Why Have Your Own Favicon?
First for those of you who want to know what the heck is a favicon?
I didn’t know either. I did know that some companies brand their business very well. Look at your bookmark sites. Some urls really stand out and are easy to find. Did you bookmark blogger, facebook, your favorite YouTube video? Easy to find are they not? Your eyes quickly scan looking for the icon.
Those little icons bugged me. Was this some secret the big companies with the big bucks knew how to do, an option not available to small business owners? But if they can do it, surely there is a way we can make one too. Not knowing the answer I decided to ask my son who working on his software engineering degree. “Those are called Favicons” he told me. Makes sense. Little Icons that show up when you add to your list of favorites.
Curious person that I am, I had to find more information on favicons. I wanted one on my sites. So I asked Google.
I found a few tips and how to sites. First, you save a 16 pixels bpy 16 pixels image as an ico file. I use Gimp, so I checked what files it supported, and did a little happy dance when I found .ico as one of my choices. Just had to test, so I pulled up a 16 by 16 blank image screen, and quickly drew a little purple flower, saved as favicon.ico. Uploaded following directions. Then checked out my website.
To my surprise, there was now a little purple flower in the address bar (at least it does in Firefox), tabs, bookmarks. So nice when something works the first time you use it.
Why Have Your Own Favicon?
- Brands your business with a visual image.
- Increases your professional image. Puts your website up there with the big boys.
- Makes it easy to be found in favorites and bookmarked lists.
- It’s is cool to have your own favicon.
If you’d like an easy way to make your own, check out my “How to Create Your Own Favicon Easily” post.
Mar 6th, 2008 at 6:39 pm
I’ve thought about doing this but just never got around to it. Perhaps I should!
Congratulations! You’ve just been listed on my blog for a Thinking Blog Award. Please do pop over to take a look and copy the image to post on your worthy blog.
http://workplace-ministry.com/2008/03/05/thinking-blogger-award/
Bless you
Mar 7th, 2008 at 11:02 pm
I was just making up some favicons a few weeks ago - still haven’t installed one yet. I want something that says Pop Art, but it’s hard to get something graphic that I like that small and still readable so I’m still working on the image.
I need something retro and a smiley face would be perfect if it wasn’t so overused - tried a lavalamp but at 16 pixels it was a tad bit too small. Maybe a platform shoe, lol.
Your flower is great!
Mar 8th, 2008 at 10:45 am
You see, this is why I tagged you for a Thinking Bloggers Award!
(http://www.talk2bev.blogspot.com)
Mar 8th, 2008 at 11:01 am
Wonderful information! Your curiosity is greatly appreciated… especially as you are so willing to pass along your findings. Thanks for sharing!
Mar 8th, 2008 at 7:59 pm
How cool…I have been wondering about these for months. Thanks for he info, Heidi!
susan
Mar 9th, 2008 at 6:29 pm
You have taught me yet something else I didn’t know. Thanks for the info.
Mar 11th, 2008 at 8:56 pm
Aside from the fact that it’s cool for your brand to have a favicon, it also makes your brand seem more complete and more prepared. I guess it is in this situation that the adage “It’s the little things that make the most difference” is literally translated.
Mar 15th, 2008 at 11:29 am
I had never thought about this, but I am excited to go to the web site and make my own flavicon.
You offer so many valuable tips, I could park here for a few days and read.
Apr 7th, 2008 at 10:02 am
Dear Heidi,
If it were’nt for you Inventing Women and WE Magazine for Women would not have their own Favicon’s!
Thanks so much for all you do to make us look good and to help your clients brand themselves. I am so delighted our paths crossed and we get to work together.
You totally “get” my vision.
Have a great day… and more,
Heidi Richards Mooney