Above the fold

Above the fold refers to the part of the screen that the user sees without scrolling down the page. The term applies primarily to websites, but can equally well refer to search engines themselves. What visitors are able to see on their first contact with a site often determines whether they will stay for longer. It should also not be forgotten that, according to Google’s guidelines, what is above the fold is one of the ranking factors.

The above issues are also reflected in the search results pages. Those that appear at the top are more visible and, consequently, are clicked on far more often. The matter is interesting in that – at least in the case of Google – above the fold is relevant for both organic results and paid sponsored links. It is therefore worth considering raising the position of a website for specific queries as a permanent element of the marketing strategy.

Why is “above the fold” important?

Because ‘above the fold’ is the first thing a user sees on a website, it plays a key role in shaping the first impression and influences whether a user decides to stay on the site and interact with it or leave after a few seconds. The correct placement and use of ‘above the fold’ elements can influence user conversion, increasing clicks, redirects, registrations or purchases.

What elements should be considered when designing ‘above the fold’?

1. Headline –The head line of the page should be clear and eye-catching, include the name of the company or website and a brief description of the service or product offered on the page. It should also use attractive graphics and an appropriate colour scheme.
2. Relate to user needs – ‘above the fold’ elements should relate to the users’ needs and the problems that the website solves. They should also present the benefits of interacting with a particular website.
3. Call to action – for business-related websites, there should be a clear and effective ‘call-to-action’ here, i.e. an incentive to perform a specific action, such as registering, downloading an e-book or purchasing a product.
4. Language selection – if the site is multilingual, it is worth including a selection option.

5. Visuals – visual elements such as images, graphics, video or animations are a very effective way to attract users’ attention and showcase the products or services offered on the site.
6. Clean and structured layout – the ‘above the fold’ elements should be organised and easy to read so that the user can quickly see what is on the page and what they can do. It is also important to avoid too many elements that can make the page messy.
7. Fast loading – the ‘above the fold’ elements should load quickly as this is the first thing the user will see on the page, and slow loading may discourage them from interacting with the page.

Summary

“Above the fold” is a very important element of web design as it plays a key role in shaping a user’s first impression and influences whether or not they stay on the page. The elements placed ‘above the fold’ should be visually appealing, clear and easy to read, relate to the users’ needs and encourage them to interact with the page. It is therefore worth taking the time to properly design this part of the website to increase the chances of user conversion.

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