Copyright Line
Two settings control the copyright line shown in the footer: the text, and the address it links to.
Where to find it
Architect Panel → Configuration:
- Site Settings — the option groups, grouped by subject
Architect Panel → Layout & Pages:
- Page Builder — the footer itself
Get the name right
The copyright should name the legal entity that owns the site — your registered company name, not a trading name or a product name. It is a legal statement, and naming the wrong entity makes it a weaker one.
The year
A single current year is conventional. A range from first publication is also fine. What looks careless is a year that has not been updated, because it is the most visible possible sign that a site is not maintained.
If your text is static, put updating it in a January routine.
The link
Usually to your own site, occasionally to a terms or legal page. Point it somewhere that exists and check it after any restructuring — a broken link in the footer of every page is a poor look.
The footer needs more than copyright
Depending on where you operate and what you do, a footer commonly needs to carry:
- A privacy notice link.
- A cookie or consent preferences link.
- Terms of use.
- Company registration details, for a UK limited company.
- An accessibility statement, for public sector bodies.
The copyright setting is one line of that. Do not let it stand in for the rest.
Company details are a legal requirement
A UK limited company must show its registered name, number and registered office address on its website. That is not optional and it is regularly missed.
Consent preferences must be reachable
If you use a consent banner, people must be able to change their mind afterwards. A footer link is the conventional place, and its absence is a common finding.
Check it on a phone
Footers are where content is squeezed hardest on small screens. Links that overlap or wrap badly are still links people are entitled to use.
Keep it short
A footer is not a place for a paragraph. One line of copyright, a short row of links, and the legally required details.
Worked example
An organisation sets its copyright to its registered company name with a rolling year, links it to its own site, and carries privacy, terms, cookie preferences, accessibility and company registration details alongside. The footer is checked on a phone after any layout change.
Recommendations
- Name the legal entity, not the product.
- Update the year — a stale one is very visible.
- Carry the required details, not just copyright.
- Make consent preferences reachable from the footer.