Add a Favicon to your Blog
What is a Favicon?
The official definition from Wikipedia is:
A favicon (short for ‘favorites icon’), also known as a website icon, a page icon or an urlicon, is an icon associated with a particular website or webpage. A web designer can create such an icon, and many recent web browsers can then make use of them. 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.
My own non scientific description is: The little thingy that shows up as a little picture right next to the URL address in the address bar.
I wanted to have my own personalized icon for this blog, so I found this website Favicons from Pics. Uploaded the Langwitches logo and then downloaded the created favicon. Uploaded via FTP the favicon.ico file to my blog’s root directory and inserted the following code in my header.php file.
<link rel=”shortcut icon” href=”favicon.ico” >
Voila! That little thingy shows up in the address bar. 
Tested in Firefox on PC and MAC. Looks like it is not working with Internet Explorer. 
I am aways let down when website doesn’t have a favicon. Childish, I know, but for some reason it make it more professional in eyes. I love your use of Skitch to demonstrate your point.
Which favicon did you decide on? Currently none are showing in my address bar.
jepcke,
What browser are you using? The favicon t is showing up in my Firefox. (see image from skitch). I guess I need to keep looking for another script that is browser compatible.
Thanks for this discussion of favicons. The customization that is available when you have your own WordPress blog sometimes seems rather appealing to me. I appreciate all that is offered by Edublogs.org, where my blog is hosted. I might note even have got started if Edublogs had not been there for me. Still, sometimes I’m frustrated by the limitations.
Wow! That is cool – can’t wait to try on my blog, just put on my “to do” list. I can’t see yours since I have internet explorer.
I haven’t checked my google reader in four days and you had 10 posts. You’ve been a busy girl! I thought you were relaxing some going out to coffee and such! Can’t wait to read and catch up.
hi Silvia
like the favicon idea – like a corporate logo! Tried to follow your instructions to add one to my blog – http//lisibo.blogspot.com – but can’t work out how! Not sure what you mean by ‘uploaded by FTP to my blog’s root directory inserted code into my header.php file’ – will it work on Blogger?
Lisa,
I host my own WordPress blog with a hosting company. That means I upload the WordPress files manually to their folder on the server. I can also change each file that is needed for my theme separately. Since your blog is hosted by blogger, you don’t have manual access to their server. I am not sure how blogger works, or how you get into the code of your template. You might want to try to upload the favicon.ico files as a normal image and see if your blogger theme will recognize it automatically. Here is a site with a tutorial for adding a favicon to Blogger http://blogger-tricks.blogspot.com/2006/06/favicon-for-your-blogger-blog.html
Thanks Silvia! Will have a go – every day I learn something new – hope my pupils are excited by learning as I am!!
I use SM Favicon Generator. This one works great and its fast.