Website Design: What is 'Above the Fold'?

When it comes to using the internet to sell products, website design can have a huge impact on how customers interact with the site and whether they ultimately decide to make a purchase. Good website design involves numerous different aspects, one of which is the concept of 'above the fold'.

The history of the above the fold concept dates back hundreds of years with the advent of the printing press. Newspapers were printed on large sheets of paper, which meant that they needed to be folded before being placed in shops and on newsstands. This meant that only the newspaper's upper half was visible to passersby.

Publishers of newspapers rapidly realised that, as only the top half of the paper could be seen, it was essential to use this area to present headlines and images that grabbed attention. The phrase 'above the fold' is still used today but in terms of digital content.

With websites, the 'fold' refers to website content that cannot be immediately seen but instead requires scrolling via either a computer mouse or the touchscreen of a mobile device. Any content that is visible as soon as a user accesses a website is considered to be above the fold.

According to the results of a study by search-engine giant Google, content above the fold had around a 73% viewability score. In contrast, the content below the fold had a viewability score of just 44%.

Defining the exact placement for the fold on a given webpage is not easy, as its location can be affected by factors such as screen size and resolution. The average placement for the fold line is generally agreed to be around 600 pixels in height and 1,000 pixels in width.

Now that the use of mobile devices has increased so much, defining the fold line has become more complicated. The common 1024x768 dimension of desktop and laptop devices is no longer so common and there is a vast variety of different sizes of mobile and tablet screens. Simple website analytics can help determine the average screen resolution of your customers and the devices they use to access your website; this will help you to plan you're above the fold strategy accordingly.

When designing a webpage to sell products, it is crucial that the content towards the top grabs attention and provides clear, concise information about your product. More detailed information and calls to action should follow.

However you design your website, it is essential to provide your customers with top-quality products and that's where Pivotal Prints comes in. With an extensive and ever-growing collection of clothing and accessories ready to print with custom designs, along with comprehensive drop-shipping services, we can help propel YOUR business to success. Browse our website for more details and do not hesitate to get in touch with our dedicated team for further information and advice.

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