A favicon is a small icon that represents a website in the browser's tabs, bookmarks, and other interfaces. The favicon is displayed as a recognizable symbol next to the site's title and helps users quickly identify and distinguish between different websites, especially when they have many tabs open. It is typically a square image, often in the 16x16 or 32x32 pixel format.
Why is favicon important?
Although it occupies very little on the screen, a favicon plays a significant role in web branding and user experience. Here are some reasons why it's important:
- Recognizability: A favicon makes it easier for users to identify your website among many open tabs or bookmarks.
- Branding: A favicon can strengthen a website's visual identity by reflecting the company's logo or color scheme.
- User experience: By using a favicon you can make navigation and re-finding your website more intuitive and easy.
How do you create a favicon?
A favicon is usually a simple version of the company’s logo or another graphical representation that fits the small size. To create and implement a favicon you can:
- Design the icon: Make sure the icon is simple and recognizable, even at small sizes. It should be in either PNG, ICO, or SVG format.
- Add to your website: Upload the favicon to the root of your website and use the following HTML code in your site's
<head>-section:<link rel="icon" href="favicon.ico" type="image/x-icon"> - Test: Ensure that your favicon appears correctly in different browsers and on both desktop and mobile devices.
A well-designed favicon can be a small, but powerful, tool to strengthen a website's professionalism and user-friendliness.