Open Graph

Definition

Open Graph is a technology first introduced by Facebook in 2010 that enhances the way a website page will appear when shared on social media platforms. The Open Graph protocol enables any webpage to become a rich object in a social graph. Essentially, it controls how URLs are represented when they are shared within the social media network.

Open Graph Relevance For SEO

Open Graph doesn’t play a significant role in SEO. It can, however, increase the clickthrough rate of the content shared on social media. Because of that, a holistic digital market strategy must include correctly and relevant Open Graph tags.

Open Graph Best Practices

There are several best practices to follow when implementing Open Graph on your web pages. Here are the key ones:

• Consistent Information: Ensure that the Open Graph title, description, and image are consistent with the content on the webpage. This leads to a better user experience and prevents any frustrations from users clicking through to content they did not expect.
• Optimized Descriptions: Write a compelling and accurate description using Open Graph. This will help catch the user’s interest and increase the likelihood they will click on the link.
• Use Appropriate Images: Using the right image is crucial. An image that is interesting and related to the page content will increase click-through rates.
• Use Unique Open Graph Data: Each page of your website should have unique Open Graph data which accurately represents the content of that page.
• Testing: Use tools like Facebook’s Sharing Debugger to inspect what your Open Graph looks like. It can help you identify errors to fix or improvements to make.