Webmaster Questions and Answers

Question: Sometimes when I bookmark a page and look at it in my bookmarks folder, there is a custom icon next to the link. How can I make it so that when a person downloads my page they get a custom link?

Answer: Here's exactly what it is and how to upload one taken straight from my book, Web Marketing Applied (page 72):

"Internet Explorer 5.0 has a nifty new feature in which a Webmaster can determine what icon will be shown in a person's Favorites (bookmarks) folder when that person bookmarks the Website. This is a great way to attract extra attention to your Web page. When a person bookmarks a Web page, the Internet Explorer default icon (of a blue e on a blank page) normally appears next to the bookmark. But with this trick, the default icon won't show when a person bookmarks your Web page - your icon will show!

If you've ever done a detailed analysis of your Website statistics, you've probably noticed, under Errors, that one of the errors is that favicon.ico is missing. That's because when a person using Internet Explorer 5.0 tries to bookmark a Website, the browser first checks to see whether you have an icon saved to use. If not, it puts its default Internet Explorer icon next to your bookmark, and you see on your log files the error that it couldn't be accessed."

Create a 16X16 pixel image and save it as favicon.ico . Now upload this image to your root directory and you're done!"

Joe Tracy

P.S. In Web Marketing Applied, I also direct you to a free program to help you make the 16X16 icon.

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