Install a Favicon and Increase Loyal Readers
What is a favicon?
Favicon, which is short for favorites icon, is a little icon that is associated with your website. Browsers that support favicons may display them in the browser’s URL bar, next to the site’s name in lists of bookmarks, and next to the page’s title in a tabbed document interface.
Why is this important to me?
There are a lot of advantages why it is important to install your own favicon. Here are several of them.
Get noticed in the Tab.
With the tabbed browsing emphasized as a main feature in both Firefox and Internet Explorer 7, it is no doubt one of the best features in browsers today. It would be an advantage to have a favicon installed in your site so that you can easily be seen. Just be sure to make your favicon noticeable. 
Stand out in the feed reader.
The same concept with the tab applies here. Because your reader has subscribed to many blogs and rss syndications, having a favicon can increase your chances of being noticed and so being read by your subscribers.
Stand out in your readers Favorites List.
Exactly the same idea with standing out in feed readers. Although, standing out in the favorites list plays a bigger factor because your blog will be highlighted in rss readers if you have posted a new article while the favorites list only shows a static listing.
Gives the reader something to associate you with.
Branding is very important, period. And having a favicon can help your readers unconsciously associate your blog or site to a specific logo or picture, because it will be shown on all pages on your site. It will be reloaded over and over again to your readers so the next time they see that logo or picture, chances are they will remember your site. 
Things to remember when making your favicons:
- Be unique as you can be
One if the main reason you are making a favicon is because you want to stand out among your competitors, so make it unique. - Make sure it is understandable
Since the icon is very small, make sure it will be understood by your readers. The last thing you want to have is a favicon that makes no sense. - Color should blend with your design but stand out as a whole
Your favicon might become a disadvantage instead of an advantage if you don’t blend it with your site’s theme or design. Why? Because it would just look plain ugly. Make it stand out but not too much.
Do-It-Yourself Favicon
Because of the size of the icon. It would be very hard to design or draw, right? So, what I do is I make the design on a big resolution (I use 300 x 300) and then just convert it using this Favicon Generator. You can also convert your pictures.
Other Favicon Generators you can use:
Favicon Editor
Favicon Converter
Favicon Generator
Online Icon Maker
Hope you enjoyed this sharing of mine. I’d love to hear feedbacks from you. By the way, please subscribe to my rss feed for more of my upcoming resources. I’m sure you’ll love them.
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26 Responsesto “Install a Favicon and Increase Loyal Readers”
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associating a favicon to a website is listed on my ‘to be posted topics’ list…
I plan to discuss the technical aspect and how to implement it…
there’s an easier way to create one
will reference on this post when I had created the said post
Wow. That’s cool AMy. I’ll be looking forward to your favicon post.
Hey nice tip.
Now where did I put that interesting icon.
Hey nice tip.. I have implemented this one at my site,… Check it and you will see what did I use..:) I cannot thinks of something else at the moment..
It’s true that a unique and nice favicon will attract a lot of attention but IMO it doesn’t assure loyal readers or neither will it increase your number of readers. Good content plus a unique writing style is what you need to increase and keep your readers.
Thanks for pointing that out Jaypee. I wasn’t able to stress that point. Having a unique and nice favicon will not assure loyal readers, but can really help out in doing so.
Thanks Dex. And good luck on the upcoming new design of your site. :p
Been using favicon a month ago already. It’s that it can attract some visitors.
I just like to inform that I have finished the project I have made and I have compiled the list of Pinoy blogs. Please see below link.
http://techathand.net/2007/11/philippine-blogosphere-know-how-filipino-bloggers-think/
Thanks for joining
Dexter
[...] Install a favicon and increase loyal readers – This is a good tip on how we can a favicon on our blog and stand out among other blogs and also gain more loyal readers. [...]
[...] you have a Favicon for your blog? McBilly helps you in installing a favicon and shares how it could increase loyal [...]
Heads up guys.
Feedburner RSS Stats going down
Thanks for the heads up Charles. ProBlogger thinks it may be a glitch in the system and will be rectified in a day or two.
I really hope Darren is right.
No probs. I thought Big G is doing something bad to us bloggers again.. hehehe
Nothing to worry.
thanks for the tip.
I’m glad you liked it.
hey mcbilly, i’ve created a favicon for my site but can’t seem to install it. how do i upload to to my site? i’m such an idiot wuth these things. thanks.
Hi Monaco. First upload your favicon.ico file to where your main index file is and put these codes in the header section of your header.php.
I tried to paste the codes here but the comment page reads it as code and won’t output even if I put the code tag around it. hehe
Anyway, I see you’ve already installed your favicon. Nice work!
after a few trials and more errors, i was finally successful in installing my favicon. thanks again mcbilly.
Trial and error is your friend with these kind of stuffs. Hehe.
Anyway, your very much welcome Monaco. I’m really glad you got it to work.
If I hadn’t read this post, I wouldn’t have noticed that I haven’t re-uploaded my favicon after I switched hostings — which was months ago pa. lol. So thanks for reminding me! hehe
Yey. I reminded Joni of something!
Your welcome, glad to be of service. Hehe
Just put my own favicon in while I redesigned my blog. Nice article.
traffic increase might not be the best result, but at least having a favicon would make your blog different and unique. problema ko, di ko maikabit sa site ko, pakituruan naman ako mcbilly en monaco. tenks.
Hi buraot. I visited your site and it looks like you’ve already installed the favicon. Hehe. Nice one. If you have more questions, don’t hesitate to post it here.
ngek! ganun ba? di ko nakikita. baka kelangan buksan ko from other pc siguro. tenks brad. me mapaglalaruan na naman ako.
tingin ko what you see is the favicon of googlepages. dun ko kasi in-upload yung favicon ko. san ko ba dapat i upload yung favicon dapat? dun ba sa blogsite ko? tenks ulit.
Hi Buraot. Here is a guide on how to install the favicon for blogspot users. If it still doesn’t show, try to delete your cache. Good luck.
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