The big footer syndrome

It seems to be more and more common for sites to have huge footers with everything from recent posts to flick galleries. I like the big footer, gives me something to ’reach’ when I get to the bottom of the page rather than a link to go back up to where I cam from. However, in some cases it is just not done right and adds no ’quality’ to the site.

With it’s gained popularity do big footers run the risk of being ’cliche’? What do you think of the big footer? Do you have one that you like in particular and why do you like it (or dislike)?

Its one of those trends...

I guess one of the things to watch for: does it really serve the reader to have tons of graphics, links, feeds, and other content in the footer? It you are repeating some content that was already presented higher up then maybe the page is too long to begin with?

I like clean minimal footers myself.

A great read with samples: http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2008/04/08/footers-in-modern-web-design-creative-examples-and-ideas/

Max

That is a good article with some nice examples, thanks.

In going through the examples there are only a few big footers, I wonder if that means anything?

Basically, footers need to provide users with the information they are looking for. This is why contact details and a brief information about site or / and site owners needs to be placed in the footer. Corporate designs may need to provide driving directions, telephone number, a web form or at least an e-mail.

However, you can also use the footer to express something artistic and very personal. For instance, if you are a Seinfeld fan, why don’t place a small Kramer somewhere next to the contact details in your footer? Thus, with one small detail you can make your site more distinctive and focus visitors’ attention to yourself.

The trouble is getting the right combination of the two and providing something useful and not trendy.

Interesting question. I find that as a user (rather than a developer) I usually don’t look at footers at all unless there’s something I need that I can’t find above them (e.g. site map, contact us).

As a developer, I tend to use footers for things I want on the page but most visitors don’t want to see (RSS feed buttons, "Modx Powered," site map, digg-like buttons, "site design by," CSS and HTML compliance bragging, etc). The size of the footer depends on how much of that stuff I (or the client) feel like putting there.

The new marketing site falls into the big footer category for what its worth, and the content can be improved over time if feedback comes in that something else is need. Regardless, should be useful from the beginning.

On my next project I have already planned a smaller footer, something like 60 - 70 mm high. And above that I’ll put in a block with "footer" information that has some difference from the rest of the main background.

The block will stand out, but not to much. And it will not be a part of the footer. Something like a bottom info block above the footer.

I think sometimes having a lot of stuff in the footer is just too tempting for designers and developers alike.

Its a little like watching the news on some of the cable shows: you get the person at the desk, a box with video next to his/her head, a throbbing graph of the stock market, a sliding ticker of stock prices, the station logo, a box with station previews, weather facts, etc, etc... I think it was Saturday Night Live that once parodied this visual overload: a skit with a news anchor that had his face in a tiny box that kept moving and getting reduced in size while more and more info content boxes and tickers kept popping up on the screen...

One of perils of designing sites with a large professional monitor display is that you forget that most folks do not use a 24 or 30 inch display. Having huge footers just increases the page real estate and creates more scrolling for the user.

Moderation I guess...

Max

I have come to the conclusion that a big footer is harder to get in your mouth. 

Ryan, so when do we get to see the new MODx big footer? 

Next week.

Quote from: rthrash at Feb 07, 2009, 07:14 AM

Next week.

??