Link Cards

Learn how to create and schedule posts with link previews in Chronosky.

Overview

Link cards are link previews that display the title, description, and image of a linked page in card format. URLs in your post are automatically detected and shown as buttons, but link cards are not created automatically. A link card is only generated when you click a button to select a URL. If you don't select one, the post is published without a link card.

Link Card Features

• Manual Selection: Detected URLs appear as buttons below the text area. Click a URL button to select it and generate a link preview card.
• No Card Without Selection: If you don't click a URL button, no link card will be created
• High-Quality Previews: Retrieves images, titles, and descriptions from link destinations
• X/Twitter Support: Twitter (X) links also display with high-quality previews
• Stable Display: Caching prevents issues from external site changes

INFO

What are Link Cards? Link cards are a feature that displays URL previews. Like "link previews" on Twitter (X) or Facebook, they visually display information about the link destination.

Creating Link Cards

Step 1: Access New Post Form

Click the "New Post" button from the dashboard.

Step 2: Create a Post with URL

Include a URL in your post content.

Example Post with Link Card:

I wrote a blog post about Chronosky's new features!

It covers useful ways to use scheduled posting. Check it out 👇

https://example.com/blog/chronosky-tips

#Bluesky #ScheduledPosting

TIP

URL Placement URLs can be placed anywhere in the post - beginning, middle, or end. Link cards are automatically generated regardless of position.

Step 3: Link Card Preview

When you enter a URL, Chronosky automatically retrieves information from the link destination.

Information Displayed in Link Card:

1. Image - Thumbnail image from the link
2. Title - Page title
3. Description - Brief page description
4. URL - Domain name of the link

INFO

Preview Generation Time Link card preview generation may take a few seconds. During generation, only the URL is displayed.

Step 4: Verify Link Card

After the preview is generated, verify the content.

Verification Checklist:

• ✅ Image displays correctly
• ✅ Title is accurate
• ✅ Description is appropriate
• ✅ URL is correct

Step 5: Select Schedule Time

Posts with link cards can also have scheduled times selected like regular posts.

Step 6: Review and Schedule

Before scheduling, verify:

Review Checklist:

• ✅ Link card generated correctly
• ✅ Post content is correct
• ✅ Schedule time is correct (at least 5 minutes ahead)

Click the "Schedule Post" button to schedule your post with link card.

X/Twitter Link Support

Chronosky has special support for X/Twitter links.

X/Twitter Link Features

• High-Quality Images: Retrieves high-quality images from tweets
• Tweet Content: Displays tweet text as description
• Author Information: Shows tweet author's name
• Reliable Display: Uses embedded JSON data for accurate information

Example X/Twitter Link:

This tweet about Bluesky is interesting!

https://twitter.com/username/status/1234567890

#Bluesky

OGP Cache System

Chronosky uses R2 storage to cache link card images.

Cache Benefits

• Prevents Broken Links: Protects against external site changes/deletions
• Reduces Dependencies: Fewer external API dependencies during post execution
• Storage Efficiency: Shared cache across users for the same URLs
• Better Reliability: Improved reliability for scheduled posts

Cache Mechanism

1. When you add a URL, the thumbnail is fetched
2. Thumbnail is stored in Cloudflare R2
3. Cached thumbnail is used when the post is published
4. Cache is shared across users for the same URL

Multiple Links

Single Post with Multiple URLs

You can include multiple URLs in a single post, but:

• ⚠️ Only one link card is displayed per post (Bluesky limitation)
• The first URL in the post generates the link card
• Other URLs display as plain text

Example:

Useful resources:
1. Chronosky Guide: https://docs.chronosky.app
2. Bluesky Official: https://bsky.app

(Only the first link will show a card)

Using Thread Posts for Multiple Links

To introduce multiple links with cards:

• Use thread posts
• Each post can have one link card
• Better for presenting multiple resources

Thread Example:

Post 1:

Here are some useful resources (1/3)

Chronosky Guide
https://docs.chronosky.app

Post 2:

(2/3)

Bluesky Official Site
https://bsky.app

Post 3:

(3/3)

That's it! Check them out ✨

Troubleshooting

Link Card Not Generating

Check the following:

1. URL is correct - Enter a valid URL starting with HTTPS
2. Link destination is public - Link cards cannot be generated for private pages
3. Retry later - Temporary network issues may occur
4. Check site support - Some sites may not support OGP

Incorrect Link Card Content

Possible causes:

1. Site OGP not configured - Link destination may not have proper OGP tags
2. Cache issue - Old cached data may be displayed
3. Site content changed - Original site may have been updated

Image Not Displaying

Check:

1. Image exists - Link destination must have an image
2. Image format - Unsupported image formats may not display
3. Image size - Very large images may fail to load

Best Practices

URL Selection

• Use relevant links that add value to your post
• Verify links work before scheduling
• Use HTTPS for security
• Avoid shortened URLs when possible (may affect preview quality)

Post Composition

• Add context - Explain why the link is valuable
• Use call-to-action - Encourage followers to click
• Include hashtags - Improve discoverability

Link Card Verification

• Always preview - Check link card before scheduling
• Verify image - Ensure appropriate image displays
• Check description - Make sure description is relevant

FAQ

Q: How many link cards can I add per post?

A: Only one link card per post due to Bluesky's specifications. Use thread posts to share multiple links with cards.

Q: Can I customize link card content?

A: No, link card content is automatically generated from the link destination's OGP data. You cannot customize it.

Q: What if the link card doesn't generate?

A: Some sites don't support OGP or have restrictions. The URL will still appear as plain text in your post.

Q: Are link cards cached?

A: Yes, link card images are cached in Cloudflare R2 for reliability and performance.

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Next Steps:

• Thread Posts - Create threads with multiple link cards
• Images - Combine link cards with image posts
• FAQ - Common questions about link cards