What is Below The Fold?
When you go to a website, you might notice that some pages are too long to fit everything on the screen at once.
The part you see right when the page loads is called "above the fold." Everything else that you have to scroll down to see is referred to as "below the fold."
These terms came from how old newspapers used to be displayed. At newsstands, the top half of the folded newspaper was visible. The bottom half below where it was folded was initially hidden from view.
For websites today, the fold still matters a lot for getting people's attention.
Why the Fold is Important
Most website visitors don't stay long if a page doesn't interest them right away. That's why the top part above the fold is so important.
This top area needs to quickly grab attention and clearly show what the page is about. Otherwise, visitors might leave without ever scrolling further down.
In contrast, the stuff below the fold often gets less attention because users may never scroll that far if the top doesn't convince them to.
Below the Fold Still Matters Too
Even though the top gets the most focus at first, you can't ignore the content below the fold either. This lower area helps keep visitors engaged after they start scrolling down.
The below-the-fold section should have more in-depth details, extra media like images/videos, customer reviews, and any other supportive information.
Some tips for good below-the-fold content:
Break it up with subheadings, visuals, and white space
Include important calls to action here too
Avoid too many distracting ads or pop-ups
Use interactive stuff like FAQ sections
While not as critical as the top, below-the-fold content is still important for keeping visitors interested all the way through each page.