WordPress Basics: A Step-by-Step Guide to Editing Your Footer

Did you know that nearly three-quarters of your visitors will scroll down all the way to the bottom? This is right at 71%.

This makes the footer surprisingly valuable for real estate on your WordPress website. Though it is one of the most overlooked sections on your site, the footer has quite an essential role in branding, UX, and also in search engine optimisation.

Typically, it refers to the very bottom part of each page and serves as the storage space for your website's important info, like contact details, copyrights, and a list of critical pages.

Here is the step-by-step guide that explains how to edit the footer in WordPress using either the default footer a theme provides or even customising it.

Understanding Your WordPress Footer

The footers are that place where, traditionally, most of the information is carried across, such as your company name, copyright, contacts, and social media link sites. It can also include some other important pages like your privacy statement and your terms of service.

The footer of your WordPress website usually contains:

• Copyright: The year, company name, and any relevant copyright statements
• Contact: Email address, phone number, physical location (as may be relevant)
• Social media: Social media icons or links to your social media profiles
• Important links: Links to the privacy policy, terms of service, sitemap, and other pages that you will need
• Widgets: Depending on your theme, you may be able to add widgets to your footer, such as recent posts, archives, or a search bar

Editing Your WordPress Footer

Whether you want to use the default footer that accompanies a theme or have a customised footer created especially for you, it all comes down to finding the appropriate settings, changing them, previewing the outcome, and publishing your change.

Knowing how to edit the footer in WordPress is very important. Here's a step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Access the WordPress Customiser

You will have to access the WordPress Customiser. It is a very powerful tool that lets you preview and edit the look of your website in real-time.

• Login to the WordPress dashboard.
• Go to Appearance > Customise. This will open up the WordPress Customiser, which is a live preview of your site.

Step 2: Find Footer Settings

Take a few minutes to get to know the customer interface and find the settings controlling your website's footer's appearance and functions.

•  The location of the footer settings varies with your WordPress theme.
•  Try looking for settings under ‘Footer’, ‘Widgets’, ‘Footers’, or ‘Site Identity’.

Some of the most common locations are:

• Widgets: Many themes allow you to add widgets to specific footer areas.
• Footer settings: Some themes have a dedicated section for footer settings within the Customiser.
• Theme options: If your theme has advanced options, you might find footer settings there.

Step 3: Edit Footer Content

Add links to any other important pages, such as your privacy policy, terms of service, or sitemap:

• Copyright Information: Update the year and any applicable text.
• Contact Information: To include or update the e-mail address, phone number, and all other physical mailing information.
• Social media links: Enter your social media profiles, like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.
• Widgets: Add widgets of your choice for your footer, like a search bar, recent posts, or archives.

Step 5: Customise Footer Appearance

Adjust the spacing between elements in the footer to make it more readable and visually balanced.

• Background Color: Change the background color of your footer.
• Text Color: Adjust the colour of your footer text for better readability.
• Font: If possible, change the font used in your footer.
• Spacing: Adjust the spacing between elements within your footer.

Step 6: Preview and Publish Changes

Before a single change goes live on your website, preview every update to ensure they look just like they should.

• Use the Customiser Preview button to see, in a preview, what your changes will look like on your website.
• You'll find the "Publish" button when you are satisfied with the changes.

Tips for Optimising Your WordPress Footer

Optimising your WordPress footer is more than just adding contact information. It is strategic planning and careful consideration of user experience and SEO best practices.:

• Keep it short and simple: Do not overload visitors with too much information.
• Use clear calls to action: Tell visitors to contact you or learn more about your business.
• Optimise for mobile devices: Ensure your footer looks good and functions properly on all devices.
• Add links that are relevant to your website: These links will include the following: your privacy policy, terms of service, and sitemap.

Wrapping Up

Editing your WordPress footer effectively can lead to a better user experience, brand consistency, and even enhanced SEO. Following these steps, with the help of reliable hosting solutions from Vodien, you can make a professional and effective website footer for your brand.

Vodien helps provide a hosting environment that makes your WordPress blog safe and well-performing on the server. Our superior servers and best support ensure maximum performance of our websites and stay online 24/7.

• Our WordPress plans come with optimised performance and best-in-class security for your website.
• Our managed WordPress hosting will provide expert maintenance and optimisation for businesses that demand more advanced support.

Don't let a poorly optimised footer hinder your website's success. Contact us today for expert WordPress hosting and guidance on optimising your footer for maximum impact.