What is a favicon?<\/h2>\n
A favicon is a small icon that represents a website or brand. It\u2019s typically a 16\u00d716 pixel image displayed next to a web page\u2019s title in browser tabs and search results pages. Favicons are also found in search histories, toolbars, bookmarks, and other online locations.<\/p>\n
Favicons help users distinguish between different websites and web pages.<\/p>\n
For example, if you have multiple tabs open on your browser, favicons will let you know which website is which. This way, you don\u2019t have to click on each tab to find the site or page you\u2019re looking for.<\/p>\n
The icons also help you confirm that the site you\u2019re looking for is the correct one. Say you\u2019re trying to search for Starbucks\u2019 website. If you see Starbucks\u2019 green Siren logo in one of the search results, then you\u2019ll know that it\u2019s the correct site.<\/p>\n Favicons appear in several locations across the web. Here are a few of them:<\/p>\n Favicons and logos differ in a few ways. Firstly, favicons are smaller than logos<\/a>. While the standard size for a favicon is 16\u00d716 pixels, the recommended size for a website logo is 250\u00d7150 pixels. Additionally, favicons only appear online while logos can appear both online and offline.<\/p>\n It\u2019s worth noting that companies usually base their favicons on their logos. For example, the McDonald\u2019s website<\/a> uses a smaller version of the company\u2019s logo as its favicon.<\/p>\n Although some people may dismiss favicons because of their small size, these icons play a major role in your website\u2019s user experience, branding, and credibility.<\/p>\n Favicons make it easier for users to find and visit your website. Imagine someone views your site and bookmarks it. Later, when that person looks through their bookmarks for your site, they\u2019ll quickly locate it thanks to the favicon appearing next to the site\u2019s name. This saves the user time, helps them make decisions faster, and lets them know they\u2019ve found the right site.<\/p>\n Using a favicon for your website helps you stand out from countless others. If your website used the same icon as dozens of other sites, people wouldn\u2019t find it memorable.<\/p>\n For instance, if you ran a coffee shop but the favicon for your site was the default gray globe used by millions of other websites, users might overlook or bypass your brand.<\/p>\n However, if you chose a favicon that reflected your brand<\/a> \u2013 maybe even featuring a cup of coffee, if that\u2019s part of your logo \u2013 people would remember your site. They might even become more curious about your business, especially if they\u2019re looking for a new coffee haunt!<\/p>\n A website that uses a favicon appears more credible than a website that doesn\u2019t. Why? Because a website that doesn\u2019t display an icon comes across as unprofessional or low-quality. Users expect to see a visual representation of your brand or website. If they don\u2019t, they\u2019ll be skeptical of your site and may decide against clicking on it.<\/p>\n For example, take a look at the search results for florists in South Carolina. The Flowers & Baskets<\/em> website looks more professional than Pauline Green\u2019s<\/em> website because it displays a favicon \u2013 and a flower-themed one at that! Users would thus be more likely to trust and visit Flowers & Baskets\u2019<\/em> site.<\/p>\n Although favicons don\u2019t directly affect SEO, they can send strong signals to browsers and users alike, which can organically lead to better site rankings.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s explore how:<\/p>\n Google looks for the favicon file when it crawls a website. It then uses this information to identify your website in its search results and distinguish it from other sites.<\/p>\n Additionally, a well-optimized favicon that is properly linked in HTML signals to search engines that your website is high-quality, which can improve site rankings.<\/p>\n A website that uses a custom favicon will attract the attention of users. Although your site will compete with countless others, a clear, unique, and on-brand favicon will make an impression. Your site will enjoy higher clickthrough rates<\/a> as a result, signaling to Google that your site is valuable to users.<\/p>\n People are more likely to bookmark a page if it has a favicon. This is because the icon provides a visual cue and helps them quickly sift through other pages they\u2019ve saved. Although bookmarking a page may not be a direct ranking factor, it signals positive user engagement<\/a>, which Google considers when evaluating website quality and relevance.<\/p>\n Just because a favicon is small doesn\u2019t mean you should rush through the creation process. With that in mind, consider these 4 steps to design a favicon that is simple but strategic.