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Must-Have Social Media Meta Tag Templates for Improved Sharing and SEO |
Must-Have Social Media Meta Tag Templates for Improved Sharing and SEO Posted: 06 Nov 2013 03:01 PM PST Posted by Cyrus-Shepard At Moz, we strive to include social media metadata in all new pieces of content that we publish. This allows us to optimize for sharing Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and Pinerest by defining exactly how titles, descriptions, images and more appear in social streams. Think of it as conversion rate optimization for social exposure. The implications for SEO are also significant. We know from experience and studies that the right data, including optimized images, helps content to spread, which often leads to increased links and mentions. We also know from correlation studies that content with higher social metrics exhibits many of the same qualities as content that performs well in search results. For the rest of us, consider the different structures supported by the major social platforms:
To help ease this problem, I created four social media tag templates that you can fill out, customize for your own use, and share with your team and others. How to use these templatesSimply copy and paste the template into the text editor of your choice. Make sure to replace any orange or green text with your own data, and customize, eliminate or add any tags you find necessary. The first three of these templates are optimized using a typical "article" markup and data, ideal for blog posts and most written content. The final template contains markup for product pages.For other post types, such as book or recipes, refer to documentation linked at the end of this post for reference on what to customize. When you are done, don't forget to test and apply for approval. 1. The Minimal TemplateThis slimmed back version runs lean and fast. It contains a bare minimum of data for optimized sharing across Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and Pinterest. Title tags and meta descriptions are included even though they aren't technically social media meta tags. This is because they can be used by Google+ and other social media platforms, and it is best practice to include them on every page you publish. Minimum Social Media Tag Template: Article <!-- Place this data between the <head> tags of your website --> <!-- Twitter Card data --> <!-- Open Graph data --> 2: The Standard TemplateThe standard template represents a more robust implementation of social tags and is meant to work across all platforms. In addition to all of the features of the mimimal template above, the standard template includes the following:
Standard Social Media Tag Template: Article <!-- Place this data between the <head> tags of your website --> <!-- Twitter Card data --> <!-- Open Graph data --> 3: The Full MontyThis is the monster! In addition to all the data contained in the standard template, the full template contains:
Full Social Media Tag Template: Article <!-- Update your html tag to include the itemscope and itemtype attributes. --> <!-- Place this data between the <head> tags of your website --> <!-- Google Authorship and Publisher Markup --> <!-- Schema.org markup for Google+ --> <!-- Twitter Card data --> <!-- Open Graph data --> Bonus: The Product TemplateFor merchants, product markup is very popular, and usually easy for developers to implement in their shopping cart software. The product template differs from article markup in only a few ways:
Product Social Media Tag Template <!-- Update your html tag to include the itemscope and itemtype attributes. --> <!-- Place this data between the <head> tags of your website --> <!-- Schema.org markup for Google+ --> <!-- Twitter Card data --> <!-- Open Graph data --> Tools for testing and approvalA. Twitter Validation Tool![]() https://dev.twitter.com/docs/cards/validation/validator B. Facebook Debugger![]() https://developers.facebook.com/tools/debug C. Google Structured Data Testing Tool![]() http://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/richsnippets D. Pinterest Rich Pins Validator![]() http://developers.pinterest.com/rich_pins/validator/ Like Twitter, Pinterest requires an approval process to enable Rich Pin functionality. Use the Rich Pin Validator tool to test your data markup and apply for approval at the same time. Tips and best practicesOptimizing for imagesThe image you link to in your social data does not actually have to be on the page, but it should represent your content well. The image allows you to controll what people see when they share your content, so it's important to use quality images. Every social platform has different standards for sizing. Typically, it's easier to keep it simple and choose one image size that will work for all services.
