When you share your Storydoc, the link preview is the first thing your audience sees. A preview GIF is automatically created when you first share your story. However, you can update the preview image or GIF to make a stronger impression and better align the link with your brand.
Change the Link Preview
Open your story and click Share in the top-right corner.
In the Share panel, click Change preview to access your preview options.
Choose one of the following options:
Generate preview image – Storydoc will create a static image preview from your story.
Generate preview GIF – Storydoc will create an animated GIF preview that shows interactive elements of your story.
Upload your own – Add a custom image or GIF from your computer.
When generating a preview GIF, you'll see a loading indicator that says "Generating preview. It might take up to 1 minute." This ensures you get the most effective preview for sharing.
Once selected, your new preview will appear immediately in the sharing panel.
Copy the link using one of these options:
Copy live link – Share a direct link to your story
Copy email preview – Get an email-ready link with the preview image
Copy test link – Preview the version with no analytics tracked
Change Preview for Personalized Versions
You can also update the preview for specific personalized versions of your story:
In the Share panel, click on the Personalized versions tab.
Find the version you want to update and click the three dots menu next to it.
Select Change image preview from the dropdown menu.
Why Use Preview Images and GIFs
Link previews are essential for effective sharing because:
They appear when you share links on social media, in emails, or messaging platforms
Preview GIFs are particularly effective at getting people to click on your link
Without a preview, your link appears as plain text, which is less engaging
The "Copy email preview" option creates the most effective format for email outreach
