Who this is for
Every author who wants their site to be found on Google and to look good when someone shares a link to it on Instagram, Facebook, X, iMessage, WhatsApp, or anywhere else. You don’t need to know anything about “SEO” or web development to use this page. CabinsPress fills in sensible defaults for you automatically — everything here is optional polish that helps the right readers discover your books.The two jobs this page does
It helps to know that “SEO & Social Sharing” is really two separate things working together:- Search results (SEO). When someone types your name or a book title into Google, this controls the blue headline and the gray summary line they see in the results. Getting this right makes people more likely to click through to your site instead of scrolling past.
- Share previews (Social Sharing). When you — or a reader — paste a link to your site into a post, a text message, or a group chat, most apps automatically expand that link into a little preview card: an image, a bold title, and a short description. This controls what that card shows. A good card looks like a real book promotion; a missing one looks like a bare, untrustworthy link that nobody clicks.
Fields
Search results
- SEO title — The headline Google shows for your page. If you leave it blank, CabinsPress uses your author/book name. A good title includes who you are and what you write, e.g. “Jane Doe — Cozy Mystery Author”. Aim for under ~60 characters so Google doesn’t cut it off.
- SEO description — The one- or two-sentence summary that appears under the title in search results. This is your chance to convince a stranger to click. Think of it as a 150-character elevator pitch: “USA Today bestselling author of the Maple Harbor cozy mysteries. New release every season.”
Share previews (preview cards)
- Social title (OG title) — The bold headline on the preview card when a link is shared. It can match your SEO title or be a little punchier, since social feeds reward personality over keywords.
- Social description (OG description) — The short blurb under the title on the card. One enticing sentence is plenty.
- Social image (OG image) — The picture shown on the card. This is the single biggest factor in whether a shared link gets clicked. Use your book cover, a branded banner, or a photo of yourself. The recommended shape is a wide rectangle (1.91:1) — about 1200×630 pixels — which is what Facebook, X, LinkedIn, and most messaging apps display. If you don’t upload one, CabinsPress falls back to your profile image.
- Favicon — The tiny icon that shows up in the browser tab and in bookmarks. A simple, recognizable mark (your initials or a small logo) makes your site feel finished.
Site-wide defaults vs. per-book overrides
- Defaults are set once on your author site and apply everywhere automatically.
- Per-book overrides let any individual book have its own search summary and its own share card — so when you promote a specific release, the preview shows that book’s cover and tagline instead of the generic site one. If you don’t override a book, it simply inherits your site-wide defaults.
Why bother filling these in?
- More clicks from search. A clear title and description is the difference between someone clicking your result and scrolling past it.
- Shares that actually convert. A link with a real cover image and a tagline gets dramatically more engagement than a plain, image-less link — whether you’re posting it or a fan is.
- You control the story. Without these fields, platforms guess what to show, and the guess is often an awkward crop or a stray sentence. Filling them in means every share looks intentional and on-brand.
- It only takes a few minutes, once. Set your site defaults, optionally tailor the cards for your headline releases, and you’re done.