Need Money Blog

Your site doesn’t have much time to capture the interest of your audience. The average Internet surfer has a painfully short concentration span. The layout, graphics, and content of your website need to be thoughtfully and skillfully designed to stand a chance of holding onto a reader.

The term “above the fold” is derived from print journalism. It referred originally to the area on the front page above the “crease” of a physical newspaper. Newspapermen knew that it was important to feature only the most important stories or details on that part of the front page, to have a good chance of enticing people to buy a copy. On the web, “above the fold” refers to the area of a webpage which is viewable to a surfer without having to scroll down.

The page snapshot

Above the fold, a page’s content needs to be summarized briefly and engagingly. The design of the page’s header should offer clues as to what readers can expect from the rest of the page. Seeing as uninterested surfers are only burning our bandwidth, we need the page design to either entice them to read more or make them quickly realize that they shouldn’t waste any of their time on our site.

Every web designer begins with the highly challenging task of reaching a desired audience. Sometimes a not-obviously-related but completely arresting graphic or piece of text can work to attract the attention of readers, but that said, there are many designs that are considered universally to be engaging. It’s up to you as a designer to discover what these are and put that knowledge to work for you. A helpful exercise is to look at websites you know are successful and try to break down their designs in your head–what makes them successful? Why do people respond to this layout, this text? “Cracking the code” and implementing a variation of it in your own site can lead to ballooning readerships.

A short headline that tells the story

A webpage’s main text headline must be able to cover what the page will discuss, but in only a few words. Study newspaper headlines. They will often use only the words that are most relevant to the story’s content. A headline doesn’t have to be a full sentence; it only needs to show action. For example, “BUILDING CATCHES FIRE” is short, quick, and very active. At a glance, prospective readers will know whether this is the kind of stuff they’re going to be interested in. In the case of sales webpages, the text could be “BREAKTHROUGH PRODUCT ELIMINATES VARICOSE VEINS” Readers who want to get rid of unsightly varicose veins will normally read on, while those who don’t have such a problem will close the window and find another site.

No pointless graphics

Graphics make a big difference to user experience, especially those placed above the fold. Ideally, images should hold the reader’s attention and appeal to the target buyer’s personality. If it’s an artsy website, the design should reflect a creativity that is thematically appropriate to whatever is being promoted. If it is a real estate site, for example, something more conservative is in order. Remember, conservative does not automatically mean “boring”. “Conservative” designs can still be unique and attention-grabbing.

Putting forward your company image

You should think about what sort of image you want your company to have, and make sure it is established above the fold. For example, if you want to be seen as a playful but modern and innovative company, use colorful, friendly text and images. If you want to be seen as serious and professional, go for clean lines, minimalist but interesting design, and sharp, strong text.

Considering the web browser and resolution

What’s seen above the fold on one web browser may not be the same on another. The same is true for high- and low-quality resolutions. Because of this, you should make a point of testing the design on several types of browsers and resolutions. This way, the design will not be “cut” in unanticipated places. Your header design/layout should be small enough to be seen on any standard resolution and browser, but big enough to make people stop and look at it.

Time as a crucial factor

In our busy modern lives, time is crucial. If your target consumers are busy sorts, you may want to put almost all of the important information  on your site above the fold. Your prospective consumers will be grateful. They may even recommend your site to their similarly-busy colleagues. If your info is better expressed in longer paragraphs, you should at least use the space above the fold to “sell” prospects on how important the details are. For example, you might choose to put a startling fact or a cliffhanger above the fold. While your prospective consumer may be busy, he or she will find that they just have to read on.

“Above the fold” may seem a mysterious phrase when devoid of context. But in the world of website publishing, it’s important to understand how mastering above the fold marketing can boost your bottom line.