If you’ve been researching on how to enhance your website lately, you might have already come across the term “above the fold”, but you never seemed to give it much thought.
Hopefully that is, until now.
In this article, I’m going to walk you through all of the ins and outs of what “above the fold” is, why it’s important, and how you can further improve yours.
(As well as a few bonus suggestions to maximize your website’s overall appeal)
So, let’s get right into it!
Okay, What Exactly Does “Above The Fold” Mean?
First things first, let’s define what above-the-fold means.
In a nutshell, “above the fold” is any content that your audience first sees when they click on your website or page before scrolling down.
Think of it as your visitors’ first impression of your website. This is why it’s crucial to make your above-the-fold section as attractive as possible to keep your audience’s attention locked on your content.
The average website user only takes around 10 seconds or less to look at a website before moving on to the next. This is why you should take a considerable amount of time to formulate and design an engaging above-the-fold section for your landing page.
Why Does Knowing About “Above The Fold” Matter?
Since your above-the-fold content is what your visitors first see when they land on your website, it’s also one of the, if not the most important aspect of your page.
It’s because this determines whether your visitors will continue scrolling through your content or not.
If your audience doesn’t instantly find what they’re looking for, they might just leave your page entirely.
For example, if your sales page isn’t optimized, especially above the fold, you could be missing out on thousands of dollars a month.
Just by not having your ‘above the fold’ section optimized.
That’s why you should always strive to make your page worth your visitors’ time and capture their attention.
So yes, this little “above the fold” thing is kind of a big deal if you want your website to gain the traction that you want.
Now you might be wondering, how do you do this exactly?
8 Simple Tips to Optimize Your Website’s Above the Fold
#1 Keep It Simple Yet Noticeable
Your website’s above-the-fold section should be digestible and easy to understand.
Don’t overdo it by adding too much text and stacking elements on top of one another, you’re just going to end up turning your audience off and leave your page in the dust.
Pick a design or aesthetic that not only pops, but is also pleasing to the visitor’s eye, and only incorporate elements that complement one another.
This way, you not only draw visitors in, but you’re also keeping them on your website for a much longer time.
#2 Add A Powerful Headline
Sounds pretty obvious, right? But you’d be surprised by how many websites miss the mark and just dive right into what kind of products they’re offering immediately.
(Which is fine and all if they’re already a well-known brand. Otherwise, I highly encourage you not to do this, especially if you’re still starting out.)
Your headline, above other things, is the very first thing that people see when they click on your website. This will also serve as the foundation for the rest of the page, so you’ve got to build it up perfectly right from the get go.
When formulating your headline, try putting yourself in your visitor’s shoes. By answering their lingering questions and providing a solution to their problems in just a few short phrases can make all the difference in keeping your audience’s attention.
#3 Include Your Main Keywords
Incorporating your main keywords into your content is important when it comes to optimizing your website so that it shows up first and rank higher on search engines.
Not only does your content need to captivate your audience, but you should also keep in mind where you should place your keyword appropriately.
Structure your content in a way where your SEO keywords are present within the first couple of lines on your website.
This way, people who’re searching for similar websites can easily spot yours among the thousands of other ones and can easily give you an edge against your competitors.
#4 Use Compelling Imagery And Visual Elements
Let me speak hypothetically for a second.
Imagine you’re an applicant seeking a spot that just recently opened up for your ultimate dream job.
You’ve already submitted your resume and now it’s time to play the waiting game for the callback to get an interview for the job.
But what if that call never comes through in the first place?
Chances are, the hiring manager took one look at your resume and thought that it wasn’t worth the effort to read through all of it (ouch)
Well, the same goes for your website’s above-the-fold section. You want to make sure that you’re using images and videos that are noteworthy and prominently place them where your visitors can easily notice.
If you do this correctly, visitors are more likely to stay in place and browse through the rest of your website.
#5 Revamp Your Website Header And Menu
Located at the topmost part of your webpage, a website header typically includes all of the navigation buttons for visitors to easily move across your website’s interface.
This is why it’s crucial to make your website header manageable and easy to access so that your visitors won’t go about scratching their heads and be left wondering about where all of your stuff is.
Brand logos, navigational menus such as a hamburger menu, sign up links, a search function, and a shopping cart icon are just some of the elements that a strong and functional website header should have.
