• First of all draw your design idea on paper so if you want to do some experiment with your design you can easily do it
• Be sure that your design is related to its function
• Make large and properly visible icon design
• Use proper fonts and text to easily differentiate from others.
• keep thinking about your audience , that is it easy to navigate them from icons to your website or not
• make is simple and effective to attract
• avoid to use more than three object in your design to make your icon more recognized
• Add smooth shadow behind the image to make it more visible and amazing.

Hello...
In my point of view these can be the effective ideas while designing an effective icon....
a)Consider Your Audience.
b)Use a Consistent Light Source.
c)Use Out of the Ordinary Color Combinations.
d)Design Icons to Work at Large Formats as well as Small Scales.
Thnx...

Great, these are the useful tips. This is very useful specially for me. Thanks for sharing.

A icon is that the identity of an organization.Effective icon style is one in every of the dark arts of net  business. Business brand styles and skilled icons are typically best designed by a specialist firm, who are used to translating your concept into a visible emblem.

For icon design I would prefer to use Adobe Illustrator. It something you can make different shape and line to make an icon. It something great one.

If you want to create effective icon designs, then you should take a holistic approach to issues such as audience, size, simplicity, lighting, perspective, and style. Icons are the signs and sentinels that guide visitors through the digital world.

Most of the common mistakes our buddies do while making the icons:
They make the good icons but some icons are not relevant to the subject. So, with the design do consider about where it gonna be used.

Have the relevant Icons. Many a times it is seen that we came across certain Icons but fails to understand it purpose. Because the Icon fails to represent its use.

Icons are essential in any graphical user interface. They are effective visual cues for performing tasks or navigating to a certain location.

Icon designing is not an easy task for all people because it is important for website development to attract visitors. Icons on the website play a vital role in website popularity and success because all people likes to access the easy navigate, unique content and graphically oriented site.

Here i define some effective icon design idea.

1) icon is relevant to your site or subject
2) Use different shape and color
3) Create it very simple and unique