Your website footer design deserves more love
- Lucy
- Jul 30
- 3 min read
The humble footer often doesn't get much attention in a website re-design, and yet, it’s quietly doing some seriously heavy lifting.
It’s not flashy. It’s not the thing that wins you design awards. But it is one of the most clicked-on and most strategic parts of your entire site. And in my opinion? It’s where a lot of small businesses are missing a trick. So let’s give it the attention it actually deserves.
Why your footer matters more than you think
There’s this common misconception that the footer is just where you dump the leftover links. You know the ones: Terms & Conditions, Privacy Policy, maybe a copyright statement and a broken social icon or two.
But when used strategically, your footer becomes a tool for trust, navigation, and SEO. Here’s why:
Returning visitors often scroll straight to the footer to find contact info or quick links. If someone’s already familiar with your brand (maybe they found you through a recommendation or Instagram), they’re skipping the homepage and going straight to what they need.
Google uses footer content to help crawl your site. While footer links don’t carry as much weight as in-body content, they do help Google understand your site structure and index your core pages properly.
It builds instant credibility. Logos of certifications, affiliations, or awards can go a long way in a small space. Same with social proof like media features.
I once worked with a coach whose new clients kept saying they "couldn't find her contact info." Turns out, it was only in one place on her Contact page (which also wasn't well linked to but that's a whole other point). We added it into the footer and within a month, she had a noticeable bump in direct enquiries. That’s how often people scroll straight there.
What should you include in your footer?
There’s no perfect formula, but here’s what I recommend for most small businesses:
Contact information. Include your email address (clickable), phone number if relevant, and possibly a mini newsletter sign up form or link to your full contact page. If someone’s ready to reach out, make it easy.
Business location (even if you're remote). Including your location supports local SEO. So for example I'm a Leicestershire-based web designer, and I have that in my footer to help Google connect me with people in my local area. Or if you're a product based business shipping exclusively to the UK, just a short line like "Made in Nottingham. Proudly shipping all over the UK" will do.
Core Navigation Links. Don’t repeat your entire nav bar, but do include key links: Home, About, Services, Blog, Contact. Think of it as a second chance to get people where they need to go.
Social Media Icons. These don’t need to be big and bold. But give people the option to follow you elsewhere, especially if your Instagram or LinkedIn is a strong sales channel.
Legal Pages (Privacy Policy, T&Cs). You don’t need to make these stand out, but they do need to be there. Bonus: Google likes this for E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) signals.
Credibility Boosters. Got any certifications, awards, or "as seen in" logos? Your footer is the perfect low-effort place to showcase these without disrupting your main pages.
Website footer design tips that aren't just aesthetics
Make sure it’s legible. No one wants to squint. Use accessible colours and proper contrast. My go-to tool to test this is https://colourcontrast.cc/.
Use headings to break it up. This makes the footer feel more like a resource hub and less like a block of links.
Don’t overfill it. Prioritise what people actually need. The footer isn’t a junk drawer.
Check mobile and tablet views. Sometimes footers look great on desktop but become an awkward stack of links on mobile. Take the extra two minutes to test and adjust.
What does Google think about your footer?
From an SEO perspective:
Footer links aren’t as powerful as in-content links, but they so still help with site crawlability.
If you include your location, it strengthens your local SEO footprint.
Including links to legal pages and a clear sitemap can contribute to Google’s trust signals.
If you want to go deeper into this, I recommend reading:
Final website footer thoughts
If your footer is just an afterthought, you’re not using your full website real estate. And in a world where attention spans are short and people are constantly jumping between tabs, every inch of your website needs to pull its weight.
Think of your footer like your digital business card. It might not be the first thing someone sees, but it’s often the thing they use to take action.
Want help building a website that’s strategic from top to bottom (literally)? I’d love to help. Check out my website design services and let’s chat.
