Open Graph Tags

Open Graph tags are meta tags in a page’s HTML that control how the page appears when it is shared on social platforms and messaging apps such as Facebook, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, Slack and many others. Created by Facebook, the Open Graph protocol is now widely used across the web.

Written by Paul Hoda, SEO consultant since 2005. Last updated 8 November 2026.

The main Open Graph tags

  • og:title: the headline shown in the shared preview.
  • og:description: a short summary under the title.
  • og:image: the image shown in the preview card.
  • og:url: the canonical URL of the page.
  • og:type: the type of content, such as website or article.
  • og:site_name: your website or brand name.
  • og:locale: the language and region, such as en_GB.

X (formerly Twitter) uses its own Twitter Card tags, such as twitter:card and twitter:image, but falls back to Open Graph tags if they are missing.

Do Open Graph tags affect SEO?

Not directly. Google does not use Open Graph tags as a ranking factor. They matter indirectly because:

  • Better previews earn more clicks when your content is shared, bringing more visitors.
  • More shares increase visibility, which can lead to links, mentions and branded searches.
  • Consistent branding across platforms builds trust.
  • AI tools and link previews in chat apps often read these tags to describe a page.

How to write good Open Graph tags

  1. og:title: can match your Title Tag, but you can make it more conversational or curiosity-driven for social audiences.
  2. og:description: one or two sentences that make people want to click; it can differ from the Meta Description.
  3. og:image: use a clear, branded image of at least 1200 x 630 pixels with a 1.91:1 ratio. Keep important text away from the edges, as some platforms crop images.
  4. og:url: use the canonical URL so shares and counts are consolidated.

How to add Open Graph tags

  • WordPress: SEO plugins such as Rank Math and Yoast add Open Graph and Twitter Card tags automatically and let you customise them per page.
  • Other CMS platforms: most include social sharing settings in page options.
  • Custom sites: add the meta tags to the head of each page template.

How to test your previews

Use each platform’s preview tool, such as the Facebook Sharing Debugger and LinkedIn Post Inspector, to see how a page will look and to refresh cached previews after changes. Many platforms cache previews for days, so use these tools to force an update when you change an image or title.

Common Open Graph mistakes

  • No og:image, so platforms pick a random logo or icon.
  • Images too small or the wrong ratio, leading to cropped or tiny previews.
  • The same image and description for every page on the site.
  • Old cached previews showing outdated titles or prices.
  • Relative image URLs that platforms cannot load.

Getting Open Graph tags right takes a few minutes per template and makes every share of your content look more professional.

Further reading: the Open Graph protocol specification.

Key Takeaways

  • Open Graph tags control how pages look when shared.
  • They do not affect rankings directly but improve clicks from shares.
  • Use a 1200 x 630 pixel image and an engaging title and description.
  • Set tags per page, not one default for the whole site.
  • Refresh cached previews with platform debugging tools.

Related Terms

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