Strange requests for favicon.ico with SERP page as a referrer

[at2000]

Hi,

Did anybody see requests for favicon.ico (no other requests from the same IP are made) in the log files with Google SERP as a referrer? I tried to open this referrer SERP page, but couldn't find my site, not even on the next 5 SERPs.

[tedster]

Sometimes I've seen Google test favicons in experimental search results. That could account for your logs - and the fact that you can't duplicate the search result is not surprising, since you may not be part of that test group.

[Sgt_Kickaxe]

I see the same thing with image searches, full of parameters my site doesn't offer and that I can't duplicate in Google.

In other words people didn't search for what Analytics says they did, at least not on my site.

[conor]

I have also seen favicon images tested on the search results page but on the sponsored listings (Adwords) display, but not since last year.