Page Headers and Footers

Consistent graphic identity

    "One of the major purposes of careful graphic design is to provide a unique visual identity to your Web site. A consistent 'signature' graphic and page layout allows the reader to immediately know what the main point of the document is, and what (if any) relationship the page may have to other pages. Graphics used within headers can also signal the relatedness of a series of Web pages. Unlike print documents, designers of Web systems can never be sure what (if any) other pages the reader has seen before linking to the current page."

Think in screens of information, not pages

    "Always base your page header design on what the average reader with the average display monitor will see within the first screen of information. The most effective Web page headers incorporate a combination of graphics and interactive links. Remember that Web pages must be downloaded to the user, and that the page only gradually builds its graphic impact. The best measure of the efficiency of a page design is the number of options available within the top four inches of your page. A big, bold graphic may tease the casual Web surfer, but if it takes the average reader a full minute to download the top of your page, and there are no links to be seen until the user scrolls down the page (causing even longer delays), then you may have lost a big part of your audience before you even get to offer them any links to the rest of your site."

Page footers

    "Page footers should always carry basic information about the origin and age of the page. Every Web page needs to bear this basic information, but this repetitive and prosaic information often does not deserve the prominence of being placed at the top of the page. [More examples of less prominent information that might be in a page footer are: a Copyright notice; a legal notice link, like the site privacy policy, or the terms of use; a feedback or contact link; descriptive links to the previous and next page; . . .] Most Web pages are bigger than the average display screen, so that by the time most readers have scrolled to the bottom of the Web page the navigation links you might have provided at the top of the page are no longer visible. Well-designed page footers usually offer the user a set of links to other pages." [This site uses a link back (up) to the top of page navigation, So there is only one duplicate navigation link in the bottom of page navigation.]