Do you design for “The Fold”?
What do you say when a client asks you to design for the fold?
This popular web design term was coined from the newspaper term, “Above the fold”, which refers to the location of an important news story or stellar photo that is left for the upper half of the front page. Basically, its the front of the newspaper that is still visible when the paper has been folded for news-racks, stands, etc …
In terms of web design, “the fold” refers to the portion of the webpage that can be viewed before needing to scroll. I suppose designing for “the fold” is better than designing for “the scroll”.
Designing specifically for “the fold” isn’t nearly as concrete in web design as it is in the newspaper business.
Considering the number of different screen sizes and resolutions, it’s a severely relative design goal. When you couple screen size and resolution with the host of new devices – tablets and smartphones – it’s an impossible feat.
However, if you’ve ever worked for a client, the possibility of a task is never factored into the request. Just because it’s impossible to create a Java script that will enable users to pour java out of their CD slot, doesn’t mean that will hinder a client from demanding that you do so.
So, what do you say to a client that asks you to design for “the fold”?
Well, put!
This is certainly a slightly pointed approach. Not rude, but not necessarily the greatest “bed side manner”. In his defense, clients naturally have selective hearing, so being blunt can often be the only approach. I know this from experience – as a client.
The bottom line is this:
Educate your clients.
This is one of the greatest services you can provide your client and the rest of the designing community.
Eric J says
The fold is pretty easy for me as our ad network clearly defines what is above the fold which in their case has to be in the top 568px of the page, the top 568px of the page does not include the browser chrome (I think) just the page layout, therefore if their browser looks like this http://dl.dropbox.com/u/10314275/forum-pics/too_many_toolbars.jpg we are still ok. I think the guy in the video makes it sound way more complex than it really is. Most people i talk to define above the fold as 1024×768 screen resolution and IE 8 with no toolbars. Anyways this is probably the longest comment I have ever left on 8bit; I had no idea I was this passionate about the phrase above the fold!
Eric Dye says
You need to write some posts for us.
Seriously.
Eric J says
as long as you have a copy editor to clean up my grammar 😉
Eric Dye says
Correct it, I will.
Eric J says
all right i’m interested then what are the next steps you can send me a dm on twitter @wormeyman if we want to take this private to trade emails or whatever.
Matthew Snider says
Interesting – just wrote about this a few days ago – http://www.geekforhim.com/designing-above-the-fold/
Eric Dye says
That’s way cool. I saw someone Tweet about the fold, earlier, too!
Everyone should head over to your site and give it a read.
Nice take.
You should spin us some posts, again 😉
Matt Phelps says
I’ve only had one client insist on designing above the fold. However, he wanted everything above the fold, based on his screen. We got everything set, then he got a laptop with a smaller screen. You can probably figure out what happened after that.
Newspapers only put a headline or two, the first few paragraphs of a few stories, and a few other small things here and there above the fold, so I figure you just put a hook or two plus a call to action above the fold on a site and you’re set. The whole point of putting stuff above the fold is to get the visitor to stay on the site and click deeper. If the first thing a visitor sees is a crowded page, the only thing they’ll likely click is the back button.
It’s not really that complicated.
Eric Dye says
Great client story, Matt, and even better comments.