What Should Go in a Small Business Website Footer?

Introduction

The footer sits at the bottom of almost every page on a website, but it is often treated as an afterthought.

That can be a mistake.

A well-designed website footer can help visitors find important information, confirm who the business is, access contact details, navigate to key pages and reach policies or other information that does not need to dominate the main menu.

For businesses investing in website design Wanneroo, the footer can also reinforce local identity and provide useful internal links without cluttering the main content of each page.

The best footer is not necessarily the largest one.

It should contain information that is useful throughout the website while remaining clear, organised and easy to use on both desktop and mobile devices.

What Is a Website Footer?

The footer is the section that appears at or near the bottom of a web page.

On many websites, the same footer is displayed across almost every page.

It may contain:

• business information
• navigation links
• contact details
• legal and privacy links
• social media profiles
• service links
• location information
• copyright information

Because the footer is generally site-wide, it provides a consistent place for information visitors may need regardless of which page they entered through.

The Footer Should Have a Clear Purpose

A footer should not simply contain everything that did not fit elsewhere.

Each element should have a reason for being there.

Useful questions to ask include:

• What might a visitor look for when they reach the bottom of a page?
• Which important pages should always remain easy to access?
• What business information should appear consistently throughout the website?
• Which links are useful but do not need to occupy the main navigation?
• What information helps establish credibility?

The answers will differ from one business to another.

A professional services website may need a different footer from an ecommerce store, childcare centre, builder or not-for-profit organisation.

Include the Business Name Clearly

The footer should normally identify the organisation responsible for the website.

This may be displayed as:

• the business name
• a logo
• a trading name
• a company or organisation name

Visitors should not need to return to the home page to confirm whose website they are using.

This becomes particularly important when someone lands directly on an article, service page or project page through Google or another external source.

A consistent business identity across the website also helps reinforce the organisation behind the content.

Include Useful Contact Details

For many small business websites, contact information belongs in the footer because it should be available from almost every page.

Depending on the business, this may include:

• telephone number
• email address
• physical address
• postal address
• contact page link
• booking link

A mobile visitor should ideally be able to tap a phone number or email address directly.

Do not publish contact information that the business does not actively monitor.

If the preferred way to make an enquiry is through a form or booking system, the footer can direct visitors there instead.

Physical Addresses Should Be Accurate

If the business has a genuine public or office location, the footer may be a suitable place to display it.

This can help visitors understand where the business is based and may support local credibility.

However, businesses should not publish an address purely to create the appearance of having a location in an area.

If the business works from home and does not want the address publicly displayed, a service-area description may be more appropriate.

For example:

“Based in Perth’s northern suburbs and supporting businesses across Western Australia.”

The wording should reflect the real business.

Include a Link to the Contact Page

Even when direct contact details appear in the footer, a link to the main contact page is useful.

The contact page may contain:

• a contact form
• opening hours
• directions
• booking information
• different departmental contacts
• service-area information

A visitor who reaches the bottom of a service page may be ready to take the next step.

The footer should make that easy.

Use Footer Navigation to Complement the Main Menu

The footer does not have to duplicate the main navigation exactly.

It can provide a secondary navigation structure.

For example, the main menu may contain:

• Home
• About
• Services
• Portfolio
• Contact

The footer might then include direct links to individual services, useful resources and policy pages.

This can help visitors reach important information without overcrowding the header navigation.

Link to Important Service Pages

A footer can provide a useful route to the business’s main services.

For example, a website company may link to:

• website design
• WordPress development
• website hosting
• WooCommerce
• website maintenance

This is particularly useful where the Services item in the main navigation leads to an overview page rather than displaying every service directly.

Do not include every minor service or variation simply to create more links.

Choose the main areas that visitors are genuinely likely to need.

Footer Links Can Support Internal Navigation

Internal links help visitors move between related areas of a website.

They also help search engines discover pages and understand how the site is structured.

A footer can support this by linking consistently to important sections.

However, footer links should not replace contextual links within the main content.

A link from a paragraph discussing website hosting is more informative than the same hosting link appearing only in the footer.

Our article How Internal Linking Strengthens Your Website SEO explains why contextual internal linking remains important.

Do Not Turn the Footer Into an SEO Link Farm

Years ago, some websites used enormous footers containing long lists of keyword-rich links.

For example:

• web design Joondalup
• web design Wanneroo
• web design Wangara
• web design Stirling
• web design Osborne Park
• web design Currambine

followed by another list using “website design” and another using “web development”.

That creates a poor user experience and can make the website look as though the footer exists mainly to manipulate search visibility.

If location pages are genuinely useful, link to a small number of appropriate service-area resources through clear navigation rather than filling every page with dozens of repetitive exact-match links.

For businesses targeting web design Wanneroo, genuine location content is more valuable than repeating the phrase site-wide in a large footer.

Include a Privacy Policy Link Where Appropriate

Many business websites collect personal information through contact forms, account creation, ecommerce, newsletter subscriptions or other tools.

A privacy policy explains how the organisation handles personal information.

