Open Graph is an important part of modern digital marketing as it helps to increase user engagement and brand visibility. It is an initiative of social media giant Facebook and is a part of their larger platform allowing sites and apps to easily integrate with the Facebook platform. Open Graph is a protocol, which game developers and other websites use to change how objects are displayed when users share content on Facebook.
Open Graph tags are pieces of code which the website adds to each page that the visitor is viewing. The code includes important information about that page, such as the page title, the page’s featured image, and a page’s description. The Open Graph tags let Facebook and other social media outlets know what kind of information to display when a link is shared.
With Open Graph, you can define how a website or app appears to the user when they are browsing, giving it a mini-appearance and making it look more attractive. This can include information such as profile pictures, descriptions, and links that can appear in the news feed. When a link is shared on Facebook, the visual information will appear before the text content does, making it more interesting for users.
To get the most out of Open Graph, one needs to be aware of the guidelines and best practices. The following is the basic guidance that should be followed when using the Open Graph protocol.
1. Define the Object: The first and most important step to take with Open Graph is to define the object that is being shared. This is done by adding the Open Graph tags to the webpages. The tags will include information such as the page title, description, and the featured image.
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2. Create an App Card: If you are promoting a mobile app, it’s important to create an App Card which will appear when a link is shared. An App Card is usually a full space, containing links to the app and its description.
3. Leverage Rich Media: Use videos and other rich media to create an immersive experience for the user. Videos can be hosted directly, but optimize for play within Facebook due to the performance being optimized for news feed.
4. Consider Device Differently: It may be worth considering how content appears differently on different devices and making sure it looks optimal for each platform.
5. Make sure Link Previews are Being Generated: In order for link previews to be generated, all of the Open Graph tags need to be implemented. This can be tested on the Facebook Object Debugger tool, which will analyse how the object is being rendered and let you make changes accordingly.
In conclusion, implementing Open Graph into your digital marketing strategy can be a great way to increase engagement and make your links more appealing to share. It is important to make sure all of your Open Graph tags are in place, and to make sure you are leveraging rich media and device differences in order to create an optimal experience. Following these guidelines of Open Graph will ensure your links look great when they are shared, and will increase engagement and traffic to your website or app.