Best Footer Design for Your Website

This article will tell you everything you ever needed to know about footer website design. We’ll discuss what a website footer is, why they are important, what to put in your website footer, and some great tips and examples of footer website design.

What is a Footer on your Website?

The website footer is the area located at the bottom of every web page on a website. It is below the main body content. Did you know that the term “footer” actually came from the print world? It’s true! The term is used to describe an element that is seen at the bottom of all pages of a document. The purpose of a website footer is to help visitors by adding navigation options and other information at the bottom of each page. You will need to decide what is most important to include in your own website’s footer. For help designing a great website footer, you might need to hire a website design agency like SEO Design Chicago!

Are Website Footers Important?

Though you might think your website footer isn’t all that important since it’s at the bottom of your page, that actually couldn’t be farther from the truth. Footers are a crucial part of a website. First of all, they signal to your visitor that they’ve reached the bottom of the page. Second, they provide your visitor with important information. And third, they provide a path to keeping the visitor on your website. It encourages your visitor to click to another page in which they might be interested and gives them a last chance to take action on your site.

If you don’t have experience in web design, you may want to hire a website design agency to help design complicated aspects of your website, like the footer.

What Should Go in my Website Footer?

There are limitless options for what can go in your website’s footer. If you are wondering how to get started with the best footer design, we have several ideas and options for what you can include. We will discuss all the best options for text in the footer:

Copyright

There is one element that every best footer should have, and that is the copyright. You should include the current year and the copyright symbol. That’s because it protects against website plagiarism. It is a best footer design practice to include any necessary copyright notices.

Sitemap

Another excellent option for what to include in your footer is a link to the HTML version of your sitemap. This is another element you will see frequently included in footer website design. Though this link is rarely clicked on by site visitors, a sitemap helps search engines find things on your website. A footer that includes a sitemap or extra navigation options is referred to as a fat footer.

Privacy Policy

Your privacy policy is another common element in most footers. The privacy policy typically links to a page that explains what information the website collects, how that information is stored and how it might be used. If you don’t have a privacy policy yet, you can use a free privacy policy generator website to create one.

Terms of Use

Though the terms of use can sometimes be confused with the privacy policy, the two are actually different. The terms of use explain what a visitor is agreeing to by visiting the website. Some highly regulated industries include the full text of their terms of service in the footer, but this isn’t necessary for most sites.

Contact Information

One of the most important elements of most footers is the contact link. It’s standard to put your contact info in the bottom right or center of the footer. The best option is to include a link to a page with a contact form, rather than a link directly to an email. Make sure to include any necessary contact details in your footer.

Location Information

Another common piece of information in footers is an address and a link to a map or directions to your location. This not only helps visitors to your website find your business, but it also helps tell Google and other search engines where you are.

Phone Number

Make sure to include your phone number in your footer. Especially if you are a small business with a local area code, this helps show Google that. If you want customers to be able to call you easily, make your phone number a clickable button so if someone is looking at your website on their phone, they can tap to call you in one easy step.

Navigation

Typically, if someone scrolls all the way down to the bottom of your page, it means they didn’t find the information or link they were looking for. That’s where navigation comes in. Perhaps add a search button so visitors can easily look for what they want on your site, or a user-friendly map to your site.

Links to Social Media Pages

Though some web designers prefer to add links to their social media pages in their website headers, our experts actually prefer them in the footer. That’s because oftentimes, if someone leaves your website for your Facebook page, for example, they might not return to your website. So instead, include links to your social media pages like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram in your footer. You can even use social media icons. The best footers include social media links.

Email Subscription

A footer is a great place to include something that you want your website visitors to do, like subscribe to your email newsletter. Including an email signup box for visitors to type their email address in your footer is a great footer design best practice.

Login

If some of your site visitors are employees, partners, affiliates, or resellers who have a login, you can include the login link in your footer. This helps it be easy for them to find on your website.

Media

Another common link to add in your footer is a link to a media contact or press room. For most websites, only a small amount of website visitors are media. Most media members know to look in the footer of websites for this link. Of course, if your website’s main attraction is the media, you might want to include this in the header instead.

Photos

If you want an extremely professional and fancy footer, add a photo. Images draw the eye and add interest to the page. A few examples of footer images are photos of the exterior or interior of your business, or your founder or CEO.

Mini Photo Gallery

And if you want to really go the extra mile, add a mini photo gallery to your footer. You can make the images clickable to a larger size for viewers.

Logo

Another kind of image to include in your website footer is your logo. It’s never a bad idea to reinforce your branding on your website.

Mission Statement

If your business has a mission statement, you can include a link to that page of your website. Or, you can even include a few sentences from your mission statement or bio in your footer to summarize to your website visitors what your business is all about.

Keywords

Your footer is another place you can utilize keywords to help improve your website’s search engine optimization. For example, if you do include a few sentences of your mission statement, make sure it includes keywords that someone searching online might use to find your website. However, don’t stuff your footer with too many keywords. Just include one or two of the most important ones.

Awards and Certifications

Has your business won any awards? Your footer is the perfect palace to include a logo for any awards or lists your business might have won or been included on. These kinds of logos add credibility to your website on every page. It also acts as a kind of social proof for websites visitors. Some other examples of logos you could include are: security certificates for e-commerce sites, BBB certificates, AdWords certifications for marketing agencies, GSA certificates for companies that work with the government, and more.

Association Memberships

Similarly, does your business belong to any associations? If so, you can add the logo for any associations you belong to in your footer, too. Some examples might be local chambers of commerce or industry associations.

Testimonials

A testimonial is another example of something you can include in your footer design. Just make sure to keep them short and sweet! If you don’t want to include the exact same testimonial at the bottom of the page, you can instead put a short testimonial at the bottom of every page above the footer instead. This allows you to use different testimonials that are relevant to the content on each page.