In Australia, organisations covered by the Privacy Act must have a clearly expressed and up-to-date privacy policy and generally make it available on their website.

Even where a small business is not automatically covered by the Privacy Act, having clear privacy information may still be good practice depending on what the website collects and how that information is used.

A footer is a practical location for a persistent Privacy Policy link because visitors can reach it from anywhere on the site.

You can read the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner’s guidance here: What is a privacy policy?.

Privacy Obligations Vary Between Businesses

It is important not to assume that every Australian small business has exactly the same obligations.

The Privacy Act generally covers organisations with annual turnover above $3 million, but there are important exceptions that can bring smaller organisations within its scope.

These can include certain health service providers, credit-related businesses and other categories.

The OAIC provides specific guidance for small businesses here: Privacy guidance for small business.

Website owners should therefore assess the requirements that apply to their own organisation rather than copying another website’s policy.

Terms and Conditions May Belong in the Footer

Some businesses have website terms, customer terms, ecommerce conditions or other legal documents that need to remain easily accessible.

The footer is often an appropriate location for links to these documents.

Examples include:

• website terms of use
• terms and conditions
• shipping information
• returns policy
• refund policy
• subscription terms

The exact requirements depend on the business model.

A simple professional services website may need far fewer policy links than an ecommerce store.

Do Not Copy Legal Policies From Another Website

Privacy policies, terms and other legal documents should reflect the actual business.

Copying another website’s policy can create incorrect statements about:

• what information is collected
• which platforms are used
• where data is stored
• which services receive information
• refund arrangements
• business identity

The link may belong in the footer, but the document itself should be appropriate for the organisation.

Include Copyright Information Where Useful

Many website footers include a copyright notice such as:

“© 2026 Example Business. All rights reserved.”

This can provide a simple statement identifying the content owner and current year.

It is not necessary to turn the copyright area into a long legal statement.

On a dynamically managed website, the year can also update automatically so it does not become outdated every January.

Consider Displaying the ABN

Some Australian businesses choose to display their Australian Business Number in the footer.

This can be useful where it supports transparency or is relevant to how the business trades.

It may be particularly appropriate for:

• professional services
• contractors
• ecommerce businesses
• organisations where customers commonly verify business details

It is not necessary to turn every footer into a full company-register entry.

Include business identifiers where they provide useful context.

Social Media Links Can Be Useful

If the business maintains active social profiles, the footer is a natural place to link to them.

These might include:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• YouTube

Only link to accounts that genuinely belong to the business.

Before adding a social icon, check that:

• the account is still active
• the URL is correct
• the branding is current
• the profile does not look abandoned

A link to an account last updated seven years ago may weaken rather than strengthen credibility.

Do Not Make Social Icons a Distraction

Social links should be easy to find without becoming the strongest visual element in the footer.

In most cases, the primary goal is to keep visitors interacting with the business website rather than sending them immediately to a third-party platform.

A simple row of recognisable icons or text links is usually sufficient.

Newsletter Signup Forms Can Work in Some Footers

A footer newsletter signup can make sense for businesses that regularly publish useful material or maintain an active email list.

It should not be included purely because it is a common website design pattern.

If the business sends very few emails or has no clear newsletter strategy, a permanent signup form may add clutter without providing much value.

If email addresses are collected for marketing, make sure the business understands the applicable consent, privacy and Spam Act requirements.

Our article Website Email Signup Forms and Australia’s Spam Rules explains the subject in more detail.

The Footer Can Reinforce Local Identity

For local businesses, the footer can communicate where the organisation is based or which region it serves.

Examples might include:

“Based in Joondalup, supporting businesses across Perth and Western Australia.”

or:

“Serving Wanneroo and Perth’s northern suburbs.”

This gives visitors useful geographic context.

It can also reinforce local relevance without turning every paragraph of every page into a suburb-targeting exercise.

For a business offering website design Wanneroo, this kind of concise location information can support the broader content strategy while dedicated pages provide the deeper local detail.

A Footer Is Not a Substitute for a Location Page

A one-line service area in the footer does not provide enough information to replace a genuinely useful location page.

A strong local page may explain:

• which services are available locally
• examples of nearby work
• how the business serves the area
• local testimonials
• relevant FAQs

The footer simply provides consistent geographic context.

Our article How Local Service-Area Pages Can Help Customers Find the Right Business covers the role of dedicated local pages in more detail.

Trust Signals Can Belong in the Footer

Some businesses benefit from displaying selected trust information throughout the website.

This might include:

• professional memberships
• industry accreditations
• payment security information
• recognised certifications
• charity registration information

Only include trust badges that are legitimate, current and relevant.

A large collection of logos can make a footer look cluttered and can reduce their impact.

If an accreditation needs detailed explanation, link to an appropriate page rather than trying to explain everything in the footer.

A Short Business Description Can Help

Some footers include one or two sentences explaining the business.

For example:

“PrimeSites Digital provides WordPress website design, hosting and ongoing technical support for businesses and organisations across Perth and Western Australia.”

