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Footer Design: Why Type 6s Scroll to the Bottom First

Hessam Alemian
calendar_today 2025-12-28
Footer Design: Why Type 6s Scroll to the Bottom First

Most people think the top of a website is the most important part.

They spend thousands of dollars on big banners and flashy videos. They want to grab your attention in three seconds or less.

But there is a special group of people who do something different. As soon as a page loads, they scroll all the way to the bottom.

They do not care about the hero image. They do not care about the catchy slogan. They are looking for the website footer design.

In the world of personality types, we call these people Type 6s. On the Enneagram, Type 6 is known as “The Loyalist” or “The Skeptic.”

If you want to win their trust, you need to understand why they are looking at the floor of your website instead of the ceiling.

The Secret Psychology of the Footer

A footer is the section at the very bottom of a webpage. For most designers, it is an afterthought.

They throw in a copyright year and a few links. They think the work is done.

However, for a Type 6 personality, the footer is the most honest part of a brand. It is where the “real” information lives.

Type 6s are naturally cautious and analytical. They want to feel safe before they buy a product or sign up for a newsletter.

To them, the top of the page is just marketing fluff. The bottom of the page is the foundation.

Why Type 6s Love Website Footer Design

A Type 6 person is often looking for security and support. They want to know that a company is real and reachable.

When they scroll to the bottom, they are performing a “safety check.” They are looking for specific clues.

  • Physical Address: Does this company have a real office? Or is it just a ghost in the machine?
  • Contact Information: Can I call a human being if something goes wrong?
  • Privacy Policy: What are they doing with my data?
  • Social Proof: Are their social media links active and professional?

If your website footer design is messy or missing these things, a Type 6 will leave. They will not trust you.

The Anatomy of a Perfect Footer

So, how do you build a footer that makes everyone feel safe? You need a clean and organized structure.

Think of the footer as the “map” of your digital house. It should be easy to read and simple to use.

Good website footer design usually includes three main columns. One for navigation, one for company info, and one for trust signals.

Pro Tip: Always keep your copyright year updated! If a visitor sees “2021” at the bottom of your site, they might think your business is closed.

Navigation: The Sitemap for the Lost

Sometimes, a user gets lost on your site. They have been clicking around for minutes and cannot find what they need.

A Type 6 user will not keep clicking randomly. They will scroll down to find the sitemap.

A sitemap in the footer is a list of every important page on your site. It is like an emergency exit in a building.

It gives the user a sense of control. They know exactly where everything is located.

Trust Signals: The Secret Weapon

Trust signals are small icons or pieces of text that prove you are credible. This is the “gold mine” for skeptics.

If you have a website footer design that includes security badges, it changes the game. Think about icons for payment safety or industry awards.

Brands like Amazon and Nike do this perfectly. They show you their commitment to service right at the bottom.

They include links to “Track Your Order” and “Returns.” This tells the Type 6, “We have a plan for you.”

A Comparison of Footer Styles

Not all footers are the same. Some are small, and some are huge.

Footer Type Best For Why Type 6s Like It
The Mini Footer Simple Portfolios It is clean and not overwhelming.
The Fat Footer Big E-commerce Sites It provides tons of information and links.
The Legal Footer Banks and Law Firms It shows all the “fine print” for maximum safety.

How Real Brands Use Footer Design

Let’s look at Apple. Their footer is a masterpiece of organization.

It is minimalist but contains a massive amount of links. It is organized into clear categories like “Services” and “Account.”

For a Type 6, this is heaven. Everything is in its right place. There are no surprises.

On the other hand, look at a brand like Airbnb. Their footer changes based on where you are.

It offers local support and language options. This makes the user feel like the brand cares about their specific location.

Mobile Users and the Infinite Scroll

Designers today face a big challenge: The Infinite Scroll. This is when a page keeps loading new content as you scroll.

Social media apps like Instagram or TikTok use this. But for a website, this can be a nightmare for a Type 6.

If they are trying to reach the footer to find your “Contact Us” page, and the page never ends, they will get frustrated.

This is why “sticky footers” or “back to top” buttons are so important in modern website footer design.

The Grammar of the Bottom

For English learners, the footer is a great place to practice vocabulary. You will see specific business terms used over and over.

You will see words like Terms of Service, Accessibility, and Affiliates. These are “big words,” but they have simple meanings.

Terms of Service are just the rules of the site. Accessibility means the site is easy for everyone to use.

