Dear Resort Marketers, the Website Fold is Not Dead – Here’s Why

As you’ve noticed, I am very much a website guy. I love optimization, analytics, blogging, and content. So, I must admit that I’m a bit sick of so many web people shouting from the rooftops that “the fold is dead!”

The fold is that top part of your website that your visitors see without scrolling. The coverage of the “fold myth” is far and wide. Here are a few:
http://blog.kissmetrics.com/why-the-fold-is-a-myth/
http://www.thinkdesigninteract.com/post/adapt-or-die-and-the-fold-is-dead/
http://www.sysconn.com/web-design-company/blog/the-fold-is-dead

Here’s the thing, none of these articles even agree about what the fold myth even is. In the same order, here are their key points:

• “If you’ve spent any time at all learning about web design, online marketing, or conversion-rate optimization, you’ll have heard to never put calls to action below the fold.”
• “why on earth would we believe it was a good idea to cram everything up to the same limited space”
• “Above the fold. This is a practice that all good web designers have discussed, debated, and argued about. It refers to a method used by newspapers where the most interesting headline or picture is placed at the very top of the front page.”

So, to recap, their three myth definitions are:

• Never put calls to action below the fold
• You must put all content above the fold
• The most important headline or picture must be above the fold

Ironically, the websites for each of these articles comply with at least two of those myths. What I think they are trying to say is “certain content doesn’t have to be above the fold.”

What the Fold Does Well
If you don’t think the fold matters, insert this image so it fills the fold on your website and watch your bounce rate. Then put it below the fold and compare your stats.

The fold is a critical part of every website and even marketers that say the fold is dead are fully aware of this fact which is why each of their sites take full advantage of this first-viewed area. Even the research the first article uses to prove CTAs are better below the fold overlooked the fact that the experiment page had a CTA below AND above the fold.

The common argument is that “people know how to scroll”, but what do you think entices people and gives them a reason to scroll in the first place? The content above the fold. It’s like a teaser for the rest of the page that sells them on reading further, and moving down instead of hitting the back button.

The Gist
I’ve been asked about the fold many times so I figured I’d come out with my stance on the subject. The fold is part of every website. It’s the first part that people see. Do you need to put everything on your page above the fold? Of course not (nor do I think many people actually believed that in the first place). Is it critical to have your CTA above the fold? No, but it doesn’t mean you can’t or shouldn’t.

Use the fold as the teaser it is for the content below and try to not get caught up in the “the fold is dead” hype. Saying the fold is dead is like saying the website is dead. The fold will always be part of your resort’s website and the first part visitor’s see. Use it wisely.