A website is unique, but they all have some elements in common that cannot be missing. Obviously there are many types of websites, factors such as the type of business, objectives, tastes, etc., make each site different.
But the architecture of a website is one of the main aspects, because a bad design can cause rejection in users, which means that they will not stay on your site for more than a few seconds.
In this post we will talk about two of these basic elements that your website must have: the header and the footer. You may not be familiar with these terms, but if I say header and footer everything changes. Read on to find out more!
what is the header?
The header is the top part of a web page. It is the first thing the user sees when entering a website, so it is a fundamental element. It must contain the basic information and identity of the brand or company. The header of a web page is repeated on each of the pages.
As it is one of the first elements that the user sees, it cannot be left to chance. As we mentioned, it must contain the main information and the identity of your brand, but it must also be easily navigable for the user.
Some of the main elements included in the header of a website are the following:
- corporate identity: Here we refer to the logo, company name and slogan.
- social network icons: Nowadays social networks have become essential for companies, include the icons of those where you have a presence so that they can click on them and go to your profiles. These icons can be in other parts of the website, such as the footer, which we will explain later, and even some in the body of the web page.
- menu: This element is a must, as it allows the user to navigate through your website quickly and easily to find what he/she is looking for.
- Search engine: This is used for the user to enter their search to find something on your website. It works the same as the Google search engine but on your website, and redirects the user to other content on your site.
- contact information: So that users can contact you, either by email, phone, chat, etc. Usually when you click on this part it takes you to another page where the contact information is, or you can include icons, such as those of social networks. For example, an icon of a phone that when you click on it you will be able to call directly.
what is the footer?
The footer refers to the bottom part of a website, and it is an element that appears on every page, that is, it is permanent, just like the header. This element is important for web design, although some websites do not pay attention to it because it is at the bottom.
Although some companies or brands think that it is not so important, the truth is that users often scroll down looking for elements such as contact information, social networks (if they have not been included in the header) or links to the legal bases.
You may wonder why it is so important, and the truth is that it is a part of a website that users take for granted that it exists and expect to find certain elements there. Surfers usually look for the legal bases and privacy policies, where the location of the company or shop is found, and contact details.
The footer or footer is well differentiated from the rest of the web, you have to identify where it starts and where it ends, with a background colour, put in a box, with a different font or smaller font, to differentiate it from the rest. But everything with coherence, if your website has orange as corporate colours, do not put a blue footer just to highlight it. The design is important because it can affect the usability of the web. Here you should also include your logo, company name and even the slogan (if you have one).
The footer has to contain some informative elements such as copyright, legal bases, privacy policies, in some companies this is where "work with us" appears, social network icons and contact information, although these last two can also be included in the header, even in both places.
what are the header and footer for?
First of all, for usability and for a website to be attractive and easy to navigate. Remember that a bad experience makes the user abandon a website in just minutes. Your content may be the best, but if your web structure is confusing, it will not attract attention.
Both the header and the footer are parts of the website that provide information and represent the identity of the brand, and they are also parts of a website that the user expects to find, so they have to be perfectly structured so that the user can navigate through them easily.
Now that you know these two basic elements for the architecture of a website, we encourage you to review yours or look at other websites to see if they are well structured.
we hope we have solved your doubts and that you have enjoyed the reading!
