The Art of Ideal Footer Links Design for SEO

Footers have long been a contentious topic in the SEO realm. Traditionally, footers have been viewed as a 'spam region' with images and content that were filled with irrelevant and low-quality links. From the early days of SEO practices where spammers mass-produced link wheels and chains to boost relevance, it’s easy to see why footers have been neglected in recent years. However, as with most SEO myths, the truth is more nuanced.

Devaluation of Footer Links

The hypothesis based on patents suggests that the lower down a page a link is placed, the less value it holds. Footer links, being at the very bottom, can indeed be considered devalued. Search engines often interpret links lower down the page as less relevant or less authoritative. However, this doesn't mean they are entirely worthless.

On-Page and Site-wide Consolidation

One key point to remember is the concept of on-page and site-wide consolidation. If multiple links point to the same page, Google counts them as a single link. This means additional links in the footer do not provide more PageRank. Furthermore, repeated content, such as the same set of footer links on every page, can be devalued and ignored by search engines as boilerplate.

Using Footers for SEO

Despite these challenges, footers can still be effectively used for SEO purposes. Here are some strategies to maximize the effectiveness of your footer links:

1. Deeper Links

Instead of linking to the same generic, top-level pages that your primary navigation points to, use the footer to include deeper, more specific links. Direct users to articles, case studies, or other valuable content. This can improve user engagement and increase the chances of users actually clicking through to more detailed pages.

2. Sectional Links

Take advantage of the footer to link to specific sections or categories of content. This can help users navigate to more relevant areas of your site quickly and easily. By providing contextually relevant links, you can improve the user experience and make it simpler for visitors to find the information they need.

3. Recent Items

Incorporate a “recent items” feature in your footer. This can be a simple list or a slider that highlights new or popular content. Users are often interested in recent updates, and a dedicated section can drive more traffic to these pages while providing value to your audience.

Conclusion

The ideal footer links design for SEO is one that benefits the visitor above all. While the footers themselves may be less valuable from an SEO perspective, thoughtful use of these space can aid in improve crawlability and provide low-impact PR flow. However, the primary focus should be on creating great content and linkable pages to drive legitimate traffic and engagement.

Remember, footers are not inherently bad for SEO, but their effectiveness depends on how you use them. Make your footer links as helpful as possible to your visitors, and remember to prioritize content quality and usability over just SEO manipulations.