Let’s talk about something you’ve probably never noticed but interact with daily: a website fold.
If you’re picturing a newspaper crease, you’re on the right track. Newspapers placed their headline hooks “above the fold” to grab attention on crowded stands.
Fast-forward to the early internet era and websites borrowed this idea. But here’s the twist: user behaviour has flipped the script. Tribus have been unpacking this to understand why the fold isn’t the holy grail it once was, and what you can do about it.
Wait, What Even Is ‘The Fold’?
Imagine opening a website. The content you see without scrolling? That’s ‘above the fold.’ Everything else? ‘Below the fold.’ In the 2000s, this space was prime real estate.
Why? Scrolling was a chore. Mice lacked scroll wheels, touchscreens didn’t exist, and waiting for dial-up to load a second screen felt like watching paint dry. Back then, 80% of user attention stayed above the fold. If your message wasn’t there, it might as well have been invisible.
But times change. By 2018, users spent only 57% of their time above the fold. Today? Roughly 40%. So, what happened?
The Scroll Revolution: Why Users Stopped Caring About the Fold
Blame it on tech evolution. Scroll-friendly mice, touchscreens, and social media (doom scrolling!) trained us to expect more content below. Plus, let’s be honest: early websites were clunky. By 2010, sleek designs and faster internet made scrolling feel effortless.
But there’s a darker side. Banner blindness—the habit of ignoring anything that looks like an ad kicked in. Users started treating the fold like a pop-up they needed to click past. Why? Because everyone crammed the same stuff there: loud CTAs, stock photos, and vague taglines like “We’re the best!” Sound familiar?
By 2025, 74% of viewing time still happens in the first two screenfuls, but the fold itself has lost its magic. Or has it?
How to Win Back the Fold (Without Annoying Your Users)
Think of the fold as a first impression. Sort of like a handshake, not a sales pitch. The digital design and UX team at Tribus discussed just how to make the fold count:
Here's something interesting: your website isn't like a piece of direct mail. When someone opens direct mail marketing material, they're usually seeing unsolicited content, often catching just half of what's there as they unfold it.
But when someone lands on your website? They've chosen to be there. They're in a completely different headspace.
This is where most websites get it wrong. They try to cram everything "important" into that first view, making two big assumptions: first, that users want to read everything you've got to say, and second, that they'll click around to find it.
Remember those fancy homepage carousels everyone rushed to implement? The data tells an interesting story - only 1% of visitors ever clicked on them, and a whopping 89% of those clicks were on the first slide.
It's the same reason everyone's stuffing video content into their hero sections now - trying to squeeze multiple messages into those precious few seconds before the scroll.
Don't insult the user, ensure their interest is at its highest before you try to convert. Make them curious.
State your value proposition loud and clear yet avoid CTA's (just for now). Present your solution, provide substance and then give them your CTA.
The key to winning back users' attention? Understanding your user's mindset when they land on your page. Instead of bombarding them with CTAs, give them something valuable right away. Let them be inspired to explore more, rather than feeling forced to.
The Bottom Line
The fold isn’t dead, it’s just not the only player in the game. Users scroll more, but they’re also pickier.
Capture their attention above the fold with clarity and creativity, then reward their scroll with substance. Remember: a fast, visually distinct site that respects users’ time will always beat a cluttered, trend-chasing one.
I mean think of it yourself, how many times have you read the whole of a blog and at the end, at the bottom of the fold, clicked the CTA? It goes to show using your ‘above the fold’ to catch users’ attention, providing substance THEN pushing users to your CTA is an actionable and effective way to convert more users.
So, what’s your fold saying about you? If it’s shouting, maybe try whispering instead.
Tracking Users & Their Behaviour
Let's talk about something that often gets pushed to the bottom of the priority list: understanding how users behave on your site. And we're not just talking about basic page views here. We mean the full picture - how they scroll, where they click, and what makes them stick around (or bounce).
Think of it like being a digital detective. Tools like GA4 and heat mapping show you exactly where users spend their time, which CTAs they ignore, and even how far they scroll. Want to dig deeper into why your tech team should have tracking setup? View Tribus’ blog on the matter here.
We've got thoughts on that. Because let's face it - your first-party data is gold, and you need to make sure you're mining it properly.
