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Cascade Help

Social Media Thumbnail

Help your pages get noticed.

Social media platforms like Facebook, X and LinkedIn offer link previews when web links are shared that typically include the page title, a brief summary and a photo. You have the option to customize the photo used by selecting a social media thumbnail. 

Step 1: Prepare and upload your image.
  1. Crop and save your image with the optimum size and file type:
    • Preferred: 1200 x 630 pixels
    • Minimum: 600 x 335 pixels
    • We recommend .jpg for all photos and for graphics without a transparency. For graphics with transparency, we recommend .png.
  2. Upload your image to Cascade and publish it.
Step 2: Assign your image.
  1. Edit your page.
  2. Scroll to the "Thumbnail Images" heading to find the Social Media Thumbnail chooser.
  3. Select Choose File to select the image and click Choose.
  4. To save, select Preview Draft and then Submit >> Check Content & Submit.
  5. Publish the page.
What happens if you don't provide a custom thumbnail?

For most pages, a default general image of the William & Mary campus is used. However, each school has its own default social media thumbnail image managed by their Cascade manager. Note: If the page is an announcement or story within W&M News, the Homepage Thumbnail image is used, and if that image field is not in use, then the default general W&M image is used.  

Does this apply to borrowed pages and stories?

When a borrowed asset is published, it will use the Social Media Thumbnail assigned to the original (if one is assigned) at that moment. If you change the Social Media Thumbnail of the original, you should re-publish both the original and any borrowed versions.

How do I select compelling photos for social media link previews?

The following is guidance to help you select an image from currently available photos. Different factors are involved if you are creating social media imagery from scratch.

A single column table for formatting purposes.
Think about the goals of your social media post
  1. To get the content noticed
  2. To drive interactions with the content in order to extend post reach
  3. To get users to click the link
Know your audience
  • 98% of Facebook users and 80% of Twitter users access the respective platforms via mobile devices
  • Think about how posts will appear on smaller mobile screens.
Understand the space
  • Users are bombarded with posts.
  • The average Facebook user spends 38 minutes per day on the platform, yet only performs 19 engagements per month (13 likes, 5 comments, 1 share – this excludes link click data).
  • The imagery needs to stand out from a crowd of other posts to earn users' attention.
Select good imagery

Your image doesn't have to meet all of the following criteria, but it should meet at least one of these primary principles.

  1. Minimal Context Need: The user should have an idea of what to expect in the story based on the imagery provided. Shorter post copy is more inviting, so having the imagery provide context is helpful.
  2. Different In A Good Way: The imagery should grab the user’s attention as they scroll through their feed. Think about what stands outs and grabs your attention because it is striking, well done, bold, atypical or unique.
  3. Mobile-friendly: Imagery should be discernible on a smaller screen by having a simple focal point or subject, and bright colors. Avoid "busy" group shots or other images that may get lost in the "noise" of a user's busy feed.

In addition, always strive for:

  1. Bold focal points: Catch the users eye.
  2. Clear and high-resolution: Use quality photos. Poor quality reflects poorly on the content.
  3. Be representative: As in every facet of our work, it’s important to keep representation and diversity in mind when selecting photos.