Most business owners I talk to in Brisbane treat the bottom of their website—the 'footer'—like a junk drawer. They throw in a copyright date, maybe a tiny logo, and then forget about it.
If that’s you, you’re flushing money down the toilet.
Think about how people use the internet. When someone is looking for a plumber in Coorparoo or an accountant in the CBD, they scroll. They scroll to see if you’re legit, to see where you’re located, and to find out how to actually talk to a human. If they get to the bottom of your page and find a dead end, they don't scroll back up. They leave.
I’ve seen dozens of local businesses double their enquiries just by fixing the simple mistakes at the bottom of their site. Here is how to turn that empty space into a sales machine.
1. Stop Hiding Your Phone Number
This is the biggest mistake I see. You want people to call you, right? Then why is your phone number hidden in tiny, grey text at the bottom?
Your phone number should be big, bold, and—this is the most important part—clickable. If a tradie is out on a job and needs to call a supplier, or a mum is trying to book a kids' party on her iPhone, they shouldn't have to copy and paste your number. They should be able to tap it and hear a dial tone immediately.
When you turn phone visitors into customers, you remove every single hurdle between them and a sale. If your footer doesn't have a 'Click to Call' button, you are literally making it hard for people to give you money.
2. Show Them You’re a Local
Google loves local businesses, and so do Brisbane locals. They want to know you actually exist in the real world, not just in a digital cloud.
Don't just put 'Brisbane' in your footer. Be specific. If you have an office in Chermside or a warehouse in Rocklea, put the full address there. Even better, embed a small Google Map.
Why? Because it builds instant trust. It shows you’re a real company with a real shopfront or office. It also helps Google understand exactly where you are so they can show your business to people searching nearby. If you’re a service-based business (like an electrician) and you don’t have a shopfront, list your 'Service Areas' instead. Mentioning suburbs like Indooroopilly, North Lakes, or Carindale tells the customer, "Yes, we come to you."
3. Use Your Best Reviews to Close the Deal
By the time a visitor reaches the bottom of your page, they are looking for a reason to trust you—or a reason to leave. This is the perfect spot to drop a 'social proof' bomb.
I’m not talking about a generic 'We are the best' statement. I’m talking about real words from real locals. A small widget showing your 5-star Google rating or a quote from a happy customer can be the final nudge someone needs to hit that 'Contact Us' button. We’ve found that when clients use customer reviews right at the point of decision, the quality of leads goes through the roof. It stops them from feeling like they’re taking a gamble on a stranger.
4. Navigation for People Who Are Ready to Buy
Your main menu at the top of the page is for people browsing. Your footer menu is for people who know what they want.
Most business owners just copy their top menu to the bottom. That's a waste of space. Instead, use the footer to link to your most profitable services. If you’re a mechanic, don't just link to 'Services.' Link to 'Logbook Servicing,' 'Brake Repairs,' and 'Roadworthy Certificates.'
This makes it incredibly easy for people to find exactly what they need without hunting through a complex menu. You want to give visitors exactly what they want the moment they think of it. If they’ve scrolled through your whole homepage and haven't clicked yet, give them a direct link to the specific problem they need solved.
5. The 'Must-Haves' for Professionalism
There are a few things that don't necessarily make you money, but they stop you from looking like an amateur.
Trading Hours: Nothing annoys a customer more than calling a business that’s closed. Put your hours in the footer. If you offer 24/7 emergency service, shout it out in big, bold letters. Social Media Icons: Only include these if you actually use them. If your last Facebook post was from 2019, leave the icon off. It makes you look like you’ve gone out of business. Legal Stuff: Privacy Policies and Terms of Service. These aren't exciting, but they are necessary. Having them there makes you look like a 'proper' company and keeps you out of hot water.
6. What to Cut (The Waste of Money Stuff)
I see a lot of 'fancy' marketing features in footers that do absolutely nothing for a small business owner's bottom line.
Newsletter Signups: Unless you are a retail shop sending out weekly discount codes, nobody is 'signing up for your newsletter' from your footer. It’s a waste of space. Use that room for a 'Request a Quote' button instead. Instagram Feeds: Loading a live feed of your Instagram photos at the bottom of your site often slows your website down. A slow website means people leave before the page even loads. If your site doesn't load fast, you're losing customers to the guy down the road whose site actually works. Awards from 1998: If you won 'Business of the Year' two decades ago, it’s time to take it down. It makes you look like your best days are behind you.
How Much Will This Cost?
If you have a decent website person, fixing your footer shouldn't cost you an arm and a leg. We’re talking a couple of hours of work. If you’re using a DIY builder like Wix or Squarespace, you can probably do most of this yourself in an afternoon.
The 'cost' is really just the time it takes to gather your best reviews, confirm your service areas, and make sure your phone number is correct.
How Long Until You See Results?
This is the best part. Unlike 'SEO' which can take months to kick in, footer changes work the moment they go live. If you make your phone number easier to find today, you could literally get more phone calls tomorrow. It’s one of the fastest ways to improve the performance of your website without spending a cent on ads.
What Should You Do First?
Go to your website on your own mobile phone right now. Scroll to the very bottom.
1. Is the phone number there? 2. Can you click it with your thumb? 3. Does it tell you where the business is located?
If the answer to any of those is 'No,' that is your starting point.
Look, I get it—you’re busy running a business. You don't want to spend your weekends worrying about website layouts. But your website is your 24/7 salesperson. If that salesperson is standing at the door (the bottom of your page) and staying silent when a customer asks a question, they aren't doing their job.
Fix your footer, make it easy for Brisbane locals to find you, and give them a reason to trust you. The phone calls will follow.
Need a hand making your website actually work for your business? At Local Marketing Group, we specialise in turning quiet websites into busy ones for Brisbane business owners. Contact us today and let’s get those phones ringing.