Why is the footer area so important?

The importance of a footer for a digital product can hardly be overestimated. Chartbeat analysis confirms this fact: 25 million users of various websites were studied and their behavior tracked. 25% of users do not wait for the page to fully load, but go directly to the footer to find important information (contact form, reviews, site map). Another result was that the majority of visitors spend most of their time at the bottom of the website.

Advantages of an optimized footer

A footer can contain all the information that is of interest to the visitor - from contact information to links to additional services of the company. The footer can be used to provide the user with detailed information about the company and its business direction, generate newsletter subscriptions, and offer a request option for collaboration.

Common mistakes

A footer area should complement and enhance the user experience instead of being a headache. These three aspects can weaken the usability of a footer area:

Font size and color: Designers often use a very small font that blends with the background to boot, making it virtually impossible for users to see the information.

Lack of space: Information is not easily consumed if there is not enough space between elements. Generous spacing, such as between a link and text, improves readability and maintains visitor focus.

Poorly organized information: It is always necessary to visually highlight important links and hierarchize information. Thematic blocks can be separated by graphic icons, dividers, colors, etc. All this facilitates the use of the footer area.

What the footer can contain

Metanavigation

A metanavigation includes cross-page links, some of which are legally relevant (e.g. terms and conditions or privacy policy) or do not belong to a specific content category (e.g. payment methods or delivery information). The following menu items should be integrated into the footer:

About Us: Especially for B2B websites it makes sense to have a company presentation. Sometimes visitors want to know who the product comes from or what drives the team. If this information is short, it can also be written directly into the footer. The prerequisite for this is that the footer is not too extensive and there are ways to make the area stand out. If the footer is already very extensive, it is advisable to place this information on a separate page.

Contact: A full contact subpage is highly recommended. For example, a contact form can be integrated on this page. People often forget addresses, easily lose business cards and visit the website repeatedly to get contact information. That is why it is useful to have a clear and direct listing of email addresses and phone numbers.

Imprint: Every website or application must contain an imprint. In Germany, the obligation to have an imprint or provider identification is based on § 5 of the Telemedia Act (TMG) and § 18 of the Media State Treaty (MStV). These paragraphs are intended to ensure that users have at least basic information about the website operator.

Data protection statement The data protection statement is required to fully inform visitors about the nature and scope of data processing and to give them the opportunity to exercise their rights and find out about the storage of their data.

General Terms and Conditions (T&C): If the website offers paid services, it is recommended to provide general terms and conditions directly via the footer.

Payment and delivery information: In the case of online stores, users expect information on payment and delivery terms in the footer. This includes information on deadlines, delivery times, transport and possible payment options (PayPal, invoice, etc.).

Newsletter

If visitors have viewed the page to the end without performing a desired action (order, contact, etc.), it is helpful to offer the option in the footer to sign up for a newsletter or, for example, to arrange a callback. In this way, it can be ensured that the contact with the visitor does not break off. By signing up for the newsletter, the user is redirected to the corresponding pages where he can leave his contact information and accept the obligatory data protection information.

Social Media

A two-way relationship between one's website and social media channels is hugely important. Not only to drive traffic to one's site, but also to reach the target audience on the platforms they hang out on. The footer is great for referencing channels such as Facebook, Twitter or YouTube.

Contact details

In addition to linking to a standalone contact page, the most important contact details should also be displayed directly in the footer. This low-threshold access makes it easier to get in touch.

If we want to leave a good impression on our visitors, it is important not to neglect the footer. Especially when users have difficulties finding their way around the website or are looking for specific information, the footer is an important tool for breaking down barriers and not losing visitors.