Twitter Cards are expanded Tweets that display content in a more engaging and detailed format. Twitter cards make it possible for you to add media to Tweets that link to your content. By adding Open Graph Meta data along with your site’s Twitter username to your webpages, users who Tweet links to your content will have a “card” added to the Tweet that’s visible to all of their followers.
The Twitter Card has built-in content attribution that gives you credit as the original source. It also exposes you to more people, giving you the chance to gain more Twitter followers. There are 3 card types that can be attached to Tweets, each of which displays beautifully for both Twitter’s web and mobile apps:
Summary: The default card, which includes a title, description, thumbnail image, and Twitter account attribution.
photo: A Tweet sized photo card.
player: A Tweet sized video/audio/media player card.
The Advantages of Twitter Cards:
- Give you control of how your content is displayed with Tweets
- More engaging content can drive traffic to your site
- Increase the number of people following your Twitter accounts through content attribution
How To Install Twitter Cards On Your Site
Enable Open Graph Meta on Your Site
If you are using the WP SEO Plugin, Open Graph Meta can be enabled for your site simply by selecting the enable Twitter Card option.
Apply to participate
Once you’ve enabled Open Graph Meta on your site, you need to apply to have Twitter Cards enabled on your site.
1. Test your site with the Preview Tool
https://dev.twitter.com/docs/cards/preview
2. Apply for the Cards here.
https://dev.twitter.com/node/7940
You have to apply in order for the cards to be enabled for your site. Approval can take anywhere from 1-3 weeks.
