What is important in a blog footer design?

I had an inspiration for a WordPress theme. And as I thought about the custom homepage, translating it into a wireframe, I began to think. What’s so important about the blog theme’s footer?

My search for an answer wasn’t very accurate. All I got were inspirational blog footer designs which highlighted the end of the posts and not the general footer itself. I was looking for the purpose of a general blog footer. What type of content belongs in it?

From Google

The closest and only answer which I got was 1 article titled; 3 Things to Remember When Designing a Blog Footer. And in the article, the author’s tips were:

1. Attention decreases from top to bottom
2. Your footer is not a navigation bar
3. Keep it interesting

Close, but still didn’t answer the purpose of the blog footer.

From Twitter

I got responses from friends saying:

@kamigoroshi: My theory is that they aren’t important hence there are placed at the footer. The reader would have to scroll far down to view it.

@aio193: since ur user made it all the way there, make it worth while

@parasquid: it’s your final chance for a call to action. pique the interest enough to keep him in the site = more chances to get user action.

My friend; parasquid (Tristan), did make a point. It’s really the last chance for you to get an action from your visitor since they visited your blog and took the effort to scroll all the way down.

However, this isn’t a website but a blog. When you imagine the default blog template, what would it display?

• Most recent entries
• Most recent comments
• Introduction to the blog
• Archives (Categories, tags, monthly and more)
• Search
• Links
• Advertisements

These are the basic content you’d find in a standard blog. Note, I’ve defined standard blogs to include ads. But let’s say I give you this scenario.

You’ll have  search portion at the top and your main navigation would have a category dropdown menu, including the RSS subscription. The recent posts will be displayed in a catalog style with a reserved space for 1 advertisement with an approximate size of 300 x 250. The bottom of the catalog would have a pagination for you to cycle through your posts.

Now, what other relevant or important information would you include into your footer?

And to make you think a little harder, here are my arguments of some ideas:

Archives/tags

Why would I need to display a monthly archive or tags, when the user may already find it via categories or search?

Recent comments

Why would I be interested to know who commented on a post if I wasn’t interested in the post written?

Recent posts

Why would I read this if it’s the same information displayed already?

Pages

Why would I create a repeated navigation of the top menu, if my custom homepage already displays a lot of posts thanks to its catalog view?

Contact details

Why again repeat this information when it’s easily accessible from the top menu?

Sharing tools

Why would I share a blog which I’ve not read any articles yet?

Twitter

Do my users really care to know, I’m in the 4th cubicle in the toilet of some shopping mall?

Even when I wireframe, I’m constantly questioning the existence or requirements as I tend to draw them out. I keep asking questions for its purpose and how would it benefit my user on the website or in the case, the blog.

As I thought about the examples I’ve seen, the tips written and what Tristan said, I’m considering only the items listed below which is important for a blog footer.

1. Search
2. Social networks (Links to LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter – link to account)
3. RSS/Email subscription
4. Ownership and recognition (copyright and platform used)
5. News or announcements (if it’s a corporate blog)
6. Contact details (if it’s a corporate blog)

Besides this, I can’t think of any other items which is important to have in the blog footer. Even if it were, I’d ask myself again, why should it be here? Especially when it’s accessible from say, the top menu. With less clutter, the footer would be more focused and easier understood by the user.

But, what do think about your blog footer?

The Big And The Beautiful Headlines

If you’re an Internet surfing junkie like me, you already may have stumbled across websites with the mentioned characteristics. Their headlines are bold (emphasized), large but beautiful in its unique way.

Some website owners or designers do it because it fits the company branding.

Some blog designers or blog authors love it because it makes clear good reading experiences. After all, a website today is really about the user experience.

But I don’t see it as only enhancing the reader’s experience anymore. I see it as a method to communicate a statement from the big and beautiful headline. It screams out loud without having to give it strength (pun intended). It stands tall and large proudly as if it’s there knowing its purpose. This right now is pure beauty on a large scale.

But, do you see it as beauty or a beast?

New Websites Made Simple Design In The Mill

I know it’s been a long time coming, and mentioned. But when inspiration kicked in, I decided the grab the bull by its horns – before it kicks me in the behind. So here’s a sneak peek of the upcoming redesign.

But I’m stumped on a few thoughts, I hope readers of this can share with me.

1. Do you prefer reading a full entry on the homepage?
2. Would you follow me on Twitter or others?
3. What kind of content have had interested you in this blog in the past?
4. Would you read my reviews of Malaysia only websites or online services?
5. Has the larger type size made your reading experience more enjoyable?

Thanks a lot for answering the questions, if you did. Otherwise, I look forward to introducing you guys to the newly redesigned Websites Made Simple in 2009.

Will Smith is Coming to Malaysia

No, I am not kidding. Rumors have it Will Smith will be landing in Malaysia next month; July. This information was leaked by a reliable source though not in direct relation to Mr.Smith. However, it’s not been confirmed if Will Smith will physically be here.

What’s cooler than meeting Will Smith? I’d say a superhero, namely; Hancock. If you’ve not heard, Hancock is the superhero character played by Will Smith. Though unlike any superhero normally perfect, the story starts with Hancock being a complete buffoon. He apparently is a homeless who drinks too much and sinks a ship in the attempt of saving a whale. Talk about things which can go wrong for superheroes.

Continue reading Will Smith is Coming to Malaysia

WordPress 2.5 Fatal Error wp_register_sidebar_widget

This might be a bug for the new WordPress 2.5 or a bug in the themes of WordPress 2.5. So if you’re a Malaysia WordPress theme designer, take special note of this WordPress fatal error. I experienced this error only after activating a new WordPress theme. And it wasn’t right after activation. It was when I wanted to access the Dashboard from the blog.

When I clicked back to the Dashboard, I was greeted by this scary fatal error:

Fatal error: Call to undefined function wp_register_sidebar_widget() in /path-to-blog/wp-admin/includes/dashboard.php on line 31

Thankfully, there was already a solution online at the WordPress support. But the solution posted there came from another person; Tom Raftery. His research pointed him to another article relating to how the new K2 theme breaks WordPress 2.5.

And, apparently the cause of this WordPress fatal error:

…is because K2 turns off WordPress widgets in favour of its own widget manager and as 2.5 has started to widgetize the Dashboard, you get this error.

Which is why I would advise all Malaysia WordPress theme designers to take this down. Just in case you’re designing based on K2, or having face this WordPress 2.5 fatal error; call to undefined function wp_register_sidebar_widget().