When you publish a page on the web, the visible text and images are only half the story. Behind the scenes lies metadata—structured information embedded in the HTML that tells search engines and social media networks exactly what your page is about.
Think of metadata as your digital billboard. Without it, platforms like Google, Facebook, or LinkedIn are left to guess how to display your content, often resulting in cut-off text, missing images, and lower search rankings.
The Three Core Pillars of Metadata
To maximize your content's reach and professional appearance, we utilize three distinct layers of metadata. Each serves a specific audience:
1. Basic HTML Metadata (For Search Engine Indexing)
These are the foundational tags used by search engine web crawlers to understand and index your page.
- Page Title (): The headline that appears in search engine results and browser tabs.
- Meta Description: A 150–160 character summary of the page. This acts as your organic ad copy on search engine results pages (SERPs), directly influencing whether a user decides to click through to your site.
2. Open Graph Metadata (For Social Media Sharing)
Developed originally by Facebook, Open Graph (OG) meta tags control how your content looks when shared across social networks like Facebook, LinkedIn, X (Twitter), and Slack. Instead of a plain text link, OG tags transform your URL into a rich "card" featuring a specific title, description, and high-quality preview image. Proper OG tags drastically increase engagement and click-through rates on social feeds.
3. Schema.org JSON-LD Metadata (For Rich Search Results)
Schema is a standardized vocabulary of structured data added to the page code using JSON-LD format. It translates your content into an explicit language that AI and search engine algorithms can parse flawlessly. Providing Schema allows search engines to grant your site Rich Snippets—enhanced search results that include structured details like event dates, article authors, job titles, or review ratings, making your listing stand out from standard links.
Content Mapping: How to Populate Metadata in Our CMS
You don't need to write code to ensure your pages have great metadata. Our Content Management System (CMS) automatically maps specific fields from your content types to generate these tags behind the scenes.
To ensure your pages look pristine on Google and social media, make sure you fill out these specific fields based on the page template you are using:
Universal Page
- Thumbnail: Always upload a high-quality image sized exactly 800x600 pixels. This acts as your Open Graph share image.
- Summary Field: Write a concise, 1–2 sentence hook. This automatically populates your basic meta description and social media summary.
Article Pages
- Body (Edit Summary): Click the "Edit summary" link right above the main Body text area. Enter a brief overview of the article here to serve as the meta description, keeping your main body text clean.
- Image: Upload a 800x600 pixel featured image. This ensures your article renders beautifully when shared or compiled in news feeds.
Tulane News
- Body (Edit Summary): Click "Edit summary" above the main text editor to provide a tailored snippet for search engine previews.
- Thumbnail: Provide an 800x600 pixel image to handle both internal list views and external social media distribution.
Tulane People
- Summary Field: Enter a brief executive summary or bio snippet. This feeds the structured data that tells search engines exactly who this profile represents.
- Profile Image: Ensure a high-resolution, professional portrait is uploaded to populate the individual's Schema.org visual data block.
Here's a working example of what this page's metadata looks like to search engines
To view your page's metadata, you can right click in the content area and select "view page source".