Social Image Dimension Issues

What This Means

Each social platform has specific image dimension requirements. Using incorrectly sized images results in:

• Cropped or distorted previews
• Important content cut off
• Pixelated or blurry images
• Inconsistent branding across platforms

Optimal Image Dimensions by Platform

How to Diagnose

1. Check Current Image Dimensions

Use browser DevTools:

// Get OG image URL
const ogImage = document.querySelector('meta[property="og:image"]')?.content;
console.log('OG Image:', ogImage);

// Check specified dimensions
const width = document.querySelector('meta[property="og:image:width"]')?.content;
const height = document.querySelector('meta[property="og:image:height"]')?.content;
console.log(`Specified: ${width} x ${height}`);

2. Platform Debuggers

• Facebook: Sharing Debugger shows actual vs. expected dimensions
• Twitter: Card Validator displays image warnings
• LinkedIn: Post Inspector reveals dimension issues

3. Common Warnings

General Fixes

Universal Social Image (Recommended)

Create one master image optimized for most platforms:

<!-- Master image: 1200 x 630 (works for Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn) -->
<meta property="og:image" content="https://example.com/social/default.jpg">
<meta property="og:image:width" content="1200">
<meta property="og:image:height" content="630">
<meta property="og:image:type" content="image/jpeg">
<meta property="og:image:alt" content="Descriptive alt text">

<meta name="twitter:image" content="https://example.com/social/default.jpg">

Platform-Specific Images

For optimal display on each platform:

<!-- Primary OG image -->
<meta property="og:image" content="https://example.com/social/og-1200x630.jpg">
<meta property="og:image:width" content="1200">
<meta property="og:image:height" content="630">

<!-- Twitter-specific (if different) -->
<meta name="twitter:image" content="https://example.com/social/twitter-1200x628.jpg">

<!-- Pinterest-specific -->
<meta property="og:image" content="https://example.com/social/pinterest-1000x1500.jpg">

Safe Zone Design

Design images with a "safe zone" to account for cropping:

+------------------------------------------+
|            CROP MARGIN (15%)             |
|   +----------------------------------+   |
|   |                                  |   |
|   |        SAFE ZONE (70%)           |   |
|   |    (Critical content here)       |   |
|   |                                  |   |
|   +----------------------------------+   |
|            CROP MARGIN (15%)             |
+------------------------------------------+

Safe zone best practices:

• Keep text and logos within center 70%
• Avoid placing important elements near edges
• Test cropping on multiple platforms

Dynamic Image Generation

Generate platform-optimized images dynamically:

Cloudinary:

<!-- Base image with transformations -->
<meta property="og:image"
  content="https://res.cloudinary.com/demo/image/upload/c_fill,w_1200,h_630,g_auto/sample.jpg">

Vercel OG:

// app/api/og/route.tsx
import { ImageResponse } from 'next/og';

export async function GET(request: Request) {
  return new ImageResponse(
    (
      <div style={{ width: 1200, height: 630, display: 'flex' }}>
        <h1>Dynamic OG Image</h1>
      </div>
    ),
    { width: 1200, height: 630 }
  );
}

Imgix:

<meta property="og:image"
  content="https://example.imgix.net/image.jpg?w=1200&h=630&fit=crop">

Image Format Recommendations

Note: Not all platforms support WebP for OG images. Use JPEG or PNG for maximum compatibility.

Verification

1. Test actual rendering:

   • Use each platform's debugger tool
   • Share link in private group/DM
   • Check on both mobile and desktop

2. Check image accessibility:

   • Ensure image URL is publicly accessible
   • Verify not blocked by robots.txt
   • Confirm SSL certificate is valid

3. Monitor with automation:

   • Set up regular OG image audits
   • Alert on dimension changes

Common Mistakes

Further Reading

• Open Graph Tags
• Twitter Cards
• Image Optimization