Posted on November 3, 2010
Sitemaps really help people and search engines use and index websites more effectively. However sometimes we only end up using them when we’re lost already. Enter the sitemap footer. Put simply this is a map of a website inside the footer area of a page, the benefits of which are very valuable and fast becoming best practice.
1. One last try at engaging your users…
As we know, users do not read webpages as they might do a page from a book. They scroll and scan a webpage for things that might seem relevant, and in most cases the footer is the last thing they see before leaving. So a sitemap in the footer is a good last chance to show users a quick overview of the site in an effort to get them to link somewhere and stay longer.
2. Perfect for the lazy user…
Yes, some users will not even click the sitemap link in your navigation, but may still want to get a good site overview. Time is money and we can ensure that everyone gets a good look at the expanse of your site by including the sitemap in the footer.
3. The selective sitemap…
Even if you have a regular sitemap that gets a fair amount of use, you might want to highlight certain pages of your site which you’d like users to visit more. The sitemap footer is the perfect place to promote these pages.
4. Save time and effort…
Sitemap footers can provide a simple and efficient text based navigation system for users to see exactly where they can go inside the website and jump from one place to any other with only one click.
5. Enhance your website design…
Footer sitemaps can become a design feature in their own right that anchor the webpage providing a good sense of balance. They also help to fill up those pages short on content.
