Site Names and Favicons in Search: What Actually Works
The site name and small icon Google shows next to results, taken from the site's structured data, title and favicon.
Samir Haddad
The key figures
- Site name source
- WebSite structured data with name and alternateName, among other signals
- Favicon requirement
- a square icon of at least 8 by 8 pixels, with larger sizes recommended
- Favicon crawl
- the favicon and the homepage must be crawlable
- Scope
- site names are shown at the domain or subdomain level
Why this is worth getting right
They are part of how searchers recognize a brand in results, and a wrong or missing name or favicon makes a result look less trustworthy.
Do this, not that
Do
- Add WebSite structured data with the preferred name
- Use the same name across the homepage title and headings
- Provide a favicon of at least 48 by 48 pixels
- Keep the favicon URL stable
- Check results after brand changes
Don’t
- Blocking the favicon or homepage from crawling
- Generic names that match many sites
- Favicons that are illegible at small sizes
- Inappropriate or misleading favicon images
When to bring in help
Our advice Bring in help when search results show the wrong site name or a blank favicon, especially after a rebrand.
Where this comes from
- Google Search Central — Site names in Google Search
- Google Search Central — Define a favicon to show in search results
The figures and practices above come from the sources listed.
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Where to go next
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