How to Add a Favicon to Your webite

Ever notice those little pictures in from of some web addresses you type in your browser? Those are favicons and they are more than just cute images. Favicons are created by adding a favicon.ico file to your website. It is really not that difficult and it will give your site some added benefits.

Most web browsers have the ability to use a favicon.ico file. The browser will search for the file in your site and associate it with your web address. When someone bookmarks your site, like putting it in their favorites file, the browser will place your favicon in front of your web address.

Creating And Loading A Favicon.ico File

A favicon.ico file is the file that creates the actual favicon. You will first need to create an image that is 16X16 pixels in size. If you have Photoshop experience you can start with a 64X64 pixel to create the image and then just size it down. After the image has been created save it as a favico.ico file. Now comes the fun part of loading it into your website.

You do not need to upload the file to every directory on your site. Just place the file in your root directory and the browsers will find it. If for some reason you cannot upload the file to your sites directory you can place a code on your web pages directly. You will have to help out the browsers locate your file though.

Aiding The Browser

When adding the favicon.ico file directly to a page in your site, you will have to specify it with a tag. Just go in the section of your web page and type the following code:

Make sure to replace "favicon.ico" with the actual name of your file. You will need to modify all your web pages this way if you load the file other than in a directory.

Benefits To Your Website

Having a favicon on your website will not help your search engine rankings directly. There are however many indirect benefits in branding, marketing, and usability. These indirect benefits can lead to more traffic and more traffic means more customers.

Favicons act as a logo for your website. This type of branding is a great visibility tool. When someone sees your favicon on their browser they will immediately have a general idea of what your site offers.

Many website owners are still not using custom favicons. Having one for your site makes you stand out from the crowd. You need to gain every edge you can on your competitors and a custom favicon sets you apart from the crowd. That in itself will sometimes build extra traffic for you.

A favicon adds a certain amount of credibility in a visitors mind. When you are viewed as being credible you have also built trust. Visitors become paying customers when they trust the business they are purchasing from.

Creating, uploading, and using a favicon is really not that difficult. The extra side benefits of branding and marketability make it very worthwhile to add one to your site. Stand out from the crowd and let your website be recognized above your competition. Add a favicon today.