In short, larger images offer you the most flexibility. When in doubt, test each page using the appropriate tool below to see exactly how your images will appear in snippits. The importance of Open Graph dataIf you could choose only one type of meta data to include, your best bet is Open Graph. That's because all the platforms can use it as a fallback, including Twitter to a large degree. Facebook page insightsThe meta property "fb:admins" requires that you enter your numeric Facebook id number, and gives you access to analytics about how your website content is shared on Facebook. Read more about Page Insights, including how to set it up and discover your numeric id. Further resourcesUse these templates as a starting point, but you can customize them in millions of ways. A few valuable resources to aid your journey:
What are your best tips for optimizing your content for sharing? Let us know in the comments below. Sign up for The Moz Top 10, a semimonthly mailer updating you on the top ten hottest pieces of SEO news, tips, and rad links uncovered by the Moz team. Think of it as your exclusive digest of stuff you don't have time to hunt down but want to read! |
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Mish's Global Economic Trend Analysis |
Posted: 06 Nov 2013 11:14 PM PST Via translation, El Economista reports the Bank of Spain Discovers Hidden Delinquencies of €20.50 Billion. Emphasis on the word "discovers" not added. Non-performing loans of Spanish banks to the end of September totaled €92.224 billion euros, 29% more than the €71.660 billion according to preliminary data included in the last Bulletin Financial Bank of Spain.Bank of Spain Warns Against "Destabilizing Effects" Bail-In Given that "hidden" losses were much greater than expected (except of course in this corner), it should not be surprising to see this headline: Bank of Warns Preemptive Rescue of Banks May Have "Destabilizing Effects" Once again via translation from El Economista. The governor of the Bank of Spain, Luis Maria Linde, warned today about the destabilization that may involve too hasty implementation of a preemptive "bail-in" rescue of nonviable financial institutions.Bank of Spain Translated "Banks lied. No, strike that. We mean to say conditions unexpectedly deteriorated. And who coudda possibly thunk that? Smelly stuff happens. Don't worry, we will sniff deeper next time, and with a bigger nose. We promise! But the safe thing to do now (as always) is protect senior bondholders. Rest assured, there will be no bail-ins until we are 100% certain senior bondholders don't need to be bailed in." Mike "Mish" Shedlock http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com Mike "Mish" Shedlock is a registered investment advisor representative for SitkaPacific Capital Management. Sitka Pacific is an asset management firm whose goal is strong performance and low volatility, regardless of market direction. Visit http://www.sitkapacific.com/account_management.html to learn more about wealth management and capital preservation strategies of Sitka Pacific. |
Posted: 06 Nov 2013 08:51 PM PST I picked the title of this post from the Reuter's headline story "China needs 7.2 percent GDP growth for employment: premier". Curiously the same story now appears under the recycled headline China premier warns against loose money policies, a statement (in isolation) that I would agree with. Let's take a look at the details. China needs to sustain economic growth of 7.2 percent to ensure a stable job market, Premier Li Keqiang said as he warned the government against further expanding already loose money policies.Perils of Loose Money I certainly concur with Li on the perils of loose money, while also pointing out three things.
Risky Experiment The New York Times reports Chinese Leader's Economic Plan Tests Goal to Fortify Party Power China's president, Xi Jinping, is about to plunge the country and himself into a risky experiment: an attempt to carry out market-driven economic overhauls while reinforcing the Communist Party's pillars of political and ideological control. This mixed agenda has magnified doubts about whether he can deliver on his promises of transformation.Inescapable Contradictions Holding up the leftist banner, promising market reforms, and expecting 7.2% growth on top of it, is quite silly. It Can't Be Done. Mike "Mish" Shedlock http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com Mike "Mish" Shedlock is a registered investment advisor representative for SitkaPacific Capital Management. Sitka Pacific is an asset management firm whose goal is strong performance and low volatility, regardless of market direction. Visit http://www.sitkapacific.com/account_management.html to learn more about wealth management and capital preservation strategies of Sitka Pacific. |
Posted: 06 Nov 2013 12:20 PM PST In spite of the facts ...
monetarist fools clamor for more of it. ECB Really Must Act Reuters writer Hugo Dixon says ECB Really Must Act on Deflation In September, inflation was above 2 percent in only two of the euro zone's 17 countries, the Netherlands and Estonia. It was negative in Greece, and in Latvia, which is to join the single currency in 2014."Ensure Banks Don't Run Out Of Cash" Dixon wants to ensure banks don't run out of cash. Let me remind Dixon that banks aren't lending due to lack of demand, the pool of willing borrowers primarily consists of poor credit risks, and finally, banks are capital impaired. Thus, any suggestion that banks need more cash to lend is ridiculous. That said, banks could need more cash if there is a run on the banks. And in that regard, the only surprising thing is there hasn't been such a run, especially in Spain. As for pushing euro-wide inflation up to its target, why does anyone think 2% is a magic target? Because central banks say so? Dixon fails to consider the flaws in the Euro itself. The aggregate inflation rate of 2% led to housing