What are favicons?
The term favicon is short for “favorites icon.” Originally, the image was used to distinguish pages in a list of favorites (now commonly referred to as bookmarks). Over time, favicons have developed other uses as well.
Additional locations you’ll see a favicon include:
- the left side of the internet browser’s address bar for active pages
- in the drop-down list of predicted URLs (if your browser uses a prediction service)
- in the various open tabs of your browser
Why are favicons important to your website?
Favicons Make Life Easier
By now, most people who use the internet regularly are accustomed to seeing favicons. Your average internet user probably doesn’t know too much about them. However, users do appreciate their presence and definitely notice their absence.
The brain can process images much easier and quicker than words. When browsing through a list of favorites, users can quickly find the site they want by the accompanying favicon.
The same thing happens when an internet user has several tabs open; the favicon makes it easy to distinguish between different sites.
If a site doesn’t use a favicon, there will simply be a blank page listed beside the website name. If a site doesn’t use a favicon, there will simply be a blank page listed beside the website name.
When a user has multiple bookmarks without a favicon, selecting the desired site becomes much more difficult since all the blank pages will look the same.
Favicons Establish Credibility
our site’s killer design will definitely grab visitors’ attention. However, once their attention has been snagged, you need to induce them to stay for a while. When the internet first came about, “sticky websites” was a phrase people used to describe sites that did just that – compelled visitors to stick around.
One of the ways to do that is to project the appearance of a credible business. Otherwise, visitors will leave before they can appreciate what the site (and business) has to offer.
Including a custom favicon is one way to establish credibility. It may seem like a small gesture, but visitors will notice and appreciate what it signifies. Likewise, visitors also notice when WordPress newbies use the default favicon that came with their theme. While something is better than nothing, the custom is better than default.
A custom icon tells visitors you are willing to go the extra mile to meet their needs. That professional attitude builds a customer’s trust.
Favicons Build Brand Awareness
We all know the importance of logos. It is what visually connects us to a company. What would McDonald’s be without the golden arches? Or Twitter without the little bluebird? Whether it is derived from your company’s logo or an entirely new visual representation, a favicon functions like a miniature logo. It helps internet users remember your brand.
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