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What Are Open Graph Tags?
Open Graph (OG) tags are HTML meta tags in the head section of a web page that control how the page appears when shared as a link on social networks and messaging apps. They were originally created by Facebook in 2010 and have since become the standard format used by LinkedIn, Slack, WhatsApp, Twitter (X), Discord, and virtually every platform that generates link previews.
Without Open Graph tags, platforms make their best guess at what to show — often pulling an unexpected image, cutting off the description, or displaying an unappealing title. With proper OG tags, you control the headline, description, and image for every share, which significantly affects click-through rates from social media.
The most important OG tags are og:title (the share headline), og:description (the preview summary), og:image (the preview image — the single biggest CTR driver), og:url (the canonical URL), and og:type (the content type, usually website or article). Twitter Cards use their own twitter: tag variants but fall back to OG tags when Twitter-specific tags are absent.
- og:title — the headline shown in the link preview (70 characters maximum)
- og:description — the preview description (100–200 characters)
- og:image — the preview image URL (1200×630px recommended for Facebook/LinkedIn)
- og:url — the canonical URL of the page
- og:type — content type: website, article, video.movie, book
- og:site_name — the name of your website or brand
Open Graph Image Requirements by Platform
The og:image is the most important element of a link preview. The recommended size is 1200×630 pixels (1.91:1 aspect ratio), which displays cleanly on Facebook, LinkedIn, and most other platforms. Images smaller than 600×315 pixels may not be shown at all by Facebook. LinkedIn recommends at least 1200×627 pixels.
Twitter Cards use a 2:1 aspect ratio for summary_large_image cards, which means a 1200×600 pixel image is ideal. If you use a square image (1:1 ratio), Twitter displays it in a small format that is far less engaging than a large banner preview.
All preview images should be served over HTTPS. JPG and PNG formats are both accepted. Facebook fetches and caches OG images when a URL is first shared — if you change the image, use the Facebook Sharing Debugger to force a cache refresh so the new image appears in future shares.
- Facebook / LinkedIn: 1200×630px (1.91:1 ratio), minimum 600×315px
- Twitter large card: 1200×600px (2:1 ratio)
- File format: JPG or PNG served over HTTPS
- File size: under 8 MB for Facebook; smaller is faster to load in previews
- Cache refresh: use Facebook Sharing Debugger and Twitter Card Validator after updates
Twitter Cards vs Open Graph Tags
Twitter has its own meta tag system called Twitter Cards using twitter: tag names. The twitter:card tag defines the card type (summary, summary_large_image, app, player). The twitter:title, twitter:description, and twitter:image tags override the equivalent OG tags for Twitter specifically.
If Twitter-specific tags are absent, Twitter falls back to og:title, og:description, and og:image. For most sites, setting the OG tags well is sufficient for Twitter too. Only add Twitter-specific tags when you want different content for Twitter versus other platforms, or when you need to use a large image card format that requires twitter:card: summary_large_image.
Why marketers use this tool
- Control exactly how your page looks when shared on social media
- Generate all essential OG tags for Facebook, LinkedIn, and Slack
- Fix missing or broken link previews by setting the correct meta tags
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Open Graph tags used for?
Open Graph tags control how a web page appears when shared as a link on social media platforms, messaging apps, and chat tools. They define the title, description, image, and URL shown in link previews on Facebook, LinkedIn, Slack, WhatsApp, Twitter, Discord, and other platforms.
What size should the og:image be?
The recommended og:image size is 1200×630 pixels (1.91:1 aspect ratio). This displays cleanly on Facebook and LinkedIn. For Twitter large card previews, use 1200×600 pixels (2:1 ratio). Images under 600×315 pixels may not be shown by Facebook at all.
My link preview shows the wrong image — how do I fix it?
Platforms cache OG tag data when a URL is first shared. To force an update on Facebook, use the Facebook Sharing Debugger (developers.facebook.com/tools/debug). For Twitter, use the Twitter Card Validator. For LinkedIn, use the LinkedIn Post Inspector. These tools re-fetch the page and clear the cached preview.
Do I need both OG tags and Twitter Card tags?
Not necessarily. Twitter falls back to og:title, og:description, and og:image when Twitter-specific tags are absent. You only need to add twitter: tags when you want a different title or image for Twitter, or when you specifically want to use a large-image card format (twitter:card: summary_large_image).
What og:type should I use for blog posts?
Use og:type: article for blog posts and editorial content. This enables additional og:article: tags like og:article:published_time, og:article:author, and og:article:section that some platforms use to enrich article previews. For the homepage and general pages, use og:type: website.