While it might not be the most exciting section of your site, the footer plays a crucial role in user experience and SEO. Plus, since it appears on every page, any updates you make will impact your entire website. So, let's talk about what to include to make it as effective as possible.
1. Contact Information
Your footer should always have a way for people to contact you. This could be as simple as your phone number, a link to your contact page, or even a short contact form. The goal is to make it easy for visitors to reach out no matter where they are on your website.
2. Social Media Links
If you're active on social media, make sure to include icons linking to your profiles. This could be LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter (yes, still calling it that!), or whatever platforms are relevant to your business.
3. Professional Associations & Accreditations
Displaying logos from any professional bodies or associations you’re a part of can help build trust and credibility. For example, if you’re part of a Chamber of Commerce or an industry-specific accreditation, add those logos in your footer. Just be sure you have permission to use them, and link them to the relevant external sites.
4. Legal Pages
Yes it's boring, but you do need to provide links to important pages like your privacy policy, cookie policy, and terms and conditions. The footer is the ideal place for these links since people expect to find them there. These pages are also essential for GDPR compliance, so make sure they’re easy to find!
5. Copyright Notice
Including a simple copyright line is another small but important element to add. It helps protect your content and keeps things looking professional.
6. Brief Business Description
A little-known SEO trick is to add a concise, factual description of your business in the footer. This could be a short sentence that includes your business name and what you do. For example: "Webadoodle – website design for small service-based businesses, website audits, power hours." It’s a neat way to boost your SEO while letting visitors know exactly what you offer.
Keep It Clean and Focused
The key to a successful footer is simplicity. While you want to include essential information, avoid overcrowding it with unnecessary details. A clean, well-organized footer makes it easier for visitors to find what they need quickly.
Your footer may not be the most exciting part of your website, but it’s vital to get it right. It ties together essential information, builds trust, and even helps your SEO efforts. Keep it simple, focused, and always think about what your visitors might need access to at the bottom of every page.