What Should You Put in Your Footer?

Most sites waste their footer. Here’s what to add to turn it into a useful user experience tool.

Author

Adam Goetz
August 05, 2025 • Reading Time: 3 minutes

Most websites treat the footer like an afterthought. A spot to throw in a few stray links or leave almost empty.

But your footer is one of the few elements that appear on every page, which makes it a quiet but powerful part of the user experience.

When it’s designed with intention, it can help by showing credibility cues, giving people an easy way to reach you without scrolling back up, and offering one more opportunity to keep them engaged before they leave.

Instead of being filler, a solid footer acts like a safety net that catches users right at the end of their visit and nudges them to take the next step.

Your footer is prime real estate for giving visitors a last bit of value before they leave the page. Here are a few elements worth considering:

  • Trust signals: Add certifications, associations, or even a simple “Serving [City/User Niche] since 2012” to reassure visitors you’re legit.

  • Quick contact info: Phone, email, and location. Don’t make people scroll back to the top or dig through navigation to find your contact.

  • Repurposed navigation: A condensed version of your main nav or links to popular pages can keep people exploring. This is also a good spot to add links to pages that aren't in your main navigation.

  • Legal & compliance: Privacy policy, terms of service, and accessibility links are essential for credibility and SEO. The footer is the spot to put them.

  • E-commerce extras: If you sell online, include shipping info, returns, FAQs, and accepted payment methods to reduce hesitation.

  • Micro-CTAs: A small, low-commitment call-to-action like a newsletter sign-up or “Get a Quote” button can capture lingering interest.

🚀 Actionable Tip

Scroll to your footer and see if there’s a way to contact you directly without scrolling back up. Ask yourself whether it helps build trust or credibility or just sits empty, and consider if there’s one small action a visitor can take besides leaving. Remove any elements that aren't helping and try adding one listed above.

Why This Matters

  • Keeps visitors engaged: Footers catch users who are about to leave.

  • Boosts trust: Reinforces credibility at the bottom of every page.

  • Helps SEO: Clear links to key pages improve crawlability and internal linking.