Above-the-fold has become an important concept in web design and marketing. But what exactly is it and how can it help within a digital marketing strategy?
Above-the-fold refers to the top part of a web page that the user sees without the need to scroll. In other words, it is the first visual portion of the page.
This area should include the most important elements, or those that can best capture the user's attention, since the goal is to get the user to stay. It is also the place where ads and banners are usually placed. However, it is important not to abuse these types of elements, so as not to decrease the bounce rate.
As can be deduced, below-the-fold is the lower part or the part that can only be viewed or accessed by scrolling down, which would indicate that the upper part has fulfilled its purpose.
Although it is important to distribute the content evenly throughout the website, the above-the-fold portion must attract the user's attention to reduce the bounce rate. This means that the above-the-fold is a key element within the web design, since it must give direct, clear, and attractive information related to the content below.
The above-the-fold area is the first impression that the user will have, so it must be well designed so that the user's experience is positive from the start. This also applies to emails. The more eye-catching the top portion is, the more likely it is that the recipient will read the entire content.
The web designer should always take into account the device users are using and the average screen size they tend to have. It is also important that the design is responsive and easily adapts to other devices and screen sizes.
However, you should avoid putting all the content at the top of the screen, since the goal is that the user stays, scrolls and browses the page. A good objective is to try to be as direct as possible and present the content in the most attractive way possible.
Although ads or banners are usually placed at the top, it is important that this is not the only thing that is displayed, because if the user does not like the first thing they see, they are likely to leave the page immediately.