Website footers may seem like a small detail. Some sites don't even include a footer! But it can greatly impact user experience and search engine optimization. An effective footer design can improve usability and boost conversions by more than 23%. 

Keep reading to discover some of the best practices for footer designs. We’ll discuss the essential footer features to have, considerations for choosing the right footer structure, and ways to optimize your footer for both user experience and SEO. So let’s get started on the best practices for creating a footer that not only looks great but also serves a functional purpose on your website.

Best practices for footer design

Your website footer is what visitors often see last before they leave your website. But it's also a powerful tool for keeping them engaged and increasing conversions. If you want to create an effective website footer design, there are general rules you should follow. These tactics can ensure that your website footer design provides value to your visitors and aligns with your brand's goals.

An important consideration is structure. Your footer menu should be well-organized and easy to navigate. It should have clear labels and categories that make it easy for visitors to find what they're looking for. A cluttered or confusing footer menu can frustrate visitors and drive them away from your site, so take the time to plan a clear and intuitive structure.

In addition to structure, several essential elements should be included in any website footer. Contact information is a must-have for visitors who want to get in touch with your business. You may also want to include social media buttons, a search bar, and a site map to help visitors find what they need.

Creating a cohesive footer web design that aligns with your brand is also important. Your footer should feature your brand's color scheme, fonts, and imagery. It should also be consistent with the rest of your web design. This will help visitors recognize your brand and feel more confident in engaging with your business.

Considerations for choosing an effective footer structure

When designing the footer of a website, take certain considerations into account to ensure an effective structure. 

Purpose

First, consider the purpose of the footer. While it’s often a place for secondary information or web page links, it shouldn’t be an afterthought. The footer can provide a great opportunity to enhance user experience and guide them toward their goals.

Layout and design

You should also consider the overall layout and design of your website. The footer needs to be cohesive with the rest of the site and shouldn’t feel like a separate entity. When designing the structure, consider using a grid system to maintain consistency throughout the site. It’s also essential to ensure that you have a responsive footer, one that adapts to different screen sizes.

Footer content

When deciding what to add as footer content, think about your users’ needs. Great footer examples are those that include a navigation bar, important links, and contact information. It’s also beneficial to include social media widgets to encourage engagement with your brand. Meanwhile, adding a newsletter email signup form can help build your email list.

Hierarchy

Don’t forget to consider the hierarchy of information in the footer. Place all the necessary information at the top of the footer. Meanwhile, less relevant information should be placed toward the bottom. This helps users quickly find what they’re looking for and ensures that the footer doesn’t become overwhelming. 

By taking these considerations into account, you can create an effective footer structure that enhances user experience and supports your brand goals.

Essential elements to include in website footer design

To create an effective fat footer design, it's essential to include certain elements.

Social icons and search bar

One essential element to include in a website footer is links to your social media sites. This allows users to easily connect with your brand on different platforms. Another important element is a search bar, which enables web users to find what they're looking for on your site easily.

Contact details

In addition to giving users features such as social media icons and a search bar, it's also important to include contact information in your footer. For instance, your business name, physical address, phone number, and email address. By doing so, users can easily reach out to you. This is especially convenient if they have any questions or concerns.

About us

A well-designed footer should also include an about us page section. This gives users a brief overview of your brand and what you do. It's also a great place to showcase any awards, certifications, or affiliations your local business may have.

Tips for creating a cohesive footer design with your brand

Consider the visual features

When it comes to creating a cohesive footer design for your brand, consider the visual aspects of your brand. Your footer design should be visually consistent with the rest of your website, utilizing a design that complements your brand's colors, typography, and imagery. This consistency will help reinforce your brand identity. Plus, it will make your website more memorable to visitors.

Make your information consistent

In addition to visual consistency, it's important to maintain consistency in terms of the information included in your footer. Make sure to display the same essential elements on every web page to avoid confusion and provide visitors with the information they need. This consistency will help establish trust with your website visitors and improve the overall user experience.

Make it functional

When designing your footer, consider the functionality of your website and the needs of your audience. Let’s say your website offers a variety of products or services. Then, consider adding a product or service category list to your footer. If your website includes multiple locations or contact methods, make sure to include links to each location or method. This can help visitors easily get in touch with you. These additional elements won’t only enhance your website’s functionality but also help further establish audience trust.

Find a good balance

Maintain a balance between design and function when designing your footer. While an eye-catching design may look great, it's equally important to make sure that visitors can easily navigate your footer and access the information they need. By doing so, you'll ensure that your footer design enhances the user experience rather than detract from it.

Optimizing footer design for user experience and SEO

When optimizing footer design for user experience and SEO, focus on two main aspects: functionality and aesthetics. Having a functional footer means that it provides users with easy access to important information or links. Aesthetically speaking, a well-designed footer can create a sense of cohesion and professionalism. This ultimately leads to a better user experience.

One way to improve user experience in footer design is to prioritize important website links. Highlighting popular or frequently accessed pages, such as frequently asked questions or the site’s blog, at the top of the footer can increase visibility, making it more convenient for users to access these resources. Another way to increase functionality is through the use of widgets. With widgets, you include social media feeds, a search bar, or recent posts in the footer.

Optimizing footer design for SEO can be done through the inclusion of relevant keywords and internal links to other pages within the website. This can improve the website’s searchability and help with overall ranking. Additionally, ensuring that the footer contains structured and well-organized information can prevent your website from being penalized by search engines for having low-quality content.

You should ensure that your footer design is mobile-friendly. More and more users access websites through a mobile device. So it’s vital to have a responsive footer, one that is easily accessible and mobile-optimized. Ultimately, this will improve user experience and overall site performance.

Putting it all together for an effective footer design

It's now time to put everything you've learned about footer design into action. 

First, you should review your website and analyze the goal of your business. This step is crucial, as you need to ensure that your footer content and design align with your overall brand identity. With this, you can design a footer that reflects your branding, social icons, and other important elements that will appeal to local customers.

Once you've established the basics, it's essential to optimize user experience in your footer design. Keep in mind what users are looking for when they visit your website, and prioritize these elements in your website footer design. Additionally, make sure your footer menu is easy to navigate by utilizing effective labels and grouping similar items together.

Finally, optimizing your footer design for SEO is vital. Visitors might find your website through Google search, so it is essential to link some pages, such as About Us, Contact Us, and Products categories in the footer section. Linking pages in the footer section can help search engines understand the structure of your website and determine which pages are more valuable. 

Craft an attractive footer featuring social media icons, links, and more

A quality site with a clean website footer can make a solid first impression on potential customers, engage your audience, and drive business growth. Use B12 to create and launch a new website that’s not only aesthetically pleasing but also easily navigable for users. B12 offers website and footer template designs that businesses of various types can choose from. Get started launching yours today.