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SEO & Social Sharing

The SEO & Social Sharing settings in WebCMS control how your website appears when someone shares a link on Facebook, Twitter/X, LinkedIn, or another social platform. When a church member pastes your website URL into a social post, the platform fetches a preview card — an image, a title, and a short description. These settings let you control what that preview looks like.

What Is an OpenGraph Image?​

An OpenGraph image (also called an OG image or social sharing image) is the preview image that appears when your website link is shared on social media or sent in a message. Platforms like Facebook and Twitter/X look for this image automatically from your website's metadata.

A well-configured OG image makes your church look intentional and professional in social feeds — instead of a generic or missing preview, visitors see a branded image that represents your ministry.

Auto-Generated vs. Custom OG Image​

WebCMS offers two approaches:

Auto-Generated — the system builds your OG image automatically using your Site Name, Tagline, and logo from Brand Settings. You can customize the colors used in the generated image. This option ensures your OG image stays in sync with your brand without requiring a graphic designer.

Custom Upload (Recommended) — you upload a specific image to use as your OG image, giving you full control over its appearance. Use this if your communications team has designed a specific social sharing graphic. Recommended dimensions: 1200 × 630 pixels.

Configuring the Auto-Generated Image​

  1. Navigate to WebCMS > SEO in the Staff Portal.
  2. Select Auto-Generated as your OG image type.
  3. Set the following color options:
    • Background Color — the background of the generated image. Consider using your primary brand color.
    • Title Color — the color used for your Site Name in the generated image. Should contrast well against the background.
    • Tagline Color — the color used for your Tagline text in the generated image.
  4. Click Save.

Colors are entered as hex codes (for example, #FFFFFF for white). If you need your brand colors in hex format, check your brand guidelines or the Brand Settings color picker.

Uploading a Custom OG Image​

  1. Navigate to WebCMS > SEO.
  2. Select Custom as your OG image type.
  3. Click the image field and select an image from the Media Library, or upload a new file.
  4. Click Save.

Design your custom OG image at 1200 × 630 pixels for the best display across all platforms. Include your church name and a clear, recognizable visual so the image is effective even when displayed at small sizes in a social feed.

Testing Your Social Sharing Preview​

After configuring your OG image, you can verify how it looks by using a social sharing preview tool:

  • Facebook Sharing Debugger — available at developers.facebook.com/tools/debug — paste your URL to see how Facebook will render your preview.
  • Twitter Card Validator — available through cards-dev.twitter.com — shows your Twitter/X card preview.

If the preview shows an outdated image after you make changes, use the platform's "Scrape Again" or refresh option to fetch the latest version. Social platforms cache OG images aggressively, so updates may take time to appear.

Frequently Asked Questions​

Does the OG image setting affect every page on my website, or just the homepage?

The OG image configured here applies site-wide. When any page on your website is shared on social media, this image will be used for the preview. Per page OG images are currently in development

My OG image is not updating on Facebook after I changed it. Why?

Facebook caches OG images and may continue showing the old version for hours or days. Use the Facebook Sharing Debugger tool and click "Scrape Again" to force Facebook to fetch the updated image.

What is the ideal size for a custom OG image?

1200 × 630 pixels is the standard recommended size for OpenGraph images. It renders correctly on Facebook, Twitter/X, LinkedIn, and most other platforms. Images that are too small may appear blurry or may not be used at all.

Can I use a photo of my church building as the OG image?

Yes. A photo works well as a custom OG image. For the best results, add your church name as text over the photo so the image is identifiable even without a caption.