<\/p>\n Before you do anything else, think about the design of your favicon and ensure it captures the spirit of your brand. The easiest way to do this is to use a simplified version of your company logo.<\/p>\n For example, Amazon<\/a>\u2018s favicon borrows the first initial and curved arrow (representing the smile of satisfied customers) from its famous logo.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, the favicon for Adidas<\/a> simply uses the company\u2019s famous three stripes.<\/p>\n Think about your company\u2019s own unique fonts and symbols<\/a> when conceptualizing your favicon design. Does your logo use bubble letters or a more classic typography? Do you have a distinctive symbol like a beautiful origami bird? Whatever you choose to highlight, make sure your design is consistent with your brand\u2019s identity.<\/p>\n Because favicons are small, you should choose a clear and simple design. Avoid intricate lines, shapes, and other detailed visual elements, as these will be illegible given the restricted dimensions of favicons. Instead, use bold lines, shapes, and shades.<\/p>\n For example, Nike<\/a>\u2018s favicon features a single shape (its signature swoop) in white font and places it against a black background. This design choice improves visibility and helps people remember the brand more easily.<\/p>\n Also, remember to use minimal text. To make sure your text appears properly, keep it to one to three characters. Anything beyond that will lead to cut-off letters and a blurry icon, which might discourage users from clicking on your website.<\/p>\n Using your company\u2019s distinctive colors when developing a favicon helps users recognize your brand. Take Tiffany<\/a>\u2018s robin\u2019s-egg blue, for instance. When fans of the brand see this color across the world and web, they immediately think of the luxury jewelry brand. Featuring brand colors in your favicon can thus reinforce your brand to users and set it apart from numerous others.<\/p>\n Brand colors also create a consistent visual identity<\/a>. Cadbury<\/a>, for example, is known for its rich, royal purple. The brand uses this color for its favicon, website, and social media channels.<\/p>\n But imagine if Cadbury instead used a pink favicon for its site. Users would be confused by this inconsistency. They might even doubt if the website showing in the search results belongs to Cadbury.<\/p>\n When creating a favicon, you need to choose the right format and size. Otherwise, the icon may not render properly or it could fail to show at all.<\/p>\n The most common favicon file formats are ICO<\/span>, PNG<\/span>, and SVG<\/span>.<\/p>\n As for common favicon file sizes in pixels, take a look at the list below:<\/p>\n![\"Screenshot](\"https:\/\/assets.hongkiat.com\/uploads\/what-is-a-favicon\/starbucks-screenshot.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nWhere does a favicon appear?<\/h2>\n
\n
What is the difference between a favicon and a logo?<\/h2>\n
![\"Screenshot](\"https:\/\/assets.hongkiat.com\/uploads\/what-is-a-favicon\/mcdonalds-screenshot.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nWhy are favicons important?<\/h2>\n
User experience<\/h3>\n
Branding and brand awareness<\/h3>\n
Credibility<\/h3>\n
![\"Screenshot](\"https:\/\/assets.hongkiat.com\/uploads\/what-is-a-favicon\/flowersnbasket.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nHow do favicons affect SEO<\/h2>\n
1. Favicons help search engines identify your website<\/h3>\n
2. Favicons make your website more memorable<\/h3>\n
3. Favicons increase the chances of users bookmarking your website<\/h3>\n
How to create a favicon in 4 steps<\/h2>\n
1. Determine the design<\/h3>\n
![\"Screenshot](\"https:\/\/assets.hongkiat.com\/uploads\/what-is-a-favicon\/amazon-screenshot.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n![\"Screenshot](\"https:\/\/assets.hongkiat.com\/uploads\/what-is-a-favicon\/adidas-screenshot.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n2. Keep it simple<\/h3>\n
![\"Screenshot](\"https:\/\/assets.hongkiat.com\/uploads\/what-is-a-favicon\/nike-screenshot.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n3. Use brand colors<\/h3>\n
![\"Screenshot](\"https:\/\/assets.hongkiat.com\/uploads\/what-is-a-favicon\/tiffany.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n![\"Tiffany's](\"https:\/\/assets.hongkiat.com\/uploads\/what-is-a-favicon\/tiffany-blue.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n![\"Screenshot](\"https:\/\/assets.hongkiat.com\/uploads\/what-is-a-favicon\/cadbury.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n![\"Screenshot](\"https:\/\/assets.hongkiat.com\/uploads\/what-is-a-favicon\/cadbury-instagram-screenshot.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n4. Choose the proper format and size<\/h3>\n
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