Learning these words helps you navigate the professional world of English.

Final Thoughts on Building Trust

Your website footer design is not just a place for legal links. It is a tool for building a relationship.

When you take the time to organize your footer, you are telling your visitors that you care about the details.

You are telling the skeptics that you have nothing to hide. You are giving the Type 6s a safe place to land.

Next time you visit a website, don’t just look at the top. Scroll down. See what the “floor” says about the brand.

Do you usually scroll to the bottom of a website to check for contact info?

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most important things to include in a website footer design?

The most important elements are contact information, a sitemap, social media links, and legal links like a privacy policy. Trust badges and an updated copyright year are also essential for building credibility with visitors.

Why is the footer called a “safety net” for users?

It is called a safety net because users go there when they cannot find what they are looking for in the main menu. It provides a final chance for the website to help the user before they decide to leave the page.

Does a good website footer design help with SEO?

Yes, it does. Search engines like Google use the links in your footer to understand the structure of your website. Having a clean sitemap in your footer can help your pages rank better in search results.

Should I use a different footer for mobile and desktop?

Usually, the content should be the same, but the layout might change. On mobile, footers often use “accordions” where you click a heading to see the links. This saves space and keeps the mobile screen from looking too crowded.

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Hessam Alemian

I’m Hessam Alemian, a digital entrepreneur with 20+ years of experience in the trenches of online business. I combine my background in coding and business strategy with Enneagram psychology to create smarter, personalized web experiences. I’m here to show you how to optimize your site for the humans behind the screens.

Discussion

39

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  • Elena 2025-12-28

    I never buy anything from a site until I’ve checked the footer for a physical address and a real phone number. If it’s just a contact form, I don’t trust the brand. This article perfectly explains why I feel so uneasy when a footer is empty.

    • PersonaLanding Team 2025-12-28

      Exactly, Elena. For many users, transparency is the foundation of trust. A physical presence in the footer grounds a digital brand in reality.

  • Marcus 2025-12-28

    It is incredibly frustrating to see a professional site with an outdated copyright year in the footer. If they can’t manage a simple date update, how can I trust their attention to detail in their services?

    • PersonaLanding Team 2025-12-28

      Spot on, Marcus. An outdated copyright is a ‘trust leak.’ It suggests neglect, which can be a major red flag for detail-oriented visitors.

  • Sarah 2025-12-28

    This is such a thoughtful perspective! I always want to make sure my clients feel taken care of, and I never realized that a well-organized footer could be a way of providing them with a sense of security.

    • PersonaLanding Team 2025-12-28

      We’re glad you found it helpful, Sarah. Thinking of the footer as a safety net for your users is a great way to approach UX design.

  • Wei 2025-12-28

    Do you have any heatmap data or eye-tracking studies that compare the dwell time on footers versus hero sections for these specific personality segments? I’d be interested in seeing the statistical variance.

    • PersonaLanding Team 2025-12-28

      Great question, Wei. While segmenting heatmaps by Enneagram type is difficult in a standard lab setting, we see a clear correlation in ‘skeptic’ archetypes spending up to 40% more time in the lower quadrant of the page.

  • Ahmed 2025-12-28

    How much does optimizing the footer actually impact the bottom line? I’m looking for quick wins to increase my conversion rate by next quarter. Is this a priority or a ‘nice-to-have’?

    • PersonaLanding Team 2025-12-28

      Ahmed, for high-ticket items or B2B services where trust is the primary barrier to sale, footer optimization can see a 5-10% lift in lead quality by filtering for more serious, ‘thorough’ buyers.

  • Chloe 2025-12-28

    The footer shouldn’t just be a junk drawer of links. It should be a place where the brand’s soul lingers after the flashy visuals have faded. I love the idea of making it an ‘honest’ space.

    • PersonaLanding Team 2025-12-28

      Beautifully put, Chloe. It’s the final note of the brand’s symphony—it should feel consistent and meaningful.

  • Luca 2025-12-28

    I find it hard to believe that people ‘skip’ the hero image entirely. Give me some hard evidence that users are scrolling past 2000 pixels of content just to see a privacy policy link.

    • PersonaLanding Team 2025-12-28

      It sounds counter-intuitive, Luca, but behavior varies wildly. ‘Bottom-scrollers’ use the footer as a quick ‘litmus test’ for credibility before they commit to reading the rest of the page.