Latest Blog Post or Article

If your website has a blog or regularly posts articles, you can include your latest article or content in your footer. For example, you can include a “recent blog posts” column, or your most popular content.

Upcoming Events

If your business holds lots of events, you can promote your upcoming events in your footer. However, if not, it’s best to leave this one out so you don’t have an empty space in your footer.

Video

The most popular and compelling form of content right now is a video. If you really want to go all-out in your website footer design, include a video.

Audio

Another option is to add some audio to your footer. For example, if your company has a catchy radio or TV jingle, you can include an audio player that plays the song.

Final Call to Action

The final element that every best footer design should include is a call to action. Whatever action your desire your website visitors to complete, include a well-written call to action in your footer.

More Best Footer Design Ideas

Here are a couple more quick tips for designing your footer:

Utilize a Color Scheme

It is a good idea to use a different color scheme for your footer than you did for the rest of your website to set it apart. For example, you can reverse the colors and use light text on a dark background in your footer.

Use a Sticky Footer

Do you ever go on a website and the navigation “sticks” to the top of the web page, regardless of if you scroll down? You can do the same with your footer and “stick” it to the bottom of the page. If your footer contains a lot of important information you want your visitors to see, this is a great option.

Don’t Use a Footer At All

Some websites that have tons of content skip designing a footer altogether. Instead, as the visitor scrolls, more content just loads and loads and loads. One website that uses this design is ESPN. This is only an option for a few websites that have endless content, however.

Get Help with Your Footer Web Design

If you still need help designing a footer for your own website, call us at SEO Design Chicago today! Our expert web designers can help you build the perfect footer of a website.

Frequently Asked Questions About Best Footer Design for Your Website

1. What are the essential elements every website footer should include?

Every website footer should include a copyright notice with the current year and copyright symbol to protect against plagiarism. Contact information (preferably a link to a contact form rather than direct email) is crucial, along with your phone number and business address for local SEO benefits. Include links to your privacy policy and terms of use for legal compliance. Navigation elements like a sitemap link help both users and search engines. Finally, add a clear call-to-action that encourages visitors to take your desired next step, whether that’s subscribing to your newsletter, making a purchase, or contacting you for services.

2. Should I place social media links in my header or footer, and why?

Place social media links in your footer rather than your header. When visitors click social media links in the header, they often leave your website and may not return, reducing your conversion opportunities. Footer placement allows visitors to explore your website content first, then connect with you on social platforms after they’ve engaged with your primary content. Use recognizable social media icons for platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. This strategy helps retain visitors longer while still providing easy access to your social media presence.

3. What’s the difference between a regular footer and a “fat footer,” and which should I choose?

A regular footer contains basic information like copyright, contact details, and a few key links. A “fat footer” includes extensive navigation options, sitemaps, multiple columns of links, and comprehensive site information. Choose a fat footer if you have a large website with lots of content and want to provide extensive navigation options for users who scroll to the bottom. Use a regular footer for smaller websites or when you prefer a cleaner, minimalist design. Fat footers are particularly beneficial for e-commerce sites, large corporate websites, or content-heavy blogs where visitors need multiple pathways to find information.

4. How can I use my website footer to improve SEO without appearing spammy?

Include 1-2 strategically placed keywords in your footer content, such as in your mission statement or business description, but avoid keyword stuffing. Add your business address to help with local SEO and signal your location to search engines. Include a sitemap link to help search engines crawl your site more effectively. Use your footer to link to important internal pages that might not be prominently featured in your main navigation. Include location-based information and make your phone number clickable for mobile users. Focus on providing genuine value to users rather than manipulating search rankings – search engines reward authentic, user-friendly content.

5. What footer design mistakes should I avoid to maintain professionalism?

Avoid cluttering your footer with too much information or links that could overwhelm visitors. Don’t use broken links or outdated contact information, as this damages credibility. Avoid placing social media links too prominently in the header where they’ll draw visitors away from your main content. Don’t forget to update your copyright year annually. Avoid using the same color scheme as your main content – differentiate your footer with contrasting colors. Don’t include irrelevant awards or certifications that don’t add credibility. Finally, avoid generic calls-to-action – make them specific and compelling to your target audience.

6. Should I include testimonials in my footer, and how should I format them?

Yes, including testimonials in your footer can be effective, but keep them short and impactful – aim for 20-30 words maximum. Rotate different testimonials that are relevant to each page’s content rather than using the same testimonial sitewide. Include the customer’s name and photo when possible for credibility. Alternatively, place testimonials just above the footer rather than within it, allowing for page-specific testimonials that support the content users just read. This approach provides social proof at the moment when visitors are deciding their next action, making testimonials more effective for conversion.

7. What’s a sticky footer, and when should I use one?

A sticky footer remains visible at the bottom of the screen regardless of scrolling, similar to how some navigation menus stick to the top. Use a sticky footer when it contains crucial information you want visitors to see at all times, such as contact information, important calls-to-action, or emergency contact details. Sticky footers work well for service businesses, medical practices, or any business where immediate contact is important. However, avoid sticky footers if they contain too much information or could interfere with your main content display, especially on mobile devices where screen space is limited.

8. How often should I update my website footer content, and what requires regular maintenance?

Update your copyright year annually – this is the most important regular maintenance task that affects your site’s credibility. Review and update contact information immediately when it changes, including phone numbers, addresses, and email contacts. Check all footer links quarterly to ensure they’re working properly and leading to current pages. Update awards, certifications, and association memberships as you earn new ones or when existing ones expire. If you include recent blog posts or upcoming events in your footer, these should update automatically through your content management system or be manually updated as needed. Review your entire footer design annually to ensure it still aligns with your brand and business goals.