You probably made sure the top of your website looks good. That’s smart because it’s the first thing people see when they visit your site. But don’t forget the bottom of your pages! Footers can be useful for your users, and usually contain legal information that keeps you safe.
A well-structured footer can even be beneficial for business. For example, UserTesting saw a 50% conversion increase when it added a call to action to its footer. So if you understand how to edit the footer on your WordPress website, you can add tons of helpful features. Want to know more? Then read on to learn:
What a website footer is and why you should edit it
What your website footer should include How to edit footer in WordPressOther helpful WordPress footer tips
What is a website footer?
First things first: What’s a website footer? Simple, it’s the section at the bottom of a webpage. It usually contains contact information, your socials, and links to pages on your website. Your footer should quickly answer your users’ needs and questions.
Why should you edit your footer?
When a user scrolls down to your footer section, they usually need something from your website. This could be a phone number, your Twitter handle, or a link to your blog. If they can’t easily and quickly find this information, they could get annoyed.
And don’t forget that your footer is part of your overall website design. If you have a sleek website, you don’t want a clunky footer. For example, the typical WordPress footer template comes with the phrase “Powered by WordPress.” This can take away from your own company’s branding and shows unnecessary information to your customer.
Learning how to edit your footer in WordPress can help you provide better functionality for users and strengthen your company’s image.
What to include in your footer
- Logo
- About section
- Calls to action
- Contact information
- Social media icons
- Privacy policy and other links to legal pages
- Copyright text
- Links for website navigation
- Search bar
- Website map
- Disclaimers
How to edit a footer in WordPress
You have multiple choices when you decide to add a footer in WordPress or edit your existing footer. The best choice for customization is based on your website and skill level.
Here are the most appropriate steps for editing a footer in WordPress:
Option 1: Use the Theme Customizer
Option 2: Manually edit the footer code
Option 3: Install a plugin
Option 4: Use a footer widget
Option 1: Use the Theme Customizer
Good to know: The theme customizer option is only available for themes. So, where can you find the customizer? First, log into your WordPress dashboard and go to Appearance, then Customize. Note: This is a task for WordPress admins.
Next, look for a Footer, or a similar option like the Bottom of the Page. Depending on the theme, you’ll be able to change the layout, color, text, and icons on the footer.
Option 2: Manually edit the footer code
If you feel comfortable with coding, you can manually edit your footer with CSS or edit the footer’s PHP file. Always proceed with caution when you change your website’s code! And make sure everything is backed up and saved.
Option 3: Install a plugin
If you want a different functionality, you can choose from multiple WordPress plugins. Think about plugins like Insert Headers and Footers or Head, Footer and Post Injections.
If you use a page builder like the Bluehost Website Builder for example, it’s very easy to customize page elements to your liking. When you learn how to edit a footer in WordPress using the Bluehost builder, you will have more control over your overall design.
Option 4: Use a footer widget
If you can’t edit the theme with the customizer option, you can see what widget options you have. Under Appearance, click Widgets. There, you’ll see multiple widgets you can enable.
Depending on the available widgets, you’ll be able to choose the options that best suit your website and edit them to include important information. With advanced themes, you’ll have more options and columns you can add to your footer.
How to create a custom WordPress footer with drag-and-drop
Step 1: Create a footer template
The footer of a website serves as an important section for displaying essential information and links.
To begin customizing your WordPress footer, you’ll need to create a footer template.
Start by navigating to your WordPress dashboard and finding the option to edit the footer. This may vary depending on your theme and installed plugins.
If your theme supports custom templates, you can create a dedicated footer template. This is typically done through the theme editor in your WordPress dashboard. Look for options like “Theme Editor” or “Theme Settings.”
Step 2: Add content with Elementor
Once you have your footer template ready, you can add content to it using a drag-and-drop page builder like Elementor.
Elementor is a popular choice for editing and customizing various sections of your website, including the footer.
If you don’t have Elementor installed, you can search for and install it as a plugin from the WordPress plugin repository. Alternatively, there are other footer plugins available to help with customization.
After installing and activating Elementor, you can access it through the WordPress editor. Create a new footer section or edit an existing one using Elementor’s visual editor.
With Elementor, you can easily add and arrange elements within your custom footer. Drag and drop widgets to include text, images, social media icons, contact information, links to important pages, and more. You can also style your footer to match your website’s overall design.
Remember to save your changes, and once you’re satisfied with your WordPress custom footer, update or publish the template. Your new footer will now be displayed on your WordPress site, offering a personalized touch to the website’s design.
Other useful WordPress footer suggestions
Footers are highly customizable. You can make yours suitable for your exact needs. Here are a couple of tips to make your footer better.
How to remove “Powered by WordPress”
Are you happy with your footer, but would you like to remove “Powered by WordPress”? First, check if your theme allows you to remove it. If not, you can edit the code manually or try a plugin like Remove Footer Credit.
How to keep the year up to date
Always make sure your website is up to date. This includes the copyright year on your footer. Instead of updating it every year, you can use HTML to auto-update the year. This hack keeps your website well maintained and saves time from manually updating your footer.
Common questions about making edits to the footer
For a well-organized footer, prioritize clarity and user navigation. Group related information together, utilize a clear hierarchy, and maintain a simple design. Ensure that the typography is legible, maintain consistent branding, and include white space for a clean look. Avoid cluttering; instead, focus on essential links and information.
The footer often contains essential legal information such as: copyright notices (e.g., “© 2023 Your Company Name”), terms of service, privacy policy, and disclaimers. Including such information helps protect your rights, informs visitors, and can enhance trustworthiness. Depending on your industry or region, there might be additional legal requirements.
When editing the footer, avoid overcrowding with excessive links, using illegible fonts, or inconsistent branding. Ensure that all links work, and avoid linking to non-essential pages. Remember, the footer is a navigation aid; it should enhance user experience, not confuse or overwhelm visitors.
In conclusion
Don’t ignore the footer on your website. It contains helpful information your customers need, so make sure to include all the relevant details. Luckily, you have options when making a WordPress footer edit.
Now that you know how to edit a footer in WordPress, you can customize your footer to fit your WordPress website.
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