Behind; Above the Fold
Above The Fold originally refers to the upper half of a newspaper. It is the first visual part and is meant to coax the reader into picking up the newspaper by grabbing their attention.
Normally newspapers are delivered with the front up so the space that is above the fold is incredibly valuable. This space is valuable for the newspaper and for advertisers wanting to display their advertisements. The space above the fold makes the information visible even to those not buying the paper. If you walk past it on a stand, there is a good chance you will read it.
High value news is often placed above the fold as a matter of priority. Easily explained, it is the location you use for what you want to show off the most.
Still a very valid thing in the world of printed newspaper, the expression Above The Fold is being used in both Direct Mail and online. Online, there are millions of website all wanting your attention. The information served above the fold is more valuable than ever. In the online world it describes the part of a page visible to you when you first click onto it. What you see, in the middle at the bottom and at the top of the screen without scrolling is what you can call above the fold.
We refer to AboveTheFold graphics. They are the images and text used to grab attention, usually below the website header. Although we are thinking about the online world, the same rules follow, just the same as a printed newspaper.
AboveTheFold is used to show the message that captures the readers attention. It can be an image to symbolise your services, business or a call to action to read on about a product.
Above The Fold graphics can also be considered as a decision maker. It is usually the one thing on your website that helps the viewer decide if they should read more, use your services or move on.
On commercial websites such as professional services companies, eCommerce or other online retail setups, all the selling happens above the fold, which leaves the devil in the detail below.
Starting to see the value of it yet?
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