What is a favicon?

The Kingdom Explains Favicons

The favicon has been around since 1999. Originally it was invented by Microsoft and used in Internet Explorer 5 to record the number of web page hits.

It’s the small image situated in the top left-hand corner of your URL in your browser, or the tab of a Chrome Browser. It’s a square graphic, anything from 16x16 up to 128x128px. It’s no longer on Safari, Apple preferring (boring?) grey as a part of their minimalist approach. 

In the last couple of weeks, you may have noticed the favicon has become a lot more prominent as Google is using it as a featured image for website search results.

If your website is appearing in Google rankings, as you would hope you may have noticed the favicon sitting next to your web page name. 

It’s essential to get your favicon correct, as you end up with a dull old square if it is wrong. The chances are that the mysterious coding gurus at Google are adding value to the search index for correct favicon deployment.

The Kingdom Explains Favicons

It’s not always easy to change the favicon. If you are using WordPress or HubSpot, here is a quick guide.

If you’re using WordPress you change your Favicon see image. 

If you are using HubSpot you can change your Favicon see image. 

If you use HubSpot, The Kingdom will set this up free for you.

The Kingdom Explains Favicons

The favicon also gives away clues to the status of your website security. Google search demands SSL secured sites for improved ranking.

You also see situations where a security warning replaces your favicon. If your website is showing not secure in the top left corner, this means that you have problems with your SSL certificate.

Unsecured is not good. SSL is very needed in the modern-day web world, and we strongly recommend that act promptly to correct it as this will definitely be impacting your website ranking.

The Kingdom provides a free audit for you here to help guide you to the correct SSL service.

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