How to edit footer in WordPress?
Editing the footer in WordPress can be done in a few different ways. Discover the best method for your website and improve the design and user experience with these easy-to-use options:
Using a page builder
A page builder plugin is a type of plugin that allows users to create custom designs and layouts for their pages and posts in WordPress without the need for coding knowledge. These plugins typically use a drag-and-drop interface and a variety of pre-designed templates, widgets, and modules to make it easy for users to create and customise their pages.
They are commonly used to create custom landing pages, homepages, and other types of custom-designed pages on a WordPress site. Page builder plugins are popular among users who are looking for an easy way to create custom designs for their website without having to hire a developer or learn to code.
Many page builder plugins, such as Elementor, Beaver Builder, and Divi, have the option to edit the footer directly from the plugin’s interface, meaning you don’t need to understand code to edit your theme’s footer.
Using a theme ‘Customizer’
Some WordPress themes come with a built-in option to customise the footer using the WordPress Customizer. The Customizer is a tool built into WordPress that allows users to preview and make changes to their website’s layout, design, and settings. The Customizer can be accessed by going to Appearance > Customize in the WordPress admin dashboard.
When a theme has built-in options for customising the footer, you can usually find them in the Customiser under the “Footer” or “Layout” section. These options can include things like the ability to change the background colour or image of the footer, add widgets, change the font size, and more. Some themes also allow you to add custom HTML, CSS and javascript.
By using the customizer, you can see the changes you’re making in real-time, allowing you to preview them before publishing, this way you can make sure that the changes you’re making look good on your website.
It’s important to note that not all WordPress themes include built-in options for customising the footer using the Customizer, and the specific options available will vary depending on the theme.
Using code
You can also edit the footer.php file in your theme to make changes to the footer. You can access this file by going to Appearance > Editor in the WordPress admin dashboard.
The code for the footer in WordPress can vary depending on the theme you are using. Typically, the footer code can be found in the footer.php file in your theme. Here is a sample of what the footer code might look like:
<footer id="colophon" class="site-footer" role="contentinfo">
<div class="site-info">
<?php printf( esc_html__( '%1$s by %2$s.', 'themename' ), 'Theme Name', '<a href="https://wordpress.org/">WordPress</a>' ); ?>
</div><!-- .site-info -->
</footer><!-- #colophon -->This code creates a footer container with an ID of “colophon” and a class of “site-footer” and a role of “contentinfo” which is the standard for WordPress themes. Inside the footer container, there is a div with a class of “site-info” which displays the theme name and a link to WordPress.org.
You can edit this code to add custom content, change the layout and design, or to add/remove widgets, shortcodes and custom menus by using the plugins that I mentioned before or by editing the code directly.
Keep in mind that modifying the code directly may cause issues with your website, so it’s always recommended to make a backup of your website and test the changes on a test environment before applying it on a live website.
Using a plugin
There are also specialised plugins for editing the footer in WordPress, such as Advanced Footer. These plugins allow you to customise the footer without having to edit the code.
Some examples include:
- WP Code: This plugin allows you to customize the footer of your website with various options, such as adding custom widgets, shortcodes, and custom menus.
- Footer Putter: This plugin allows you to add custom content to the footer of your website, including text, images, and shortcodes.
- Simple Custom CSS and JS: This plugin allows you to add custom CSS and JavaScript to the footer of your website, which can be used to customize the footer’s layout and design.
Please note that it’s important to make sure that the plugin is compatible with your version of WordPress and theme before installing, also backup your website and test the plugin on a test environment before applying it on a live website.
How to edit the footer in WordPress with Child Theme
A child theme is a theme that inherits the functionality and styling of another theme, called the parent theme. Child themes allow you to make changes to your website without modifying the parent theme’s code, ensuring that your customizations are not lost when the parent theme is updated.
Here are a few popular plugins for creating and managing child themes in WordPress:
- Child Theme Configurator: This plugin allows you to create a child theme and customize it with a few clicks, without any coding knowledge.
- Child Theme Wizard: This plugin allows you to create a child theme and customize it with a variety of options, including templates for custom post types and taxonomies.
- Childify Me: This plugin allows you to create a child theme with just one click and customize it with a variety of options, including templates for custom post types and taxonomies.
Before installing any child theme, it’s important to make sure that the parent theme is compatible and has support for it. Also, be sure to backup your website and test the child theme on a test environment before applying it on a live website.
It’s important to note that the method to edit the footer can vary depending on the theme and plugins you have installed on your WordPress site.
In summary
In conclusion, editing the footer in WordPress can be done in a variety of ways, depending on your needs and preferences. Whether you’re using a page builder plugin, a theme customizer, code, specialized plugin, or a child theme, it’s important to make sure that the method you choose is compatible with your theme and to always backup your website and test the changes on a test environment before applying it on a live website.
With these options available, you can easily customise the footer of your WordPress site to suit your needs and improve the overall design and user experience of your website.
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