Why Use an Open Graph Checker?
First impressions are everything. When you share a link on Facebook, LinkedIn, or X (Twitter), those platforms use a "crawler" to look for specific HTML snippets called Open Graph tags.
If these tags are missing or poorly configured, your link might show a broken image, a generic title, or no description at all. Our Open Graph Checker allows you to see exactly what the world sees before you hit "Post," helping you boost your Click-Through Rate (CTR) and maintain brand professionality.
Key Open Graph Tags You Need to Validate
For a link to look its best, our tool checks for the four "essential" properties defined by the Open Graph Protocol.
Essential OG Metadata Table
| Property | Tag | What it Does |
|---|---|---|
| Title | og:title | The headline of your content (should be under 60 characters). |
| Type | og:type | Tells the crawler if the link is a "website," "article," or "video." |
| Image | og:image | The visual thumbnail (recommended size: 1200 x 630 px). |
| URL | og:url | The canonical address of the page to consolidate "Likes" and shares. |
How to Debug Your Social Media Previews
Using our OG debugger is a three-step process designed for marketers and developers alike.
Enter Your URL
Paste the full address (including https://) into the checker above.
Analyze the Preview
View the mockups for Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Check if the image is cropped correctly and the text is readable.
Identify Missing Tags
Our tool will highlight any missing properties in red or yellow, alerting you to technical errors in your HTML <head> section.
Pro Tip: If you have just updated your meta tags but still see the "old" version in our tool or on social media, you likely need to clear the platform's cache.
Common Open Graph Errors & How to Fix Them
1. The Image Won't Load
This is often caused by using a relative path (e.g., /images/thumb.jpg) instead of an absolute URL (e.g., https://example.com/images/thumb.jpg). Always use the full URL for your og:image.
2. Incorrect Image Dimensions
If your image looks blurry or is cropped awkwardly, ensure it follows the 1.91:1 aspect ratio. The gold standard is 1200 x 630 pixels.
3. Twitter Cards Not Showing
While Twitter (X) supports Open Graph tags, it prefers its own twitter:card tags. If your preview isn't appearing on X, ensure you have included <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image">.
Best Practices for Open Graph Tags
- ✓Use absolute URLs for all image paths to ensure they load correctly across platforms.
- ✓Keep titles concise (under 60 characters) and descriptions under 200 characters for optimal display.
- ✓Always include both Open Graph and Twitter Card tags for maximum compatibility.
- ✓Test your links before sharing using our checker to catch issues early.
- ✓Use high-quality images with a 1.91:1 aspect ratio (1200 x 630 pixels recommended).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Open Graph metadata affect SEO?+
While OG tags are not a direct ranking factor for Google, they significantly impact social SEO. Higher engagement, more shares, and increased traffic from social platforms send positive signals to search engines about the quality of your content.
How do I refresh the Facebook cache?+
Facebook "scrapes" your page and saves the info for weeks. If you change your image, you must visit the Facebook Sharing Debugger and click "Scrape Again" to force an update.
Can I use the same tags for LinkedIn and Facebook?+
Yes! LinkedIn uses the same Open Graph protocol as Facebook. By optimizing for one, you are generally optimizing for both.
What's the difference between og:image and twitter:image?+
They serve the same purpose but for different platforms. Twitter will fall back to og:image if twitter:image is not specified, but it's best practice to include both for optimal control over how your content appears.
Why isn't my image showing on social media?+
Common causes include using relative URLs instead of absolute URLs, incorrect image dimensions, images being too large (over 8MB), or the image file being blocked by robots.txt. Always use our checker to diagnose the exact issue.
Optimize Your Site Further
Done checking your social tags? Ensure your technical SEO is just as strong by checking your Sitemap Validator or Meta Tag Generator.