Any image that is used should be designed to load quickly, as it is one of the first items loaded in the document. Footers Use the footer for navigation elements and for site-wide information that is too long or repetitive to fit in the header. A footer is text or graphics that appears at the bottom of the page. As with the headers, footers should be similar throughout the web site. Footers might include site or agency logos, contact addresses, and feedback requests.
Sidebars Use sidebars judiciously, using headers and footers whenever possible.
An alternative to both headers and footers is a sidebar, which is a vertical column of text located typically along the left edge of the page. Sidebars often contain the elements commonly found in headers and footers. The advantage of a sidebar is that, unlike a header, it does not push the main contents farther down the page and, unlike footers, it is visible when the page is first loaded. A sidebar allows prominent display of a large number of links or small, featured bits of information, without pushing other content completely off the first screen. The sidebar, therefore, can function as a navigational element.