“Above the Fold” – A Web Design Misconception
In web design there has been an ongoing argument about whether or not users actually scroll webpages to see content that isn’t initially visible when the page loads. The imaginary line that divides the webpage between the initially viewable content and what a user sees when they scroll is called the “fold”, and some people believe that only the content above it gets seen.
Until now the debate has largely been academic with one camp insisting that everything essential be crammed in the limited space above the fold, and the other camp saying it isn’t really an issue. While our opinion is that it is common sense for major information and client branding to be above the fold, recent research has finally brought some well-needed facts to the debate.
Bottom line: People almost always scroll right to the bottom of a webpage – no matter how long it is.
For an excellent in-depth discussion of the latest research click here.
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