Look up in the sky …it’s Mr. Favicon, our branding super hero.
Why do I call a favicon a Branding Super Hero, because it has the ability to add your logo in two places! Let me start from the beginning, what is a Favicon? Typically, a favicon is a small version (16 x 16 pixels) of your logo. Next you may be wondering, where can you see a favicon. A favicon is displayed in two places. If you look in your bookmarks, you will see a favicon next to the websites name (if they use them). Some companies that use them are Yahoo!, Google, BlogCatalog …and many more. So if you are into “brand reinforcement”, the favicon just might be your super hero too.
What I really like about having my logo displayed in the bookmark section next to my website name is, even if someone is not visiting my web site, everytime they open their bookmarks they will see my logo. Second, when someone does visit my website, my logo will be added to the brower’s tab, offering one more spot I can enforce my brand. Importantly, if someone creates multiple tabs while surfing the internet, my logo can still be seen next to my website’s name. Furthermore, if I choose to animate my favicon, animations (or scrolling text) are supported.
So now you know why I call a favicon a branding super hero, the question is …do you want Mr. Favicon helping you enforce your brand? If you do you …getting a favicon is easy! Just read on…
I want to start by citing my source on Favicon’s, a blog called learning webmasters. The author, Shardul, wrote about favicons and how they enforce branding. Also, in Shardul’s post, “adding a favicon to a website“, he provides a great link to a website that makes creating a favicon easy, create a favicon.
Personally, I feel that branding is very important in the long term success of a business. However, I believe branding is one of the more difficult marketing tactics, that takes a long time to establish. Furthermore, traditionally branding relied upon expensive direct mail campaigns and billboards that had limited exposure and were gone once the mail was trashed or the billboard was passed. However, now there is a favicon. It is inexpensive and effective. Yes, it is small, but mighty. It is visible even when your site is not visited. Tada! It is Mr. Favicon, Branding Super Hero.
Sure my Mr. Favicon analogy is a bit silly, but my point is how powerful a favicon can be. So here’s to silly … and Mr. Favicon! It is not every day we get to meet a branding hero …thanks Mr. Favicon.
Gary,
Super article. Small companies especially must be on the lookout for every possible way to get their logo in front of potential customers and referrers. Thanks.