It’s undeniable that your website footer is one of the most undervalued elements. With screen recording software that I use (HotJar) I can see that frequently customers scroll straight to the bottom of your page.
Simply put, it acts as a closure to the website page.
What makes a great website footer?
Your footer should be consistent across all pages, predictable and a decent size. Of course, footers vary depending on the target audience and the goals of the site. Although one size doesn’t fit all, there are common elements that are a MUST to be included in a footer.
CONTACT INFORMATION
One of the most important things for a footer is contact information. Users feel an increased sense of trust if they see an actual address and phone number. Other things to add are opening hours, and even a map (or a link to a map) to a physical location. These things feel more reliable because we now assume there is a legitimate business with a premises.
If possible, let users know how long it usually takes you to respond to queries.
Your social media account icons are the perfect place for your footer and are usually placed somewhere within the contact information.
YOUR LOGO
A logo that’s added to your footer is the perfect way to tie the page together and give a quick reminder of site they are viewing. Also, it can be a quick link back to your homepage for when users get lost!
The logo doesn’t have to be large, it can always fit in somewhere. Even with a sticky header on a desktop, it’s particularly useful for mobile devices.
You can be creative with your logo too. It could be in mono format, or extra large as a watermark in the footer area.
CALL TO ACTIONS
Ideally, each and every page on your website should have some form of call to action (otherwise known as a CTA). This will guide the user through your site and bring them to a way of contact you or purchasing something. In addition to a CTA on specific pages, include a CTA in your footer.
Because your footer will be identical across multiple pages, the CTA needs to be an action that is relevant to every page. This would normally be a ‘Contact Us’ or ‘Call now’ CTA. Another common footer CTA is a newsletter sign-up using something like Mailchimp.
LEGAL INFORMATION
If you’re collecting a user’s information for things like Google Analytics, then a privacy policy is required. Naturally, the footer is the perfect place to link to it and where everyone expects it. A copyright notice should also be included and is usually at the bottom left of a site.
Limited company numbers can also go here.
QUICK LINKS/USEFUL LINKS
Some designers add large menus to the footer. This can certainly be confusing and overwhelming, but a few carefully selected links (also known as ‘quick links’) can be beneficial. Also, lesser important links can be added to the footer menu.
