5 Reasons Why the Website Footer is Important for Website Performance

website footer

The website footer, often considered to be the ‘doorstop’ of the website, contains a collection of important elements at the bottom of each web page. Despite the footer being at the end of every page, it often receives very little attention from web designers.

This is a missed opportunity.

In recent years, footers have proven to be essential to website performance especially since more and more searchers are using mobile devices to browse the Internet.

The footer does not only let website visitors know that they have reached the end of the web page, it also helps to enhance the user’s experience of the website if specific elements are present in the design.

Today we are discussing five ways that the website footer can enhance the overall performance and usability of your website if done correctly.

  1. Provide a Clear Navigation Path

When designing and building a website, it can be easy to forget that other users have never seen the website before they arrived at its doorstep. This is why it is so important to ensure that the website is as easy to navigate as possible.

One of the ways to improve website navigation is with the footer.

The footer acts as a ‘roadmap’ for your website telling visitors what can be found on the website without having to scroll all the way to the top menu again.

This makes navigating your website faster and easier reducing the chance of a visitor leaving. Including links to other pages in your footer also encourages the visitor to explore areas of the website they may not have noticed before.

But it is as equally as important to not overcrowd the footer with too much information so to be selective in order to keep your footer clean, simple and readable while also ensuring that all of the links are working

2. Access to Important Documentation

The footer is also an excellent place to provide links to important documentation such as your privacy statement, legal disclaimers and copyright information. This is especially true for websites since the introduction of the POPI Act.

The easier it is for visitors to find this information, the more likely the visitors will be to complete forms, sign up to newsletters or provide any other personal information if they can understand how that information will be used and stored.

This is especially important for businesses that are built around collecting user information.

3. Another Opportunity for Action

Footers also give website visitors one final chance to take a desired action on the site like completing a form, requesting a quote, signing up to the company newsletter or viewing the latest products or specials.

This is made possible by creating effective Call to Action’s (CTAs) in the footer.

Any action that you would like to push on your website should be reinforced in the footer of your site. The more often a visitor sees a CTA, the more enticed they will be to act.

4. Solidify your Brand

One of the reasons why businesses have websites is to enhance brand awareness and to help consumers identify their logo and brand with specific products and services. That being said, not including your business logo in the footer would be a missed opportunity for brand awareness.

The footer is often the last thing that a visitor will see on a website so it is important make one final impression for your brand.

Who knows, maybe next time a searcher is looking for a product or service they will remember your brand because the logo was inserted in the footer.

5. Establish a Line of Communication

Arguably one of the most important reasons for having a footer is to establish a line of communication with your website visitors. Websites lack the human element that traditional brick and mortar stores can offer.

This means that we need to encourage visitors to interact with us and this can be achieved in a number of ways:

  • Contact Form

A website contact form is one of the most common ways to encourage a customer to request more information or to get in touch. While most websites have a contact page dedicated to housing the contact form, there is no harm in repeating this information in the footer as a final form of encouragement.

  • Location Information

It is becoming increasingly common to insert your business location on the website via a map. The map is a large, attractive graphic which draws the visitor’s attention encouraging them to passively visit your physical store. However, simply including your physical address information in the footer also works. The appearance and design of your website will determine what will work best in the situation.

  • Contact Details

The footer is also the perfect spot to list telephone numbers and email addresses. In fact, most website users have become accustomed to finding this type of information in the footer of a website and may even lose interest if these elements are not included.

  • Social Media Channels

If your business is on social media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube) then it is important to include a drive from your website to these platforms. Searchers may not find their way back to your website, but they can see updates and be reminded of your brand if they follow you on social media.

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In conclusion, website footers may not be considered the most important factor about website design but they are definitely important enough to be considered. The footer is the last thing that a visitor will see on your website before they leave so be sure to make a lasting impression.

Need help designing your website footer?

The design team at Online Innovations will be happy to ensure that your footer space is maximised to create the best-lasting impression of your brand. Contact us on 041 365 4919, email sales@onlineinnovations.com or visit our website at www.onlineinnovations.com to find out more.

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