Open Graph image design: how to make social preview images that get clicked
An OG image isn't just a thumbnail. It's the visual headline of your page in the social feed. Good OG images use bold, readable text (large font, high contrast), recognizable branding (logo in corner), and a visual hook that communicates what the page is about at a glance. Bad OG images are screenshots, generic stock photos, or automated website screenshots with unreadable text.
How this is calculated
Design for the feed context: the image is usually displayed at roughly 400-600 px wide in most feeds. Text should be large enough to read at that size (roughly 40-60 px at 1200x630 design resolution). Use high contrast: dark background with white text or vice versa. Put the most important content in the center 600x315 safe zone. Avoid putting critical information in the top 50 px (covered by the platform's UI chrome on some clients) or bottom 50 px. Consistent branding across all your OG images (same font, same logo placement, same color palette) builds recognition when users scroll past your content repeatedly.
Verdict
A well-designed OG image can double click-through from social media. Invest in a template. Use your brand colors and fonts. Make the title large and readable at thumbnail size. Test by looking at a 400 px wide version of the image before publishing.