Website Headers: The "Face" of a Site

A website header, which should be thought of as the “face” of your site, is the first thing visitors notice and is on every single page of your site, which makes it one of the most important parts of website design.

A good header can elevate a website from good to memorable. What constitutes a good header? A few key qualities:

Professional

Your header is part of your branding. It should look like the rest of your company’s marketing materials and branding. The same colors in your header should be carried out throughout your entire site and promotional materials.

Synergy

It needs to apply to all areas of your website. It will be on your home page, contact page, testimonials page, etc. Make sure it relates to all topics and carries the same message to all aspects of your site.

Informational

Since your header is the first, and could be the last place people look when they come upon your site, it has a big job to do. It has to tell visitors your business name, your tag line, and what you do.

Once you have your header down, it’s time to think about your footer. This is generally where you put your contact information. Not every site has them, but if your site has many pages and can be overwhelming to navigate, it’s nice to have contact info and links to certain pages at the bottom. This is also a great place to put social media icons if you’re not putting them in your side bar.

Don’t forget about your site’s header and footer.