How Social Platforms Process Link Previews
Most platforms scrape your page and render the preview from Open Graph/Twitter Card tags. If a preview isn't ideal, attach a custom image when posting or update your tags and re-validate.
Link Preview Optimization
Benefits of Effective Link Previews
Effective link previews increase click-through rates, improve engagement, and help audiences quickly understand your content. By controlling featured images, titles, and descriptions, you can present a consistent brand story and drive higher conversions.
Core Best Practices
Add Open Graph tags for universal preview support and Twitter Card tags for X. Use unique, high-resolution images that clearly represent the page topic. Keep titles concise (40–60 characters) and descriptions informative (80–160 characters). Avoid text-heavy images and ensure strong contrast.
- Images: Prefer 1200×630 (or larger, same aspect ratio). Keep file size optimized.
- Titles: Lead with the value—what users learn, gain, or solve by clicking.
- Descriptions: Summarize the key takeaway; avoid duplicates across pages.
- Canonical URL: Ensure
og:urlmatches your canonical page to prevent mismatches. - Cache: After changes, refresh each platform's cache using its validator/debugger.
Facebook uses Open Graph tags. After updating tags, use Facebook's Sharing Debugger to refresh caches. Guide: developers.facebook.com/docs/sharing/webmasters.
X (Twitter)
Enable Twitter Cards and validate your page with the Card Validator. You can also upload a custom image when posting to override an unhelpful preview. cards-dev.twitter.com/validator.
LinkedIn reads Open Graph tags and provides a built-in preview. If the image or text is outdated after an update, re-scrape the URL using LinkedIn’s Post Inspector to clear caches.
Pinterest emphasizes strong visuals. Use tall, high-quality images and ensure your Open Graph data matches the on-page content to avoid misleading previews.
Telegram
Telegram extracts metadata for previews. If a preview fails to generate, attach a custom image for a clear, branded presentation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a link preview?
A link preview is the rich snippet (image, title, description) that social networks display when you paste a URL. It helps users decide whether to click by showing a quick summary of your page.
How do I improve click-through rates with previews?
Use clear titles, benefit-led descriptions, and high-contrast images sized for each network. Keep branding consistent and avoid cluttered text on imagery.
Do I need Open Graph and Twitter Card tags?
Yes. Open Graph tags power previews on most platforms, and Twitter Cards enable previews on X. Declare title, description, URL, and a correctly sized image for reliable rendering.
Can I override a bad preview?
Usually. You can attach a custom image when posting, or refresh the cache using each platform’s debugger/validator after you update page metadata.