Don't forget the footer?

[QuirkyJessi]

8. Useful Footer
Don't forget your footer when you create your blog. When people can't find what they're looking for on a Web site, they often scroll to the footer to find site-wide links such as a contact link, site map link, and so on. Take some time to include useful links and information in your blog's footer, and make sure the footer appears at the bottom of all of your blog pages.

While checking my blog against the list of essential blog design elements, I ran across this one. Hmm.

Turns out, I never actually thought about it. I tend to go to the top of any website first. For a regular website, I will then go to the bottom if I can't find what I'm looking for, but I can't say I've ever done that on a blog before. Do you pay attention to them on other sites or take notice of your own?

[denysaputra]

Hi, of course. I've pay attention in every sites which I am visited also my own sites.

[parentpalace]

I don't think I ever look at the footer of any website...maybe I should start? I have some extra crap thrown on mine just for this purpose.

[mepis]

This post reminds me to update mine. But yes, I am guilty of this. If I can't find something up top, I scroll down.

With that said though I am pretty aware of my own habits and as such try and solve navigation issues in the top of my page. Meaning if I cant easily find what I need then I dont expect anyone else to. And I scrutinize to.

[AugustoBente]

I am guilty of not placing a footer on my blog as well. I know the importance of the footer but I cannot believe why I always forget to update this. Thanks for reminding me also and I hope that next time I will not forget about this.

[jamescrox]

footer with sitemap is useful for long long pages or posts. good usability.

[AgentHomes]

I've never considered my footer at all before. But I'm thinking about what I can do with it now. Thanks for the heads up!

[Ben]

When people can't find what they're looking for on a Web site, they often scroll to the footer to find site-wide links such as a contact link, site map link, and so on.

I wonder if this is just a generalisation, or if the author did any research (or looked at someone else's research) when drawing this conclusion. I'd say it must be based on something, but without knowing the facts, it's difficult to understand what type of visitor would browse a site in this way.

One thing the author should have thought about is the lack of a date and time on their post. I have no idea if they wrote the post last week, or 5 years ago.

It probably doesn't hurt to have a few simple links at the bottom of the page, along with a "Back to top" link. But when you might have links across the top, down the side, and across the bottom, you either have too many different links or too much duplication. Fewer links overall works best for me.

[QuirkyJessi]

I wonder if this is just a generalisation, or if the author did any research (or looked at someone else's research) when drawing this conclusion. I'd say it must be based on something, but without knowing the facts, it's difficult to understand what type of visitor would browse a site in this way.

Well I think it's a generalization with websites in general, not necessarily specifically blogs. When you're on a business site, you know to look toward the bottom for help sections if they're not listed at the top. It's standard website policy. So I think a good chunk of users of all sorts of variety would head to the bottom if they don't see what they're looking for.

Whether or not that's helpful for blogs, I have no idea, though. On a regular ol' blog, would you really look to the bottom? Blogs generally have that info at the top, I think....again, because that's what's pretty standard.

[Laughing Ninja]

I dont think I've ever scrolled down to the bottom on a blog, and even on the rare occasion I do it on a regular site, its for a pretty specific purpose, like online job applications. I don't think I've ever done it just browsing.