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When you add a link to your post, Vista Social pulls the page's image, title, and description to build a link preview. You can check how the preview looks on each network before you publish.
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Note When you publish from third-party tools like Vista Social, Facebook doesn't create link previews for Facebook.com links, including links to Page posts. |
How link previews work
1. Add a link to your post caption.
2. Vista Social shows the link under Link URL, with the page's image, title, and description. The preview on the right shows how the post will look. Click each network icon to check it there.
Under Link URL, you can also manage link shortening and UTM tracking for the post.
3. Publish or schedule your post. This is how a link post looks on Facebook:
When a link preview can't be generated
Some websites block tools from reading their pages, so Vista Social can't always build a preview. When this happens, you'll see this message under Link URL: We are unable to download link preview but you can still publish this post.
You can still publish or schedule the post. As long as the link is valid, it works on the published post.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why isn't my link preview being generated?
A: Some websites don't allow their pages to be read by other tools, so Vista Social can't build a preview. You can still publish the post. If you think the site should work, contact support.
Q: Can I publish a post if the link preview isn't generated?
A: Yes. As long as the link is valid, the post publishes normally.
Q: Why does my link preview look wrong after posting?
A: Social networks build the preview from the page's Open Graph (OG) metadata. Check that the OG title, description, and image are set up on your website, then use the network's debugger (for example, the Facebook Sharing Debugger) to see what it pulls. If the debugger looks right but the post doesn't, contact support.
Q: Can I use my own image in a link preview?
A: No. Link posts use the image from the website. To use your own image, see Changing link-preview images.
Q: Why can't I see my shortened link in the preview?
A: Shortened links only appear on the published post. Vista Social doesn't show them in the composer or the calendar.
Q: Why isn't the link in my Instagram caption clickable?
A: Instagram doesn't make links in captions clickable. Add the link to your bio, or use a Vista Page to keep your links in one place.
Need help?
Reach out to our support team, and we are happy to help.
Related Reading:
Link Shortening (Bitly & other options)
How do I make my uploaded photo link directly to a website? (Changing link-preview images)
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