Tag Archives: favicon generator

Favicon-Generator

Become an A+ Favicon Generator

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As discussed in what is a favicon, a favicon is a small 16×16 pixel icon that represents your website. Now that you know the benefits of a favicon, it’s time to get cracking and become an A+ favicon generator.

Need a Favicon Generator? Grab Your Tools and Let’s Start

Need a Favicon Generator? Grab Your Tools and Let’s Start

Understanding the Favicon File Format

To ensure favicons are compatible with all internet browsers, they are best created in a special icon file format (.ico). This is different to other standard image formats such as jpg and gif. Some standard graphic design packages don’t cater to this .ico format, so you won’t be able to use them as a favicon generator.

In the video below I’ll be showing how to create your own unique favicon

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So just to recap the steps in the video:

1. Download the free Photoshop alternative: Paint Net

2. Crop an existing image, or create an image in a square format. This does not need to be on a 16×16 pixel canvas.

3. Once you are happy with the results, save as a gif or jpg and upload it to the free favicon generator website Dynamic Drive. This site will convert your picture to a favicon.

How to Install Your Favicon

Once you’ve used the favicon generator, you’re probably bursting with enthusiasm to upload the favicon to your website. The installation procedure needed will vary depending on your website’s content management system. To find out how to install your favicon, Google your content management system along with the term ‘install favicon’.

For compatibility, ensure you’ve named your favicon file favicon.ico

For WordPress users, the process is easy. Either download and install the plugin: Favicon Manager. This will give you the functionality to install your favicon directly from the administration panel of your website.

Alternatively, you can log into your FTP panel and directly replace the favicon.ico file. More instructions can be found in installing a favicon in WordPress

By following these steps, you’ll be able to add that extra layer of professionalism and trust to your website, helping you separate from your competitors. Let me know how you go.

Growing your small business,

David Moloney
sbp.strongerbranch.com

Favicon-What-Is

What is a Favicon

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Have you heard the term favicon before? Or does it make you shrug your shoulders and ask ‘what is a favicon?‘ Well you’ve come to the right place. A favicon is a small little icon (16 x 16 pixels) which represents your website. The term favicon is an abbreviation of ‘favourites icon’.

A Favicon is an Icon That Represents Your Website

A Favicon is an Icon That Represents Your Website

 

 

Why a Favicon is Important For Your Website

Although a favicon isn’t an essential part of your website, it adds a nice cohesive touch that shows you have an eye for detail. In today’s environment of tabbed internet browsing, your favicon helps you ‘own’ your tab. This makes it easier for your users to identify your site, which is another notch in your small business branding arsenal.

Choosing not to have a favicon, simply means that you have a generic page icon representing your website. Just like millions of other websites. How boring. Having a favicon adds a further layer of professionalism, contributing to your sites overall trust factor.

Essential Criteria for a Great Favicon

As your favicon is small, you need to be really smart about how you use the space. The two essential criteria for a great favicon are:

1. Must be legible/understandable: Can the user decipher what your favicon is? The simpler the shape and the fewer the colours – the easier the more recognisable a favicon will be.

2. Must have an obvious link to your small business: Is it obvious that the picture shown in your favicon relates to your small business? Don’t try and be cryptic. You need to be as straightforward as possible.

Determining Your Favicon

In practice, a favicon is usually a derivative of one or more of the following items:

  • Your logo
  • Your small business name
  • Your small business category
  • Your primary product or service
  • Your mascot
  • Your brand colours

It’s a good idea to brainstorm the points above and come up with a possible favicon shortlist.

Learn From Other Famous Favicons

Stuck for inspiration? It’s a good idea to take a peek at how other successful businesses handle their favicons.

“A man only learns in two ways, one by reading, and the other by association with smarter people” – Will Rogers

Just as all brands are different, their representative favicons are different. Below is a video that both explains favicons, and showcases favicons from 15 of globally successful business. These favicons are featured both for their unique nature and because of the way they needed to adapted to the small space.

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In my next article you can learn how to create your own favicon for free.

Do you have a favicon for your website? I’d love to hear how you decided on the design.

Growing your small business,

David Moloney
sbp.strongerbranch.com