eCommerce Above The Fold Optimization - 12 Proven Conversion Boosters

Above the fold is ideal to gain your visitor’s attention and engage them.

If they are intrigued, then they'll explore more on your store.

In this blog post, we'll cover:

• 12 above the fold content tips for better conversions
• 10 above the fold website examples to inspire you

How has the fold evolved over time?

Before the arrival of “digital”

The concept of a fold began with journalism, where the way a newspaper was folded and stacked offered visibility only to the top fold. 

Soon the most exciting news was making it to this part through compelling headlines and eye-catching imagery. 

Post digital era 

This translated to the digital world. On a website, above the fold means any content that’s viewable without scrolling. 

So websites would try to cram up all their information within the designated 600 pixels of space.

Like this website below has done.

Their excuse: what if people didn’t scroll!

After 1994

Website usability has changed a lot since 1994. The most remarkable change has been the habit of scrolling. Today, scrolling has become second nature to online users.

And thanks to a plethora of devices with different screen sizes and resolutions, it’s a bit dicey to decide exactly where the page fold lies. 

This has led to many propounding that the fold is dead or the fold is a myth. 

Here’s the research and data they base their case on:

• Users scroll even before the page completes loading.
• The most viewed section and the segment where visitor engagement reaches its peak is just above the fold.
• The viewing time for above-the-fold pixels is the shortest.

This data matches with the Nielsen Norman Group’s research. 

Their 2010 research had revealed the viewing time for above-the-fold content to be 80%. Their recent 2018 research revealed that the same had dropped to 57%. 

Another interesting research was carried out by MECLABS. They discovered that placing the call to action (CTA) below the fold boosted conversions by 20%.

These conclusions are NOT wrong. 

For what they really point at is how businesses need to be smarter than ever to make the first fold work for conversions. 

12 First Fold Strategies for More eCommerce Conversions

1. Optimize the most critical elements

When it comes to above the fold content, it’s important to reserve the space only for vital, high-priority information.

8 seconds is all you get to woo them with your web page. Make it count.

Here are the above the fold content elements that you need to prioritize:

• Unique selling proposition (USP)

• Primary copy

• Branding

• Navigation

• Contact info

• CTA (optional)

Check out Chipotle’s above the fold design:

⚡Above the fold design pro tips:

👉 Lead with the value proposition (and support it with the strongest social proof you have).

👉 Be wary of creating false bottoms, that is the illusion that the visitor is at the bottom of the page, even though there’s more information below.

Further Reading: 28 Inspiring eCommerce Homepage Examples (not your usual brands)

2. Aim for the Google featured snippet

To be considered for the Google featured snippet, your content should have three primary characteristics:

• it should be easily digestible,
• ‍convenient to skim through, and
• it should answer the user’s question.

This snippet is usually drawn from the best-performing pages: those that Google sees in a positive light for regularly sharing high-quality content.

To do this, you should format your above the fold content well using bullet points, short copy, descriptive images, and CTAs that drive response.

⚡Above the fold design pro tips:

👉 Consider A/B testing a combination of elements to get your above the fold optimization progressively right - but make sure to tweak one element at a time instead of changing too many of them.

👉 Create precise schema markup for first fold content - for example, if you prominently display "Free shipping over $50" or "30-day returns" in your hero section, mark these up as FAQ schema.

3. First fold image optimization is a MUST

You must prioritize speed and optimize images for an ideal experience.

Use large and heavy images with caution.

While they’ll attract the visitor’s attention, they may also affect your page load speed.

Remember: To preload the Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) image so that your first fold hero header image appears much faster than all other images when the page loads. 

⚡Above the fold optimization tips:

👉 Keep an array of image optimization tools handy - use ImageOptim (to optimize images), PictureFill (for polyfill support), HTMLImageElement.Sizes (for feature detection), etc..

👉 Look at customizing the widths and size values of images used - the PictureFill WP plugin comes in handy for this.

4. Make mobile UX high priority

For starters, make the padding for above-the-fold content customized for smaller screens.

Notice how the above the fold example from SkinnyTies is all optimized for the device screen it’s hosted on?

While a 22 px font size may work for desktop, you may need to resize it to 18 px for mobile.

The same goes for navigation bars. Check how they appear on smaller screens.

Make the options tap-friendly.

We love how Amazon optimizes its above the fold eCommerce design to fit various devices and screen sizes:

⚡Above the fold design pro tips:

👉 Look into developing your website along a fluid grid - this will help it adapt to the dimensions of the screen it’s being hosted on and modify the corresponding elements.

