Above the Fold – Definition & Explanation

“Above the fold” is attributed an important role in website development. Therefore, designers or web developers should carefully consider which content and elements they place here. Especially since users increasingly access the internet with mobile devices, the area of a web page that is immediately visible varies depending on the device.

Why “Above the Fold” Is So Important

It is true that internet users have gotten used to scrolling. Nevertheless, experts assume that “above the fold,” as the first visible area of a web page, receives particularly much attention. This is all the more true as users' patience and attention spans have continued to decline in recent years.

That is why, especially for landing pages it is considered sensible,

• to name central information, USPs, and benefits in the “above the fold” area and at the same time
• encourage visitors to discover the rest of the website by scrolling.

The latter can be achieved in various ways, for example through

• links to content further down the page,
• columns or other elements that are interrupted by the fold,
• symbols such as arrows, or
• a table of contents.

Is “Above the Fold” Still Relevant?

In practice, the elements that shape the first impression belong above the fold above all: a meaningful headline, a fitting hero image, a clearly formulated value proposition, as well as trust signals such as seals, reviews, or customer logos. A clear navigation should also be reachable without scrolling. These elements are prioritized according to their importance for the conversion goal – the more relevant a piece of information is to the visitor's decision, the higher up it belongs.

Whether a call to action should be present at the very top of a landing page is disputed. For a long time, this was considered best practice. In the meantime, there are increasingly voices that question this standard and, especially for products or services that require explanation, advise placing the CTA further down.

Whether the fold still has the same significance today has been discussed for years. Since scrolling has long become second nature for users, attention-tracking studies show that content below the fold is also reliably perceived. Instead of compulsively stacking everything important at the top, it is therefore advisable to spark interest at the top and guide the user purposefully toward reading on.

What Significance Does “Above the Fold” Have for SEO?

In the past, the “above the fold” area was often used for advertising banners. Since Google's Page Layout Algorithm Update in early 2012, this can have negative consequences. Excessive placement of advertising in the topmost part of web pages now carries the risk of a downgrade.

Conversely, relevant content at the very top of the page can indirectly have a positive effect on the ranking. Ideally, it leads to lower bounce rates and motivates users to stay on the website longer or to perform certain actions.

A modern SEO relevance of “above the fold” today arises above all through the Core Web Vitals: the largest element visible at the top – such as a hero image or a prominent heading – usually determines the Largest Contentful Paint (LCP). Since the LCP is an official Google ranking factor, the content loaded above the fold in particular should be delivered quickly and without layout shifts. Anyone who optimizes large images or scripts in the upper area thereby improves both loading time and ranking chances.

Above the Fold vs. Below the Fold

Below the fold refers to the part of a web page that only becomes visible after scrolling, because it lies beneath the visible area. This area is often longer than the above-the-fold area and can contain additional content, information, or calls to action.

It is important to note that users may not always scroll to the end of a page and therefore may not see or may miss important information if it is placed only in the below-the-fold area. However, a smart placement of content and call-to-action buttons can help ensure that users stay on the page longer and perform the desired actions.

Some differences between above the fold and below the fold:

1. Visibility: Above the fold is the visible area of a web page, while below the fold is the area that only becomes visible after scrolling.
2. Importance: Above the fold is the area that most users pay attention to first, and therefore it is important to place the most important information and calls to action here. Below the fold can contain additional information or content that may, however, be less important.
3. Size: The above-the-fold area is usually smaller than the below-the-fold area because it only encompasses the visible part of the page.
4. Layout: Above the fold is often regarded as the area that most strongly influences the layout and design of a web page, since it makes the first impression on users. Below the fold, however, can be just as important for maintaining a consistent user experience.
5. Conversion Rate: Placing important content and calls to action in the above-the-fold area can help improve a web page's conversion rate, while placing additional information or content in the below-the-fold area can help keep users on the page longer and maintain their attention.

Quellen

• Lewanczik, Niklas, Das muss bei deiner Webseite Above the Fold stehen, onlinemarketing.de
• Hofmann, Sonia, „Above the Fold“ vs. „Below the Fold“: Zählt das 2019 immer noch?