"Above the fold" is an old newspaper term — whatever showed on the top half of a folded paper on the newsstand had to sell the whole issue. Your homepage works the same way: whatever a visitor sees before scrolling has to earn the scroll.
What belongs up top
Three things, and not much more: what you do, who it's for, and what to do next. A clear headline, one supporting sentence, and a single obvious button — call, book, or contact — is usually enough. Resist the urge to explain everything before the fold; that's what the rest of the page is for.
Common mistakes
- A big slideshow that pushes the actual message below the screen.
- Vague taglines that sound nice but don't say what the business does.
- Too many buttons competing for attention instead of one clear action.
Think about the phone first
Most visitors land on mobile, where "above the fold" is a much smaller space. Check your homepage on a phone and ask honestly: in the first glance, is it obvious what this business does and how to get in touch? If not, that's the fix worth making first.
Test it on someone else
Show your homepage to someone unfamiliar with the business for five seconds, then ask what they think it does. Their answer tells you more about your above-the-fold content than any amount of staring at it yourself.
Get the first screen right, and everything below it has a much better chance of being read.