Mastering Your Shopify Footer: How to Perfectly Place Widgets and Copyright

Hey store owners!

Ever found yourself scratching your head, wondering why a newly installed widget isn't sitting quite right in your Shopify store's footer? It's a surprisingly common scenario, and it's exactly what came up in a recent community discussion I was following. Our fellow merchant, Arasca, ran into a classic case of a Google Review widget appearing underneath their copyright text, and they wanted to flip that order around.

It's a small detail, but these little things can really impact your site's professional look and user experience. A well-organized footer not only looks polished but also guides your customers to important information effortlessly. Let's dive into what we learned from the community and how you can tackle this yourself, ensuring your Shopify footer flows perfectly.

The Footer Fumble: Widget vs. Copyright

Arasca's problem was pretty straightforward: after adding a Google Review widget, it landed at the very bottom of the page, pushing the crucial "Copyright © All rights reserved" line above it. The goal was to have the review section appear just above the copyright, making the footer flow more logically.

This is a common headache, especially when you're adding third-party apps or custom code snippets. You expect things to fall into place, but sometimes the default injection point for an app or widget just isn't where you need it to be. The footer is often a complex area, built from multiple Liquid files and sections, making precise placement a bit of a puzzle.

Navigating Community Advice: What Works (and What Doesn't)

The beauty of the Shopify Community is how everyone jumps in to help. In this thread, we saw a few different approaches, and it's a great example of why understanding the root cause is so important. Initially, some suggestions revolved around using CSS to manipulate the copyright text. For example, Devcoder and Mustafa_Ali proposed adding CSS snippets like this:

And Devcoder also suggested adding .min-footer .col-left { display: none; } to files like base.css or styles.scss.css. Now, while these codes are valid CSS, they do not solve the problem of moving the widget. Instead, they would simply hide the copyright text, which is definitely not what Arasca (or any store owner) wants! Hiding essential legal information like copyright is a big no-no for professionalism and legal compliance.

As liquidshop.co correctly pointed out, the issue isn't with the copyright text itself, but with the placement of the widget. The solution isn't to hide elements but to relocate them properly within your theme's structure.

The Right Way: Relocating Your Shopify Footer Widget

The key to solving Arasca's dilemma, and similar footer placement issues, lies in identifying and moving the widget's code. Most third-party widgets, especially review widgets, are injected into your theme either via an app embed block in the theme customizer, or by directly adding a snippet of HTML/JavaScript/Liquid code into one of your theme files.

Your goal is to find the specific code that renders the Google Review widget and move it to a position before the code that renders your copyright information. This usually means placing it within your footer.liquid section or a related snippet, just above the line that generates the copyright.

Step-by-Step Guide to Footer Harmony

Before making any changes, remember our golden rule at Shopping Cart Mover: Always duplicate your theme first! This creates a safe backup, allowing you to experiment without affecting your live store.

1. Access Your Theme Code:
   • From your Shopify admin, go to Online Store > Themes.
   • Find your current theme, click Actions > Edit code.
2. Identify the Widget's Current Home:

   This is the trickiest part. The widget's code could be in several places:

   • theme.liquid: This is the main layout file. Look for script tags or div elements related to your Google Review app, often placed just before the closing tag or within the
   • sections/footer.liquid: Many themes structure their footer content here. This is a very common place for copyright and other footer elements.
   • Other Sections or Snippets: Sometimes, the footer might call other snippets (e.g., snippets/social-icons.liquid) or be part of a dynamic section.
   • Theme Customizer (App Embeds): Go to Online Store > Themes > Customize. Check the "App embeds" section or look for custom sections/blocks in your footer area. If the widget is controlled here, you might be able to drag and drop its position.

   Pro Tip: Use your browser's developer tools (right-click > Inspect) to examine the HTML structure of your live footer. Look for unique IDs or classes associated with the Google Review widget. This can help you pinpoint the relevant code in your theme files.

3. Locate the Copyright Information:

   Your copyright text is almost always found in sections/footer.liquid or a snippet that footer.liquid includes. Search for phrases like "copyright", "all rights reserved", or the © symbol.

4. Carefully Cut and Paste:

   Once you've found the widget's code block (e.g., a

   with a specific ID, or a script tag), cut it. Then, navigate to where your copyright code is located. Paste the widget's code block just above the line that generates your copyright text.

   For example, if your footer.liquid looks something like this:

   
   
       © {{ 'now' | date: "%Y" }} {{ shop.name }} All rights reserved.
   

   You would paste your widget code right before the

   line.

5. Preview and Save:

   Click Preview theme to see if the changes are correct. If everything looks good, click Save. If not, revert your changes or try adjusting the placement until it's perfect.

Pro Tips for Shopify Customization

• Understand Basic HTML/CSS/Liquid: A fundamental grasp of these languages will make theme editing much easier and safer.
• Use Browser Developer Tools: As mentioned, these are invaluable for inspecting elements and understanding your site's structure.
• Test on a Duplicate Theme: We can't stress this enough! It prevents downtime and ensures a smooth user experience.
• Check App Settings: Some apps offer placement options within their own settings. Always check there first before diving into code.
• When to Call the Experts: If you're unsure or uncomfortable with code editing, don't hesitate to reach out to Shopify experts or a migration and customization service like Shopping Cart Mover. We're here to help!

Conclusion

A well-structured and aesthetically pleasing footer contributes significantly to your store's professional image and user experience. While it might seem like a small detail, ensuring your widgets and copyright information are in their rightful places demonstrates attention to detail and builds trust with your customers. By understanding the difference between hiding and relocating elements, you gain greater control over your Shopify store's design.

If you're facing complex Shopify customization challenges, or planning a migration to Shopify, remember that the team at Shopping Cart Mover is always ready to provide expert assistance. We ensure your e-commerce platform is perfectly tailored to your business needs, from the header to the footer!