👉 Use tappable, accordion sections for above-the-fold on mobile - this can especially be helpful for pages where you naturally need to feature a lot of content.

Further Reading: eCommerce Mobile UX: 27 Ways to Get More Conversions

5. Make the CTA distinct

Fun fact: 90% of those who read your headline also read your CTA.

Coming back to this research, there are two types of goals you can assign for your CTA. One is reach maximization and the other is exposure time maximization.

If you want more people’s attention, placing your CTA above the fold makes the most sense. If you want visibility for a longer time, place it below the fold. 

Placing it somewhere in between (600–1000 pixels) may offer the best of both worlds—higher reach and greater engagement.

We love how The Mountain builds into the CTA here, with the copy before supporting it in this wonderful above-the-fold optimization example:

⚡Above the fold optimization tips:

👉  Align the CTA color to your overall brand visual tone - according to studies, orange, blue, red, and green work best for CTA buttons.

👉  Use a tool like CRO360 to test out different CTAs in terms of color, text and placement.

Further Reading: CTA Button Examples (+ 50 Call to Action Phrases)

SHORT ON TIME? HERE'S A QUICK SUMMARY OF THE AREAS TO LOOK AT:

6. Optimize the first fold to resolve customer objections

Start with a goal. This will depend upon your sales funnel and in which stage of the funnel your customers are. 

If they’re in the awareness stage, your heading should focus on problem identification.

If they’re in the purchase stage, your heading should focus on problem-solving.

We love what Away does here to introduce their AirPods Cleaning Kit:

⚡Above the fold design pro tips:

👉  Ask questions or use numbers in your copy- this nudges shoppers to think and engage faster & for longer!

👉  Incorporate a trust bar right beneath the header - color code it differently and feature your biggest brand differentiators here like “extended returns” or “free shipping on all orders”.

Further Reading: 10 scientific hacks to overcome customer objections in eCommerce

7. A clean first fold navigation

To optimize your above-the-fold navigation:

Maintain a menu of up to 2 layers (unless you feature a massive catalog).

Highlight only up to 3 revenue-driving categories (if you plan to use the hero section for this).

Use visuals in your primary menu only if you have a very visual store (like fashion, makeup etc.)

We love how NewBalance has developed its navigation to account for an intuitive menu as well as provide navigable sections across the homepage.

⚡Above the fold design pro tips:

👉  Implement quick-action categories such as ‘Whats Hot’ and ‘Whats New’ - to streamline navigation for customers who’d like to get a brand perspective.

👉  Make your parent categories stand out in bold text - without this distinction, shoppers don’t have a sense of visual hierarchy.

Further Reading: eCommerce Navigation Best Practices For 2025

8. Include fast loading in first fold optimization

Both for SEO and UX, your page load time should be minimum.

0 - 4 seconds, to be specific—in fact, eCommerce sites loading within 1 second bring in 2.5 to 5 times more conversions than those loading in 5 to 10 seconds!

Google shows a preference for those websites that load quickly and are not too heavy on the interface.

Quicker page load times also benefit CPC and other performance marketing campaigns.

In short, keep your speed in check. Here’s what happens when you don’t:

⚡Above the fold design pro tips:

👉  Ensure your Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) loads within 2.5 seconds - after all it takes 50 milliseconds for visitors to form an impression of your content.

👉  Use Google Page Insights to remove CSS or JavaScript scripts making your website lag - as a next step, remove all unnecessary JavaScript from your header and optimize the CSS.

9. Remove all distractions 

Focus on creating a singular yet distinct experience that doesn’t leave customers overwhelmed.

Wondering what can be so distracting when it comes to above the fold eCommerce design?

Autoplay carousel with multiple offers. 

Pop-ups that show the minute a visitor lands up. 

Multiple CTAs that don’t help the shopper move along in their journey. 

⚡Above the fold design pro tips:

👉  Weigh rich content against the time it takes to load - carousels, videos, and AI elements should only be included if they do not take too much time.

👉  Avoid all autoplay elements - and establish manual controls like clear arrows and pause buttons (for videos).

10. Single out the most high-intent categories

Mentioning product categories that are specific and not broad help users in finding what they’re looking for.

The Body Shop mentions specific product categories on their above the fold header. 

When you click further it refines the product category further, making it an ideal first fold optimization example:

⚡Above the fold optimization tips:

👉 Identify categories that do the best in terms of homepage conversions - and not just categories across the site based on overall sales volume.

