Footer Archetypes

The vocabulary of site-footer patterns — one half of the Layout Archetypes Dimension, sibling to Navigation Archetypes and selected the same way. An archetype is a layout-level decision: which content blocks the footer carries and how they weight against each other. Styling is inherited from the client theme + atmosphere.

Each industry pack declares its default in the footerArchetype field. Consumer sites render the shape via the BDS <SiteFooter> component from @brikdesigns/bds/blueprints-astro.

Vocabulary

Locked enum in content-system/vocabularies/footer-archetype.ts. Extend only after a real client validates a new variant — resist adding values speculatively from design dreams.

Default: four_col_directory — chosen because it suits the broadest set of service-business sites without over-weighting any one concern. Industries with a specific compliance burden or a single-conversion posture override explicitly.

Decision matrix by industry

Archetype semantics

four_col_directory

A 4-column informative layout. From left to right:

1. Brand column — logo, tagline, social icon row (3–5 icons max).
2. Directory column — primary navigation links.
3. Secondary column — utility pages (careers, press, blog, etc.) or the second tier of offerings.
4. Visit column — address block, hours-at-a-glance, phone, primary CTA.

Below the columns: a bottom bar with copyright + legal links (Privacy Policy, Terms, HIPAA Notice link if healthcare).

Fit: service businesses with enough content to fill 4 meaningful columns — dental (with legal_heavy override), real-estate, legal, specialty medical, CRE, any vertical where a visitor landing cold on an interior page needs a lot of orientation.

Avoid when: the site has so few content types that some columns are empty, OR when the footer is the primary conversion surface (prefer cta_focused in that case).

cta_focused

Large closing CTA occupying the top two-thirds of the footer — headline + body + prominent primary action button. Below that: a trimmed row with logo, primary nav links inline, address + phone. Bottom bar same as other archetypes.

Fit: single-service businesses, wellness / mental health (where the CTA is "Book Session" and visual calm wants less chrome below), focused landing pages that have built a narrative through the body and want the footer to earn the click.

Avoid when: the site has multiple conversion paths of comparable importance (book vs. contact vs. financing) — a single large CTA flattens the real IA.

legal_heavy

Regulated-industry variant. Layout resembles four_col_directory but with a prominent compliance column replacing the Secondary column (or inserted as a 5th column depending on content volume). The compliance column surfaces:

• HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices link + effective date
• Privacy Officer contact (name, title, email, phone)
• Non-Discrimination Statement (ACA §1557 for covered providers)
• Notice of Privacy Practices PDF link
• Any jurisdiction-specific disclosures (state board info, license numbers)

Directory + Visit columns present but secondary. Bottom bar includes the full legal link stack (Privacy, HIPAA Notice, Terms, Non-Discrimination, Accessibility).

Fit: healthcare practices subject to HIPAA (Covered Entities + Business Associates), healthcare recipients of federal funding (§1557), legal multi-practice firms with state disclosure requirements, financial services firms with consumer-disclosure obligations.

Avoid when: compliance scope is minimal — the extra weight makes the footer feel bureaucratic on a simple service-business site.

Related

• Layout Archetypes — the Dimension overview and shared resolution model
• Navigation Archetypes — the sibling site-header vocabulary
• Theming Overview — the four Theming Dimensions in context
• Content System / Industries — packs declare default archetypes
• Blueprints-Astro Package Spec — architecture contract for the Astro render surface