Above the Fold
The part of a web page visible on screen before the user scrolls, named after the top half of a folded newspaper.
Visitors decide quickly whether a page is relevant, so the first screen must state the offer, show proof and give a clear next step; landing pages for paid campaigns depend on it most.
A B2B landing page moves its demo form from 1,400 pixels down to a button within the first 700 pixels, keeps a one-line value proposition and customer logos beside it, and checks scroll depth and conversion rate in an A/B test.
The fold sits at a different height on every device and window size, so there is no single fold line. Cramming everything into the first screen hurts clarity, and users do scroll when the page signals more useful content.
Nielsen Norman Group eye-tracking found that 57% of viewing time in 2018 was spent above the fold, down from 80% in 2010, with attention dropping sharply just below it. Designers test common viewport heights, avoid false floors that make the page look finished, and add cues that invite scrolling. Scroll Depth data shows how many visitors pass the first screen of a Landing Page. Above-the-fold images and headings are often the Largest Contentful Paint element, so they also affect speed.
Performance Advertising, Search Optimization
Nielsen Norman Group — Scrolling and Attention — https://www.nngroup.com/articles/scrolling-and-attention/; Nielsen Norman Group — The Fold Manifesto: Why the Page Fold Still Matters — https://www.nngroup.com/articles/page-fold-manifesto/