IDC and social share image size

"Why does the link I just shared look so strange?" "Why are the heads cut off again?" This is because social media platforms use a share image tag to fetch from a page that is being shared. The container on the feed is often different than the main image on the page, yet people do not take the time to define the share image tag. Even with our own website, the developer never brought it up. I also spoke with my friend who works at a communications agency, and even they do not specifically define OG images for their customers.

You don't need to be a technical wizard to have control over your share images. The most important thing is to remember to discuss this with your website developer. We have created a graph to help developers remember this and content producers provide the required assets quickly.

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In today's digital world, where websites and pages are shared across various social media platforms, having a well-defined share image is crucial for several reasons. Firstly, it enhances the visual appeal of your content and makes it more attractive to potential viewers. A compelling share image can capture attention, and entice users to click and explore further.

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“The share image, also known as the OG image or Twitter card, is the image that represents your website or page when shared on social media or, for example, on WhatsApp and is shown in the preview image that shows up along with the description text.”

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Moreover, share images contribute to brand recognition and consistency. By carefully selecting and designing a share image that aligns with your brand identity, you create a cohesive and recognizable presence across social media platforms. This helps to establish trust and credibility among your audience.

When it comes to specific platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook, having a well-optimized share image becomes even more important. These platforms often display shared links with a preview that includes the share image. A visually appealing and relevant share image can significantly increase the click-through rate and engagement on your shared content.

Similarly, Twitter cards provide an opportunity to make your tweets more visually appealing and informative. By defining a share image for your website and each page within, you can ensure that your tweets stand out in users' feeds and attract more attention. This can lead to higher engagement and increased visibility for your content. Since October 2023 Platform X stopped showing the meta text, which made it even more important to be in control of your share image to make sure it really conveys the right story.

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"Share images are a very easy fix to improve branding and SEO optimization, increase visibility and gain competitive advantage. "

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In addition to social media sharing, share images also play a crucial role in search engine optimization (SEO). When your website or page is shared on platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter, search engines often use the defined share image as the thumbnail in search results. This can impact the click-through rate and visibility of your content in search engine listings.

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To optimize your share images, consider the following tips and guidelines:

• Use high-quality images that are visually appealing and relevant to your content.
• Use Frameright.app to ensure that the share image's dimensions and aspect ratio are suitable for each social media platform.
• Add relevant alt text and image descriptions, to improve accessibility and SEO.
• You can test how different pages will look when shared here.
• Have share images as part of your content strategy. Always plan and produce an OG image and a Twitter card.

We also wrote about the logic behind Instagram’s image sizing and how overlay mode can help you get a cohesively cropped feed.

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Cheers,

The Frameright Team

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