GlossaryGrowth & analytics
What does above the fold mean?
Also called: above-the-fold content, first screen, hero section
Definition
Above the fold is the part of a web page people see before they scroll. The term comes from newspapers, where the top half of the front page, above the fold, got the most attention.
Above the fold, explained
People do scroll, but attention still concentrates at the top. Nielsen Norman Group's 2018 eyetracking study found users spent about 57% of their page-viewing time above the fold and 74% within the first two screenfuls. The closer information is to the top, the more likely it is to be read.
That makes the first screen the most valuable space on a page. For a product landing page, it should answer three questions immediately: what is this, is it for me, and what do I do next? A clear headline, one supporting line, a visual of the real product and a call to action usually do it. Save the long explanation for below.
The fold isn't one line. It moves with screen size, and on mobile it's much higher than on a laptop. Check your pages on a small phone: often the headline wraps, a large image pushes everything down, and the call to action disappears below the fold entirely.
Search engines care about the top of the page too. Google's 2012 page layout algorithm update targeted pages with little visible content above the fold, where relevant content was persistently pushed down by large blocks of ads. Its guidance was that placing ads above the fold to a normal degree was fine, but pages that made it hard to find the actual content were affected. Intrusive pop-ups that cover the content cause similar problems today.
Don't cram everything into the first screen either. Its job is to earn the scroll, not to replace the page.
Why it matters for founders
Most visitors decide whether to stay based on the first screen. Getting the headline, proof and call to action there, on mobile too, often lifts conversions more than any redesign below it.
Example
A SaaS homepage shows a full-screen abstract illustration on mobile, with the headline and sign-up button below the fold. Moving the headline and button above the image raises mobile sign-ups noticeably.
Common mistakes
- Checking the fold only on a large desktop screen.
- Filling the first screen with an image and no clear message.
- Covering the top of the page with pop-ups or ads.
Sources
- Nielsen Norman Group: Scrolling and attention (2018)
- Google Search Central Blog: Page layout algorithm improvement (2012)
Checked
Related terms
- Landing pageA landing page is a web page designed for visitors arriving from a specific source, such as an ad, launch, email or search, with a single goal like signing up, starting a trial or joining a waitlist.
- Call to action (CTA)A call to action (CTA) is the prompt, usually a button or link, that tells a visitor what to do next, such as "Start free trial", "Launch your product" or "Join the waitlist".
- Core Web VitalsCore Web Vitals are three Google metrics for real-user page experience: Largest Contentful Paint (loading), Interaction to Next Paint (responsiveness) and Cumulative Layout Shift (visual stability).
- Value propositionA value proposition is a short, clear statement of the specific benefit a product delivers, to whom, and why it's better than the alternatives. It's the promise your marketing makes and your product has to keep.