Twitter Card Meta Tags Generator
If you use Twitter, you're familiar with image tweets. These are tweets with an image below the text of the tweet.
They're called Twitter Cards.
When a tweet links to a web page, the Twitter bot scans the web page to find the code for publishing the Twitter Card. If it's found and it validates, a Twitter Card is published along with the tweet.
This article has a generator to create that code for you — so you can publish your own Twitter Cards. (Twitters Getting Started Guide is a wonderful resource for learning about Twitter Cards.)
For the generator, all you need is your Twitter id (@username), an image URL, and the image title and description.
Actually, an image is optional. If no image URL is provided, a title and description are still required. In the case of no image or an invalid image URL, Twitter will use a placeholder icon for the image.
For a live Twitter Card demonstration, click the "Tweet this" link inside the pull quote further above. When tweeted, an image for the article will show up with the tweet in your feed.
The generator provides copy and paste code for either of two types of Twitter Cards:
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Summary — The image is square (if the image you provide isn't square, it will be cropped to make it square). The image publishes on the left of the content you provide for the image.
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Summary with Large Image — The image is rectangular and extends across the tweet area. The content is published below the image. The Twitter Card validator can be used to see what the image looks like.
The maximum file size for images is 1 megabyte. The minimum image size for the summary card is 120 pixels on each side and the minimum image size for the summary card with large image is 280 pixels wide and 150 pixels high.
With the code provided by the generator, your image will automatically appear each time a tweet is made that links to your webpage.
Here is the generator. Use it to generate the code for your own Twitter Cards. The generated code is put into the HEAD area of your web page.
Bookmark this page to use the generator for learning what Twitter Card meta tags to use and the information they require. Here is documentation for the two types of cards.
You can now publish images on your Twitter feed, either of two types of Twitter Cards.
(This article first appeared in Possibilities ezine.)
Will Bontrager
