Footer guide
What is a footer?
A footer is the persistent bottom section of a webpage. It usually contains navigation, legal policies, contact paths, and trust information that users and search engines expect to find quickly.
Updated 2026-08-25
Footer definition and purpose
On modern websites, the footer acts as a structural safety net. It supports discoverability for important pages and gives users a reliable final navigation point after scanning the main content.
Footer types
Simple footer
A minimal set of legal links and contact details for simple websites.
Multi-column footer
Grouped navigation for products, support, company, and policies.
Mega footer
A broader information hub used on large content or commerce sites.
Footer SEO and accessibility best practices
Use descriptive anchor text
Write labels that explain the destination instead of generic phrases such as “click here”.
Keep links crawlable
Render important footer links as HTML and avoid hiding critical navigation behind scripts.
Group links by intent
Separate product, resource, company, and legal paths so people and crawlers can scan quickly.
Protect usability
Keep contrast, keyboard focus, and tap targets clear on desktop and mobile.
Common footer mistakes
• Stuffing dozens of low-value links into one footer block.
• Using duplicate anchor text for different destinations.
• Injecting footer links in a way that is not reliably crawlable.
• Forgetting to keep compliance links current across every domain.
What is a footer? FAQ
What is a footer on a website?
A website footer is the section at the bottom of a page used for navigation, legal links, trust signals, and supplemental content.
Does footer content affect SEO?
Yes. Footer links contribute to site architecture and crawl paths, so link quality and structure matter for search performance.
How many links should a footer include?
There is no fixed number. Keep the footer focused on high-value paths users actually need and avoid an overloaded link wall.