What is Above the fold?

Newspapers put their biggest stories on the top half of the front page, the part visible when folded on a stand. On a website, ‘above the fold’ is whatever shows on screen before the visitor scrolls.

The fold is in a different place on every device, so it is a rough idea rather than a fixed line. On a phone, it is often only a headline and one or two lines.

People do scroll, but the first screen decides whether they bother. It needs to say what you do, where, and how to get in touch.

If a visitor on a phone sees a big stock photo and a vague slogan, they may leave without realising you do exactly what they need. Putting ‘Emergency plumber in Exeter’ and a Call button in that first screen can be the difference between a call and a bounce.