The fold moves
There is no single fold on the web. What fits on screen depends on the device, screen size and browser. A phone shows far less than a wide desktop monitor, so check the first screen on both.
What belongs there
The first screen should answer three questions fast: what this is, who it's for and what to do next. That usually means a clear headline, a short supporting line, a main button and a trust signal.
People do scroll
Visitors scroll when the top of the page gives them a reason to. You don't need to cram everything above the fold. You need enough to show they are in the right place.
Why Above the Fold matters
The first screen decides whether people stay or leave. It also affects speed scores, since the largest visible element is often what Core Web Vitals measures for loading.
The headline nobody saw on phones
A gym's homepage looked fine on desktop, but on phones a large logo and a photo pushed the headline and join button below the first screen. Shrinking the image and moving the button up led to more trial sign-ups from mobile visitors.
Common mistakes
Checking only on desktop
Most visitors may be on phones. Preview the first screen on a typical mobile device.
Cramming everything in
A packed first screen is hard to read. Keep it focused and let the rest of the page do its job.
Big pop-ups on arrival
Pop-ups that cover the first screen right away frustrate visitors. Delay them or keep them small.
Where we work on this