#6 Add A Clear CTA Button
A call-to-action (CTA) button is mainly geared towards making visitors purchase your products or just interacting with your page in general.
Though, it’s important to note that the call-to-action that you settle on and place above the fold will depend on what type of website you have.
Also, don’t think that an effective CTA button is only restricted to making a purchase, either.
It could be as simple as signing up for your services or joining your email list.
In the end, it all comes down to what action you want your visitors to take when they land on your webpage and generate your CTA button around that.
#7 Add Enough Text Content
Not too much, and definitely not too little.
You have to find the right ratio of text to the rest of your webpage’s above-the-fold to keep it from looking too messy and cluttered for your audience.
This advice also applies to the rest of your webpage’s content. In fact, research shows that the average word count of pages that rank on Google’s first page has just a little bit over 1500 words present in their content.
You want to make sure that you tap into the average user’s short attention span and only have content that’s easy to skim through and digest.
If you have too much text on your webpage, your visitors will, no doubt, get overwhelmed and click off your page.
#8 Improve Loading Speed
Another way to take advantage of users’ short attention spans for a more optimal above-the-fold for your website is to improve how fast your page loads.
If your visitors are left waiting for too long, they won’t even stick around and just exit your page right away which will kill your conversion rates in return.
Additionally, depending on how slow or fast your above-the-fold content loads, it’ll majorly impact your webpage’s SEO ranking.
Some of the top ways to improve your website’s loading speeds are to:
- Compress and streamline the files that you use so they process quicker
- Optimize images by compressing, resizing, and reformatting without sacrificing the quality
- Structure your HTML in a way that lets your above-the-fold content load in first
BONUS: 3 Important “Above The Fold” Reminders
1. Make Sure It Doesn’t Look Like An Ad
Nobody appreciates blatant ads to the face, so don’t make your above-the-fold look like one either.
(Even if it kind of is)
Instead, it’s advisable to promote your product as organic as possible and make it fit into the rest of your page. Most of us have this thing called “banner blindness,” which means we instinctively ignore and overlook anything that looks anything remotely close to an advertisement.
So, remember to use the area above the fold to make your pitch, but don’t structure it like you’re going to sell your visitors anything (yet.)
2. Utilize White Space Correctly
By using white space, aka negative or empty space, it helps your layout from looking cluttered and ensures that your above-the-fold design seamlessly complements the rest of your webpage.
Don’t pack all of your elements in one go and properly space your desired elements out so that visitors can effortlessly go from one section to another and digest all of your content without having to go through the hassle of disorienting them further.
3. Keep It Fun And Exciting
Just like the rest of your webpage, you should keep your above-the-fold portion relevant and up-to-date with the latest trends.
Try out different designs, experiment with unique layouts, and scan through vibrant images to keep your content fresh and ready for the present market.
Optimize Your Above The Fold Section Now!
I get it – optimizing anything is easier said than done.
But by following the strategies that I’ve listed above, your above-the-fold will turn out much more eye-catching and ready for better SEO.
And if you want to learn more about anything business-related, join our email list today for free to gain access to exclusive content that delves into successful strategies and real-world experiences of successful individuals and implement their strategies into your very own business venture!
So, what are you waiting for?
FAQs
What’s the difference between above the fold and below the fold?
“Above the fold” content refers to the portion of a web page that a user can see before scrolling. On the other hand, the term “below the fold” refers to any content that needs scrolling down. The ‘fold’ is where the browser window ends, with the information continuing below.
Does above the fold affect seo?
Short answer? Yes. Long answer? Absolutely. When it comes to SEO Rankings, search engines typically place a high value on content above the fold, which means that your webpage should include all of its important information above the fold in order to rank well.
How is above the fold related to drafting an email?
In email design, the above-the-fold space is usually around 350 pixels high and 650 pixels wide. This is the portion that your subscribers see first when they click to open a message when you’re marketing products and services using emails. This section will be viewable in most email apps without the need to scroll down the page.
How is above the fold measured?
Although the criteria for measuring above-the-fold content can vary, most websites usually go for 1000 pixels in width by 600 pixels in length. You can imagine it as a full-screen browser window on your laptop or desktop, and while the dimensions on mobile devices are somewhat smaller, the same guidelines can be applied regardless.