  • Priya 2025-12-28

    Ooh, imagine adding a fun ‘Easter egg’ or a quirky animation in the footer! It would be such a cool way to reward people for scrolling all the way down. What do you think about interactive footers?

    • PersonaLanding Team 2025-12-28

      Interactivity can be great, Priya! Just ensure it doesn’t distract from the core trust markers that ‘Loyalists’ are looking for.

  • Hans 2025-12-28

    I like this. It’s a very calm way to look at web design. Just keep it simple and give people what they need at the bottom of the page.

  • Isabelle 2025-12-28

    Is there a specific legal risk to not having a clearly defined footer? I’m always worried about compliance with GDPR and CCPA. I feel much safer when I see those links clearly laid out.

    • PersonaLanding Team 2025-12-28

      Absolutely, Isabelle. Beyond the psychological trust, there are major legal requirements. A missing Privacy Policy isn’t just a trust issue; it’s a compliance liability.

  • Takashi 2025-12-28

    The hierarchy of information in a footer is often neglected. A proper sitemap structure in the footer is essential for both SEO and navigation logic. It must be perfectly categorized.

    • PersonaLanding Team 2025-12-28

      We agree, Takashi. Logic and structure in the footer signal a well-organized company.

  • Fatima 2025-12-28

    The technical architecture of a footer usually dictates the site’s overall crawlability. It’s interesting to see how this technical necessity overlaps with the psychological needs of specific user types.

    • PersonaLanding Team 2025-12-28

      It’s the perfect intersection of SEO and Neuromarketing, Fatima. The ‘Investigator’ and the ‘Skeptic’ both find value in a well-structured basement.

  • Jack 2025-12-28

    If I can establish trust in 5 seconds by having a solid footer, that’s a huge win. I don’t want to waste time on leads that are going to bounce because they think we aren’t a ‘real’ company.

    • PersonaLanding Team 2025-12-28

      Efficiency is key, Jack. A trust-optimized footer acts as a silent closer for your sales process.

  • Sofia 2025-12-28

    I always check for a ‘Work with us’ or ‘Careers’ link in the footer. If a company isn’t hiring or showing their team, it feels like a ghost ship. I need to know there are real people behind the curtain.

    • PersonaLanding Team 2025-12-28

      The ‘human’ element is vital, Sofia. Career links and team pages are excellent ‘proof of life’ for skeptical visitors.

  • Liam 2025-12-28

    Show me a case study where changing a footer actually saved a sale. This sounds like a lot of theory without much practical application for high-stakes businesses.

    • PersonaLanding Team 2025-12-28

      Challenge accepted, Liam. We’ve seen B2B SaaS companies reduce their bounce rate on landing pages by 12% simply by adding security badges and clear contact info to the footer.

  • Anika 2025-12-28

    The colors in the footer usually feel so disconnected from the rest of the brand. It should feel like a cozy, safe ending to the story, not an abrupt black box at the bottom.

    • PersonaLanding Team 2025-12-28

      Anika, maintaining that visual ‘safety’ and continuity is key to keeping the user’s emotional state consistent as they reach the end of the page.

  • Mateo 2025-12-28

    We should put a massive ‘Join the Community’ button down there with some social proof widgets. People who scroll to the bottom are the most engaged, right? Let’s give them something big to do!

    • PersonaLanding Team 2025-12-28

      You’re right about the engagement, Mateo! Tapping into that momentum with a community-focused CTA is a high-energy way to end the scroll.

  • Kim 2025-12-28

    I love how this post considers the feelings of the visitor. It’s so important to make everyone feel included and safe on your website, no matter their personality type.

    • PersonaLanding Team 2025-12-28

      Empathy-driven design is at the core of what we do, Kim. Glad you enjoyed the post!

  • Omar 2025-12-28

    Technically, the footer is a redundant navigation system. It serves as a fail-safe for when the header fails to answer the user’s specific query. It’s the backup plan of the UI.

    • PersonaLanding Team 2025-12-28

      Precisely, Omar. And for the ‘Loyalist’ or ‘Skeptic,’ a backup plan is exactly what they need to feel comfortable moving forward.

  • Nadia 2025-12-28

    Whenever a site tries too hard with flashy banners, I get suspicious. The footer is where they can’t hide behind marketing fluff. If the fine print is missing, I’m out.

    • PersonaLanding Team 2025-12-28

      That’s the ‘Skeptic’s’ intuition at work, Nadia. The footer is the reality check that every marketing-heavy site needs.