What is embedding and when to do it on Facebook and Twitter

Definition: Embedding refers to the integration of links, images, videos, gifs and other content into social media posts or other web media. Embedded content appears as part of a post and supplies a visual element that encourages increased click through and engagement.

Embedding external content is an effective way to increase engagement with social media posts. A study by Social Media Examiner showed that images increase interaction rates to 87% on Facebook posts and 35% on Twitter.

Why embedding content increases engagement

Embedded content includes but is not limited to blog posts, articles, images, video, .GIFs and more. Utilizing embedded content to integrate other media into posts is effective for two primary reasons:

• Stands out: With a sea of content to sift through, embedded content helps a post stand out to users in their news feed.
• Offers something of value: Users don't have to read through a post and decipher the purpose with embedded content. The title of a video, link, or other form of media conveys the purpose and immediately offers something of value to users and is more likely to be perceived as informational, rather than intended to benefit the company in some way.

Embedding on Facebook and Twitter

Facebook automatically converts most external links included in posts to an embedded format. Videos can be played from the embedded link without the users having to leave the newsfeed.

Twitter has a similar system in place specifically for brands called Twitter cards. Brands that partner with Twitter can have content show up automatically on posts that link to their websites. Cards can display four types of content:

• Pre-written summary and thumbnail of the page
• Summary with a large image
• Media such as video or audio
• A direct link to a mobile app download.