Does a Favicon Improve SEO?
While not a direct ranking factor, having a favicon can potentially improve your website's SEO. This is because Google attempts to access the favicon's URL when crawling a site. Missing favicons may result in 404 errors, which could be seen as poor site maintenance.
What is the Optimal Resolution for a Favicon?
The ideal resolution for favicons is 16x16 pixels. However, it's recommended to create favicons in multiple sizes to ensure they appear correctly across various platforms and devices.
PNG vs ICO: Which Format to Use?
Both PNG and ICO formats are commonly used for favicons. ICO is supported by all major browsers and is generally smaller in size. PNG is more commonly used for iOS, Android, and Windows 10 devices. Choose the format that best suits your audience's needs.
Best DPI for a Favicon
For a favicon, a resolution of 72 DPI (Dots Per Inch) is generally adequate. This is the standard web image resolution and is suitable for most applications.
Optimal Favicon Size for SEO
For SEO purposes, it is advised that your favicon should be a multiple of 48x48 pixels, such as 48x48px, 96x96px, or 144x144px. SVG files are also supported, but their URL should remain stable.
Is ICO Format for Favicon Outdated?
Although ICO was widely used in the past, modern browsers support other formats like PNG, GIF, and even SVG. ICO is not necessarily outdated, but PNG has become the more popular choice due to its versatility.
SVG or PNG: Which is Better?
SVG offers flexibility but is not universally supported across all browsers. PNG is the safer choice, especially when considering SEO. Google recommends using an icon that is a multiple of 48x48 pixels for best results.