How to Edit the Footer in WordPress?

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Not so long ago, most footers were merely a single line of text. However, as web 2.0 started evolving, the footer became an integral part of the website. Website vendors, including WordPress, now allow you to edit and leverage the power of a footer.

If you had to edit the WordPress footer but found it difficult to change it, read this article now. This article will help you understand various methods to edit the footer and how you can benefit from a well-structured footer.

A footer sits at the bottom of a webpage. When you reach the footer, you get to the end of the webpage. So it works as an indicator that nothing exists beyond the footer.

It also serves as a location where you can add a compelling call to action like viewing a product demo, subscribing to newsletters or even contacting you. You can also use the footer to showcase your trust badges, awards, ratings and certificates to increase your credibility.

All in all, the footer is an ideal place for you to reinforce your brand message.

You can edit your website footer in numerous ways. Picking the correct method can ease website maintenance and improve the website’s search engine optimization (SEO). You can choose from one of the methods mentioned below that suits your requirements.

Many WordPress themes have a built-in WordPress widget, allowing you to edit the footer of the page. You can use these widgets to add or edit text, images, links, logos, or privacy information in the footer.

You can navigate to the Widgets submenu through the Appearance menu from the left menu panel to use this method. Depending on the available options, you can choose the best fit for your footer requirements. Effortlessly drag and drop the footer widget from the widgets list onto the footer area. If satisfied, click on the Publish button, and make the changes live.

Here are the steps to follow:

Log in to the WordPress Administrator dashboard.
Navigate to the Widgets submenu from the Appearance menu.
Search for the footer widget section and click the down arrow to edit the footer.
Drag and drop the footer widget you want to add.
Click Publish to make your changes live.

Using the Theme Customizer

Most WordPress themes allow you to modify all or most of your website using the theme customizer. As a widget, the Theme customizer is also a default WordPress feature that doesn’t require any coding experience.

To customize the footer using the Customizer:

Log in to the WordPress Administrator dashboard.
Navigate to the Customize submenu from the Appearance menu.
Search for the dedicated footer section.
Select Footer, then choose Bottom Bar.
From a range of options, select the content, color, icons and layout option that best suits you.
Click Publish to make your changes live.

The main advantage of using WordPress Customizer is that it is pretty straightforward. It also allows you to Live Preview your changes to ensure that your changes fit your needs and don’t break the website.

The downside of this method is its limited flexibility, making you reliant on the options provided by the theme.

If one of the above solutions doesn’t give you what you need, consider using a footer plugin. Footer plugins provide an easy solution to change or enhance your site footer. Like the methods mentioned above, this method also doesn’t require any coding experience.

To use this method, you will need to install a plugin that lets you edit and customize the footer. WordPress marketplace offers multiple plugins for inserting and modifying a footer. Below are the most straightforward steps to install the WordPress plugin:

Log in to the WordPress Administrator dashboard.
Navigate to the Plugins menu, then click on Add New.
Search for the plugin name or functionality you want. Check out the customer reviews, ratings and number of installations to ensure everything is up to the mark.
Install and activate the plugin from Plugins Dashboard.

Besides using a plugin, you can also use a theme builder like Elementor to customize the footer. Most theme builders come with a built-in footer plugin, making it easier to tweak the overall design of the footer. In addition, theme builders also offer various footer templates and relevant categories to include in your footer.

To edit your footer using Theme Builder:

Log in to the WordPress Administrator dashboard.
Navigate to the Templates menu and click on Theme Builder.
Click Add New Template and choose Footer.
Use this template to edit the footer to your design requirements.
Select the pages that should include the published footer.
Publish the changes.

Editing the Footer.php Code

Not all WordPress themes include the footer editing option. But if you are comfortable with coding, you can try this method. This method involves editing the core WordPress file, so we recommend making a copy of your footer.php file before making any changes.

The template file footer.php is responsible for displaying the footer area. You can find this file within the WordPress theme folder. Because it is a core WordPress file, any changes you apply to it will affect all of your website’s web pages.

To change in your footer.php file:

Log in to the WordPress Administrator dashboard.
Navigate to the Editor submenu from the Appearance menu.
Search for the file named footer.php and open it in a text editor.
Customize the footer according to your needs.
Reupload your footer.php file via an FTP client.

Removing ‘Powered by WordPress’ Text From Your Footer

If you install and run a WordPress theme, you might find the “Proudly Powered by WordPress” text on the footer. If you don’t want to complicate your footer but customize the text, this method will help you.

To remove the text, you will have to check whether your theme allows you to turn it off. Most of the premium themes and some free ones have an option for removing them without any plugin.

If your theme lacks such an option, the easiest solution is to use a plugin. There are various free WordPress plugins with a user-friendly interface that lets you eliminate the undesired footer text.

The following steps will let you remove text from your footer.

Log in to the WordPress Administrator dashboard.
Navigate to the Plugins menu, then click on Add New.
Search for the plugin that removes footer credit.
Install and activate the plugin from the WordPress Admin.
Choose Remove Footer Credit by hovering over the Tools menu.

While footers might not be the first thing that people see when they visit a website, it is a place that allows you to create a final brand impression. If you edit the footer correctly, you can maximize your brand impression.

Depending on your requirements and theme, you have the option of using WordPress widgets, Customizer, plugins or theme builders. If these options don’t satisfy your needs, you can personalize the footer by coding the changes into the footer.php file.