Which Favicon?

[Gary Lewis]

As some of you know, I've been playing with Copilot, which is Microsoft's AI tool.  Part of the playing has been to see what it thinks should be done to improve the forum and/or the website.  And one of the things it mentioned was to choose a good favicon - the image that shows on your browser tab, if your browser does that.

Heretofore we've used the bull with a ring in its nose, but we also have the front outline of a Bullnose truck that we use for the sticker and have at the top of each page.  So I asked Copilot this question: "We've used the bull with a ring in its nose as the favicon for the website.  But we also have the outline of the front of a Bullnose truck on our decal.  Would it be better to use the outline of the truck as the favicon?"

And here's the answer:

A favicon is a small icon that represents your website on browsers, bookmarks, and other places on the web¹. It is important to choose a favicon that is recognizable, consistent, and relevant to your brand and website².

The bull with a ring in its nose is a distinctive and memorable image that reflects the name and theme of your website, the Bullnose Bible. However, the outline of the front of a Bullnose truck is also a relevant and appealing image that showcases the actual product and passion of your website, the Bullnose trucks.

There is no definitive answer to which image would be better as a favicon, as both have their pros and cons. Ultimately, it depends on your personal preference and the feedback of your audience. You could try using both images as favicons and see which one gets more positive responses and recognition from your visitors.

Alternatively, you could combine both images into one favicon, by placing the bull inside the truck outline, or vice versa. This way, you could capture both aspects of your website and create a unique and eye-catching favicon. However, you would need to make sure that the favicon is clear and legible at a small size, as favicons are usually displayed at 16x16 or 32x32 pixels³.

To create and test your favicon, you can use tools such as [Favicon Generator](^4^), [Favicon.io](^5^), or [RealFaviconGenerator]. These tools will help you design, optimize, and preview your favicon on different browsers and devices.

I hope this helps you decide on the best favicon for your website. If you have any questions or feedback, please let me know. I'm always happy to chat with you. 😊

Given that I'd like your opinion via the poll below.  Please tell us which favicon you prefer.

Which image should we use as our favicon?

The current bull with a ring through its nose?

The outline of the front of a Bullnose truck, as shown at the top of this page?

This poll is closed.   

This poll ended on .

[Gary Lewis]

With the vote running strongly for the outline, 7 to 3 at present, I've changed the favicon to that just to see what it looks like.  But it didn't change on Chrome nor Edge so I fired up Firefox for the first time on this machine.  Sure enough, there it was so it may take some time to change on the other browsers.

Anyway, I'm not sure I like it.  The lack of color makes a big difference.  Here's what I'm seeing vs the old one.  Note that you can go back and change your vote if you want to.  And you can reply to this to tell us what you think.

[Ifitaintbroke]

I agree with the lack of color issue. It makes it difficult to tell what it is.

[Gary Lewis]

Since I've been playing with Copilot, aka Bing, I asked him how important color is.  Here's his answer, but it does align with most of the things I'm reading on the internet regarding favicon selection:

Color is an important factor for favicons, as it can affect the visibility, recognition, and branding of your website. According to the web search results, here are some reasons why color matters for favicons:

Color can help your favicon stand out from the background color of the browser tab, which is usually grey, white, or black. Contrasting colors can make your favicon more noticeable and eye-catching.

Color can help your favicon convey the style, mood, and personality of your website and brand. Different colors have different associations and meanings, such as red for excitement, blue for trust, or green for nature. You can use colors that match your logo, theme, or message.

Color can help your favicon be consistent and recognizable across different platforms and devices. Using the same or similar colors as your logo or website can create a unified and coherent visual identity for your brand. This can increase your brand awareness and loyalty among your visitors.

Therefore, color is a crucial element for designing a good favicon. You should choose colors that are clear, relevant, and consistent for your website and brand. You can use tools such as Favicon Generator, Favicon.io, or [RealFaviconGenerator] to create and preview your favicon with different colors.

[BigBrother-84]

Gary, be aware that there's at least one other Ford site (maybe more?) having a B&W truck face as favicon.

[Gary Lewis]

Good point, Jeff. That makes me like the outline even less and the bull even more.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Lies.   All lies.......  

[ratdude747]

Agreed and changed my vote accordingly.

[Machspeed]

Wasn't sure what a favicon was, so I googled it:

"Favicons can help users quickly identify your website among a sea of open tabs. Plus, they make it easy for users to find your website easily in their browser history. The more consumers see your favicon, the more likely they'll recognize your logo the next time they see it."

Based off that, and the fact that the Cow Favicon has been linked to our website for so long, I say leave it alone. If the website were new and under development, I'd go with the truck Favicon.  

BTW, thinking about putting mirrors on the truck logo. When time permits, may toss that up here to see what you think.

[ArdWrknTrk]

I see my favicon has changed to the BW image.
It threw me for a minute....

Too small for me to note what is being shown on my phone.

[Gary Lewis]

Yes, it has shown up on my tablet as well.  So now I have the two side by side and it is far easier to pick out the brown bull's nose that it is the barely-recognizable front end outline.  

[Gary Lewis]

We are still tied in voting, but I put it back to the bull for the moment.  It'll take a few days to make its way through to show up, but I think it is the one we want.

[BigBrother-84]

Gary, I lwas thinking about a B&W favicon colorization.
Maybe two-tones blue, I thought?


But I realized that we won't see a lot of colors on a Bullnose front picture, 32x32...

[Gary Lewis]

Jeff - That's looks like Big Blue, albeit w/o the winch and bumper.  Well done!  

But, as you pointed out, you don't see much color from straight on.  Maybe if it was Big Bro's red, but I doubt even then that there'd be much color to see.

Given the small size of the favicon, even on a fairly large screen like this tablet, it is hard to pick up the outline.  The snag below shows what I'm seeing, with the brown bullnose being much easier to distinguish than the outline.

There's just no way to put enough colour in the outline to make much difference.

[Nothing Special]

I was thinking Favicon must be some sort of conference where people go dressed up as Superheros or Star Trek characters or something and hadn't taken the time to look at this thread yet.

Now that I have looked and see that Favicon is completely different from Comicon, I still haven't bothered voting, because I don't really have an opinion, other than I'm accused of being change-averse, so any time a question like this comes up I tend to lean toward sticking with what's already there.

[Gary Lewis]

Nothing Special wrote

I was thinking Favicon must be some sort of conference where people go dressed up as Superheros or Star Trek characters or something and hadn't taken the time to look at this thread yet.

Now that I have looked and see that Favicon is completely different from Comicon, I still haven't bothered voting, because I don't really have an opinion, other than I'm accused of being change-averse, so any time a question like this comes up I tend to lean toward sticking with what's already there.

  That's funny!

As for change, I tend to cause it, so am not averse.  But in this case I think the change I proposed isn't a good one.  

[ArdWrknTrk]

I see the 'ring' favicon is back this morning.  

No more headscratching about which tabs the forum is open on.

[Gary Lewis]

I put it back several days ago but it takes awhile to percolate through the various systems.  Its been back on Chrome on this tablet for a day or two.