This can be useful because visitors who land directly on an internal page can quickly understand who operates the site.

Keep the description short.

The footer does not need to repeat the entire About page.

Consider Important Accessibility Information

The footer should remain usable for visitors using keyboards, screen readers or other assistive technology.

Links should have clear labels rather than vague text such as “click here”.

Text should have sufficient contrast against the background.

Interactive elements should be large enough to use comfortably on mobile devices.

If the footer contains several groups of links, clear headings can make the structure easier to understand.

Accessibility should be considered as part of the overall website design rather than treated as a separate footer feature.

Our article Accessible Website Design: Making Your Small Business Website Easier for Everyone to Use explains these principles in more detail.

Mobile Footer Design Matters

A footer that works well across a desktop screen can become very long or confusing on a phone.

Mobile footer design should consider:

• comfortable spacing between links
• clear visual groups
• readable text
• touch-friendly buttons
• sensible stacking order

Footer columns that sit side by side on desktop will usually need to stack vertically on smaller screens.

The most important information should remain easy to find.

Accordions Can Help With Very Large Mobile Footers

Some large websites use expandable footer sections on mobile.

For example, headings such as Services, Resources and Company can be tapped to reveal the links underneath.

This can reduce vertical length, but it should be implemented carefully.

The controls need to be obvious and accessible.

A small business with only a handful of links may be better served by a simple stacked layout rather than adding unnecessary interaction.

Do Not Let the Footer Become Excessively Large

Large footers can sometimes be useful, particularly on complex websites.

But there is a point where additional information stops helping.

A footer with dozens of links, multiple paragraphs, several forms, badges, maps and social feeds can overwhelm the visitor.

Ask whether each element genuinely deserves to appear across the entire website.

If something is relevant to only one service or audience, it may belong on a specific page instead.

Avoid Embedding Heavy Features Without a Reason

Because the footer appears site-wide, anything added to it may load on every page.

This matters for performance.

Examples of potentially unnecessary footer features include:

• interactive maps
• social media feeds
• large video backgrounds
• third-party chat scripts
• complex animation libraries

If a map is only useful on the Contact page, there may be little reason to load it on every blog article and service page.

Good web development Wanneroo should consider not only what the footer looks like, but also what its site-wide components cost in terms of performance.

Footer Links Should Be Crawlable

Normal HTML links are generally the most reliable way to help visitors and search engines navigate a website.

Important footer links should not depend on unusual scripts that make navigation difficult to access.

Google recommends using crawlable links so its systems can discover pages and understand the relationship between them.

You can read Google’s guidance here: Make your links crawlable.

Do Not Rely on the Footer to Rescue Poor Website Structure

If important pages are difficult to find unless someone scrolls to the footer, the wider navigation may need attention.

The footer should complement the site structure.

It should not compensate for:

• unclear menus
• poor internal linking
• missing service categories
• confusing page hierarchy

A visitor should be able to reach the most important content naturally from several parts of the website.

Keep the Footer Information Current

Because the footer is repeated across the website, outdated information can appear everywhere at once.

Common problems include:

• old phone numbers
• former office addresses
• broken social links
• outdated opening hours
• old branding
• expired accreditations
• broken policy links

Footer information should be included in routine website reviews.

Our article Why Your Website Should Be Reviewed Regularly explains why seemingly small pieces of outdated content can accumulate over time.

Should You Put a Sitemap in the Footer?

A small collection of useful navigation links can function as a simple human-readable site guide.

That is different from attempting to list every URL on the website.

Large sites should use an XML sitemap for search engines and structured navigation for users.

There is usually no need to reproduce the entire XML sitemap inside the footer.

Choose the links that genuinely help visitors.

Should You Credit the Website Designer in the Footer?

Some businesses include a small link such as “Website by Example Agency” in the footer.

This is a commercial and design decision rather than a requirement.

If used, the credit should remain discreet and should not compete with the client’s own branding.

The website belongs to the client’s business experience first.

What Does a Good Small Business Footer Usually Include?

There is no single formula, but a practical small business footer often includes:

• business name or logo
• a short description
• important navigation links
• main service links
• contact details or contact-page link
• location or service-area information
• privacy policy
• relevant terms or policies
• social links
• copyright information

Not every business needs every item.

The best footer is one that suits the organisation and makes the website easier to use.

A Good Footer Should Help Without Getting in the Way

The footer may be visually secondary to the main page content, but it still performs important work.

It can help visitors:

• understand who operates the website
• find important pages
• make contact
• access privacy and policy information
• confirm location
• continue exploring services

It can also reinforce internal website structure and provide consistent business information across the site.

For businesses looking for web design Wanneroo, website design Wanneroo or web development Wanneroo support, footer design should be considered as part of the wider user experience rather than something added at the end of the project.

PrimeSites Digital designs and develops WordPress websites with clear navigation, useful content, mobile-friendly layouts, technical SEO and ongoing support.

If your website footer has become cluttered, outdated or difficult to use, get in touch with PrimeSites Digital or book a free chat.