I had been wondering for some time how to make a favicon. Favicons are the little illustrations that appear to the left of site addresses or URL name in the the address bar:
The default is a blank white page and that is what I had on my blog. But I thought it would be cool to have a custom-made one.
After a quick search for “how to make a favicon” and looking at the results, I liked the following icon generator: http://www.favicon.co.uk , which gives you a good summary of what favicons are and tells you how to make one, based on a pre-existing image you make or get somewhere. It is a neat tool. Not withstanding my lack of creativity, I was able to come up with this icon, which I am now using as part of my blog header illustration.
I also tried this other generator: http://www.favicon.cc. I found it real cool because of the animation. I think animation is a good resource to favicons because it can counterbalance the limitations imposed to them due to their small size. These two I made to try and improve the relation to the title of my blog (they look nicer when in their place, believe me):
Once you have generated the little icon you have to take it to the root directory of your blog (public html/yourblog.com) and then go into your themes files and look for the header.php file. In there you need to fiddle with the code editor, but it’s only a matter of locating the following line:
<link rel=”shortcut icon” href=”<?php bloginfo(‘template_url’); ?>/favicon.ico” type=”image/x-icon” />
where you will substitute the code in bold (including the arrow brackets) with the URL of your site, and ‘favicon.ico’ for the name you used for your own icon. Since the generators usually name the icon files just like that, you might not even have to change the icon name at all.
Update to post, 9/5/2010: If the line of code does not exist in your theme’s header file, copy and paste it in there, making sure that it is the first of the ‘link rel=’ lines in the file. And don’t forget the substitutions mentioned in the paragraph above.
Can free favicons be good? With tools like these they sure can, it is all up to one’s aptitudes, as with everything else.
Hey Jose
It’s not the most important thing but it’s cool to add a favicon to your site if you have time to create one.
This the animated one is awesome, so thanks for sharing the resource. I’ll be using that for sure!!!
Rob
(** RJB **)
** RJB **´s last [type] ..Really Important But Often Overlooked…
Hi Rob,
I agree having a favicon is not the most important thing to have. And in a more negative stance, effort dedicated to creating a favicon is a digression from more productive tasks.
I can only say that these tools I talked about in the post make it real easy to generate an icon.
Best regards,
Jose
Hi Jose,
This is kool stuff. I would like to try them on my blog. Thanks for sharing your research.
I think sometimes these little things also help create a good looking blog that is helpful in the long run. Because presentation is one of the key factors for attracting traffic and traffic to stay on ones blog though content is king.
Cheers!
Abizer
Hello Abizer,
It is easy making a favicon with those tools. Just don’t overdo; actualy, the simpler the design, the better it will look given the small size of the things.
And it can be a good addition to the image of a blog although it wouldn’t do much toward content, which is where we should put most of our efforts.
Thank you for stopping by,
Jose
Hey Jose
I used to have a superman / superwoman type favicon lol.
Favicons are pretty cool and it makes them stand out in your bookmarks, so always something to think about.
For a few minutes work, it’s something I always do anyway,
Sally
Sally´s last [type] ..Sally Is Retiring From Blog Hopping GASP…
Hi Sally,
Yes, a favicon can be ready in a few minutes once you get a knack how the generators work.
Good to see you again!
Jose
Hi Jose,
This is a very helpful post and I don’t see that many posts covering favicons.
I did read one several months ago and created my own favicon then.
I think that they are quite important even though it is arguable whether there are better and more important things to do.
I’d say when one feels like having a favicon that is exactly the right time to create one. It is important enough and that same creative impulse may not come by for a while.
I’m glad you’ve done it and posted about it for the benefit of others.
Vance
Vance@Using Online Giveaways´s last [type] ..Learn How To Build Your Email List Using Online Giveaways
Hi there, Vance!
One good thing about making a favicon is that it is a finite task: you get it done and then you move to something else or back to what you were doing. Not much of an accomplishment, it can be said, but then again, really?
Thank you for your comment,
Jose
Hi Jose,
To me the things that you can finish and move on to other things are the most beautiful in that the sense of accomplishment is great. You’ve done it and don’t have to come back to it.
It’s much better than going back to the same thing that never seems to be done and over with and needs to be worked on endlessly.
Vance
Vance@Succeed Online Networking´s last [type] ..Succeed Online By Networking At Internet Marketing Events
Well said, Vance!
Straight to your blog,
Jose
Hey Jose
Really cool links im defo gona check them out really cool
your blog is looking really cool now
keep up the good work
Thanks
Davy
Hi Davy,
Cool they are, indeed! And it doesn’t take much to get a hold of them and come up with a… yes!, cool-looking icon.
Thank you for visiting,
Jose
Hi Jose
Although I don’t consider a favicon as a “must have”, they are rather neat and do help in making your site stand out in a small way.
Having watched a great little video from Dave Guindon, I managed to creat one and it only took minutes.
I may consider more for the future.
John
John Coates´s last [type] ..Listbuilding With PLR
Hello John!
I agree, a “must have” favicons are not. It’s just that as Vance said in his comment, it’s time to have one when you feel like it.
Been to your blog, great place!
Jose
Josh,
Very informative and useful post. I think favicon is nice to have on your site if you have the time to create one. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Justin,
With any of the two tools mentioned in the post a favicon can be ready in a few minutes. Perhaps the trickiest part would be uploading the .ico file onto the root diretory.
Great to have you here,
Jose
Hi Jose,
I like your new favicon, it gives your blog a nice finishing touch.
(The dot over the i, as we say in Denmark)
Henning
Henning´s last [type] ..Health- Wealth & Love
Thank you, Henning!
I liked that Danish saying. In Spanish, putting the dots over the i’s means getting things straight or to clarify something; just a different point of view.
Cheers,
Jose
Hey Jose,
I always have a little favicon, usually an S for Sally lol.
I feel it makes your bookmarked link stand out from the crowd when people add to you to their favorites.
Nice post, you should tell David Taylor you wrote it, he was asking me about favicons yesterday.
Sally
Sally´s last [type] ..What Happened After My Interview
Hi Sally!
Thank you, I’ll try and get a hold of David, hope this post can help him.
Jose
It looks great. I believe having this can make your site a greater chance for publicity. People can remember your site easily as it serves a logo once people visit your site. Thanks for sharing the tutorial. You have given me a wonderful idea.
Hi Jose,
Though it’s not the most important thing but it a cool stuff. Favicon is really neat and do help in making the site stand out in a small way. I believe this is the kind of stuff that every blogger must have to try.