Ever heard of “The Fold?” It’s a concept from newspapers that made its way over to web design where it refers to the content at the top of the page that requires no scrolling to view. Back in the ’90s, monitor sizes were relatively predictable, but that is no longer the case. Monitors are bigger than ever, but we also have smart phones, tablets, netbooks, and phablets to consider.
That doesn’t mean the fold is dead, but the way I think about it has evolved since I started designing websites. This article keeps things technically abstract and understandable. Make sure not to miss the diagram of the hard-to-pin-down location of the fold.
While my design brain wants to say The Fold doesn’t matter, the research brain makes a strong argument for not ignoring it. As with so much in life, it’s really a combination of both.
Mark, thanks for sharing this article. Coming from a print background I especially appreciated it. Looking forward to seeing you at next week’s Meetup now that I’m back in town.
Glad you enjoyed it, Sheila! I don’t know about you, but I find a lot of clients have heard of the concept of the fold, for some reason. Managing those expectations and making intelligent decisions around them is tough!