Before discussing about why text above the fold of the page is most important, it will be helpful to know what “above the fold” refers to. In the print world, “above the fold” stands for those articles that are places at the top segment of a newspaper before the crease. Editors tend to put the most important articles in this area to attract buyers and boost sales. In case of a website, placing vital content in the most prominent segment areas serves the similar purpose. However, the entire procedure becomes complex as many variables play key roles in the exact position of the digital “fold”.
For a website, the content above the fold refers to that content which a user can see when the site is first loaded. To see the content below the fold, the user will need to use the scroll bar. It is extremely important to get some text and a few pictures above the fold that will not only attract the users’ attention but also retain their interest and entice them to explore the site more. The text above the fold should also let your visitors know what the site is all about before they begin scrolling. If the text above the fold of the page is not interesting enough, the visitors who land at your site will not think twice before jumping off to some other site with the click of a mouse.
Previously, many people believed that visitors to a site were averse to scrolling down. So, whatever that was important was put above the fold. However, the truth is that users like to scroll, provided you have the perfect bait to initiate this action. So, the big question-what’s the bait? Well, the answer is – informative and unique content. To get hold of your viewers’ attention, the initial screen should let them know what your offerings are, how that could be useful to them and why they should use your products/services. If you can respond to these questions satisfactorily, your visitors will most probably stay on your web page and scroll down to get more information. So, you should place the critical elements of your website above the fold and make use of great content as the bait to let the visitors take the desired action – be it subscribing to your newsletter, opting for a special offer or simply deciding to use your offerings.
Remember that you should not jam every possible thing into the space above the fold of your website. Doing that would be a poor option as it will not only overwhelm the viewer but also not answer simple questions like those discussed above. So, keep it short, simple yet attractive when you are writing text or working on graphics that will be placed above the fold. Ensure that the matter above the fold conveys what your website is all about and how the visitors can benefit from it, in an extremely simple and clear language.
So, put some enticing and attractive text above the fold that call for an action and see how casual visitors to your site turn into customers.
Do you agree that text above the fold is the most important part of web marketing?
