
9. og:video
You can use this tag to include a video file that accompanies the shared content.
How to Implement Open Graph Image for SEO
You can apply this tag either manually or by using various platforms. Here is how to implement it:
1. Manually
You can apply the Open Graph tag manually by pasting the code into the <head> section of your webpage. It’s best to place this in the child theme to ensure it remains intact even if the parent theme is updated.
2. Using WordPress
If you are working with WordPress Content Management System CMS, you can paste the code into the <head> section of the functions.php file in your child theme..
Alternatively, you can use plugins like Yoast SEO to prevent coding errors and simplify the process.
3. Using Shopify
Most Shopify themes already have Open Graph tags set up. To verify, check the social-meta-tags.liquid file located in the snippets section..
Themes with built-in og tags will use your metadata and featured images to display titles, descriptions, and images in search results.
To customize these tags, navigate to Online Store > Themes > Actions > Edit code, then open the theme.liquid file and add the code in the <head> section.
4. Using Wix
Wix uses general og tags derived from other variables, such as the page's meta title and description. You can customize the og image, description, and title for each page in the Social Share settings.
That's all about Open Graph image for SEO, which you can learn and apply to your pages. By doing so, your content will appear with a high-quality snippet when shared on social media.
If you need an experienced SEO team to improve your site's performance, SEO Services by cmlabs are here to help. Reach out to our marketing team for a free consultation today!
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