Why Footers Matter
Ever heard the phrase “Cool Shoes!!”?
While it might not describe what you have on your toes today (or any day), shoes are a million dollar business and can make or break a “look”.
But think about it for second, shoes should not matter, they are not at eye-level, one’s face is. And yet shoes do matter, they matter a great deal, just ask one Michael Jordan.
Same idea goes for page footers in web design. They’re supposed not to matter, they are “down there”, on the bottom and require scrolling, but yet, they do matter. Sure, it could be argued that if footers were so important they would go up to the top of the page, but they are not that kind of importance, they are footers, and much like shoes they complete the look.
It used to be that we would just create a nice header and navigation bar, maybe add a cool background image to complete the look and go with it. But as it turns out most clients require more. Think about it, no one walks barefoot, right? same goes for page layout design and/or fashion for that matter. You need to complete the look, close the circle, book-end it, complete the look.
Footers serve in several capacities: design elements, highlighters of information and functionality, and as anchors of page design:
As design elements they complete the look without taking the stage. They are just shoes, generic black shoes.
As highlighters of information the lead the eye to a form, a list of links or some other piece of information that needs the reader’s attention. As shoes these will be colorful shoe laces.
And as anchors of page design they are the center of “look” they are the kind of shoes, you notice from a mile away.
No matter how you work your footers in to your design, always ask yourself one simple question: would you walk barefoot to a date, client meeting, or a black tie event?
One Responseto “Why Footers Matter”
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[...] Why Footers Matter [...]
Nice article and i agree with everything you say, i think if i were to see a website these days without a footer it would seem incomplete.