bubbles in Ireland and Spain, and inane economic policy in Greece and Portugal. One size does not fit all. And we have seen the resultant bubbles time and time again, with disastrous consequences each time. Only economic literates demand more of the same. Unfortunately, it's far too easy to find economic illiteracy. Next up ... ECB's Easing Dilemma Izabella Kaminska on Financial Times Alphaville speaks of the ECB's Easing Dilemma. The text suggests the dilemma is which tool to use, putting her squarely in a camp with Dixon. Another Swan Dive Into Cesspool of Economic Silliness Telegraph writer Ambrose Evans-Pritchard took another swan dive into the cesspool of economic silliness, singing the praises of France's industry minister, Arnaud Montebourg. Please consider Pritchard's article Southern Europe is on a precipice. EMU-wide inflation fell to 0.7 per cent in October. Yet this is only half the story. Once austerity taxes are stripped out, prices have been falling in 10 of Euroland's 17 states over the past four months, including Italy and France. They are one shock away from outright deflation.The Euro Is Doomed The euro is fatally flawed. Pritchard knows as much. He was one of the original eurosceptics. Yet time and time again, he espouses economic insanity in an attempt to save what cannot be saved. Hard Currencies Those looking for a "hard currency" should consider gold or silver. Montebourg call the euro a "hard currency". If that's not the sign of a severely twisted mind, what is? Following Lemmings Over The Cliff The US, Japan, England, and Switzerland all engage in printing or other currency manipulation schemes. Like lemmings over a cliff, Montebourg wants to follow. And Pritchard wants to follow Montebourg. I have asked Pritchard this question before, on numerous occasions, and never received an answer. Here it is again: How can any country gain advantage if they all engage in competitive debasement? Mathematically, there cannot possibly be any benefit (but there can be severe economic distortions), which is of course why Pritchard ignores my question. Sheer Madness All competitive currency devaluations can possibly do is create asset bubbles and other economic distortions. Unfortunately, such bubbles can be found everywhere you look: in US stocks, corporate bonds, global equities, Japanese government bonds, etc. When those bubbles burst, we will likely see asset price deflation in spades, with severe economic consequences. Full speed ahead anyway suggests Pritchard, purportedly to save something Pritchard knows full well cannot be saved. It's madness! For still more madness, please see Abe Calls for Wage-Price Spiral to Create "Virtuous Circle"; Shame Shame Mike "Mish" Shedlock http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com Mike "Mish" Shedlock is a registered investment advisor representative for SitkaPacific Capital Management. Sitka Pacific is an asset management firm whose goal is strong performance and low volatility, regardless of market direction. Visit http://www.sitkapacific.com/account_management.html to learn more about wealth management and capital preservation strategies of Sitka Pacific. |
Prime Minister Abe Calls for Wage-Price Spiral to Create "Virtuous Circle"; Shame Shame Posted: 06 Nov 2013 09:51 AM PST Japan's prime minister Shinzo Abe managed to get prices to rise. He did that with his policy to destroy the Yen even though Japan is heavily dependent on foreign oil and food imports. Interestingly, Abe is not precisely pleased with the results. Abe now complains that wages are not keeping up with prices. He wants a wage-price spiral on top of it all. The Financial Times reports Bank of Japan minutes expose fears over lack of wage rises. Board members at the Bank of Japan have expressed fears that wages are not keeping pace with higher consumer prices, as the world's third-largest economy tries to haul itself out of more than a decade of deflation.Naming and Shaming Pragmatic Capitalism reports Abe Gets Ready to Start "Naming and Shaming" Apparently Abe has had enough. According to TV Tokyo, Abe will begin pressuring business leaders directly to raise wages. The goal is to start with a corporate wage survey. How would a survey help? In Japan if the survey is published with the companies' names shown, the strategy of "naming and shaming" just might work." Shame Shame I happen to have a musical tribute to such nonsense. Link if video does not play: Shame Shame- The Magic Laterns- 1968 "Virtuous Circle" of Nonsense Incomes are not keeping up with inflation, so Abe wants wants wages to go up. The irony in this madness is "real" wages were rising as prices fell. And consumers everywhere are perfectly happy with falling prices. It's monetarist fools and government bureaucrats who don't like falling prices. But here's the deal. Central banks can print money but they cannot dictate where it goes. And typically printing spawns asset bubbles as we saw three decades ago in Japan (which is what triggered Japan's deflationary collapse in the first place). The same thing happened in the US with the Fed-sponsored Dot-Com boom, the Fed-Sponsored housing bubble, and the Fed-sponsored equity-and-bond bubble now underway. Who Benefits From Inflation? The only ones to benefit from this alleged "virtuous circle" are the bankers and those with first access to money. For further inflation reading and who benefits from it, please see ...
Mike "Mish" Shedlock http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com Mike "Mish" Shedlock is a registered investment advisor representative for SitkaPacific Capital Management. Sitka Pacific is an asset management firm whose goal is strong performance and low volatility, regardless of market direction. Visit http://www.sitkapacific.com/account_management.html to learn more about wealth management and capital preservation strategies of Sitka Pacific. |
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