👉 Look into your data to see what high-intent buyers are searching for - this should give you a clue on which categories are most likely to clock conversions.

11. Include returns policy in above the fold header 

38% of customer journeys start on the retailer’s homepage.

Including a returns policy has several benefits—improves conversion rates, increases repeat customers, and improves profitability. 

BlackMilkClothing includes its return policy above the fold.

Thanks to high visibility, it addresses the customers’ objections, if any, and influences purchase decisions.

In fact, 67% of customers visit the returns page before making a purchase. 

⚡Above the fold design pro tips:

👉 Highlight the return window above the fold header to make things clear - 62.58% of customers expect eCommerce brands to allow up to 30 days to return. 

👉 Include a know more link - so customers can learn about the terms and conditions, making way for super effective above the fold optimization.

Further Reading: 14 Brilliant Examples of eCommerce Return Policy (+ Proven Tips)

12. Add smart visual cues to drive attention 

Incorporating visual cues in your above the fold design invokes heuristics—mental shortcuts that enable decision making and solving problems quickly.

Dollar Shave Club has a visual cue (the gaze actually pointing towards the button) in its above the fold to subtly drive users to the CTA. 

⚡Above the fold design pro tips: 

👉 Use explicit cues like arrows, pointers, and human imagery to guide the users within the attention span of 6-8 seconds. 

👉 Place your visual cues to the left and the text to the right to enable cognitive ease.

BONUS: 10 Above the Fold Website Examples to Inspire you

1. Hook ‘em with your copy like Frank Body

What works in this above the fold optimization example: 

👉 Simple, direct copy that points out the customer pain and offers a ready solution

👉  Clean, soothing brand colors and an uncluttered UX keep the focus on the copy

Further Reading: 40 High-Converting Health/Beauty "Product Page" Examples

2. Get ‘em in the mood like Allbirds

What works in this eCommerce above the fold example: 

👉  High-quality visuals that create a visual experience, increasing the chances of conversions

👉 A sticky chat button with most asked questions to choose from, reducing interaction cost from the get-go

3. Provide value upfront like Warby Parker

What works in this above the fold eCommerce design: 

👉 No-fuss, easy-to-understand value prop for all segments against an uncluttered layout

👉 A quiz that offers room for engagement and keeps the shopping experience fun

Further Reading: Our Favorite Hero Image Examples in eCommerce (+ Conversion Secrets)

4. Keep it simple like Clarks

What works in this above the fold eCommerce example: 

👉 Intuitive UX with simple navigation and uncluttered positioning of elements

👉 Easily viewable discount offer placement on the top encourages customer action

5. Be inclusive like Jackie Smith

What works in this above the fold design example: 

👉 Eye-catching visuals that clearly depict the hero products

👉 The loyalty program widget aims at acquiring long term customers

Further Reading: Inclusive Marketing: 22 eCommerce brands that do it right

‍6. Bring in video for instant connection like Billie‍

What works in this above the fold design optimization:

👉 An autoplay GIF video that draws in the senses, followed by a connected powerful headline

👉 Assuring microcopy targeting returning customers, who’re known to make purchases more quickly

7.  Highlight your brand values like Muroexe 

What works in this above the fold optimization example: 

👉 A bold summer sale callout (though we believe this would’ve been better with a flash sale treatment)

👉 Creating a separate navigation category of “New In” prevents unnecessary scrolling for discovery

8.  Use background video like Gymshark

What works in this above the fold design optimization: 

👉  A relatable story featuring Whitney Simmons, an American fitness influencer who battled depression and made a turnaround with fitness

👉  The copy Embrace your evolution in her latest collection is nudge marketing at its best

9. Trigger the first move with a free consultation like Be Bodywise 

What works in this above the fold design optimization: 

👉  The ‘Consult a doctor for free’ is a value addition for a skincare brand 

👉 Well-aligned secondary and tertiary CTAs like Take a wellness assessment and Choose concern ace customer segmentation

10. Engage & convert with quizzes like Weight Watchers

What works in this eCommerce above the fold example: 

👉 Today: first 3 months free + free WW cookbook creates a sense of urgency 

👉 How it works, Pricing, Recipes, Healthy Living and Find a Workshop effectively increase dwell time and reduce risk aversion

Other Above the Fold Design questions businesses ask:

1. Where is the page fold?

This is a bit of a tricky question. 

Traditionally, most UX designers placed the web page fold at 1000 pixels wide and 600 pixels tall. 

But, today there are just too many screen sizes out there (and corresponding resolutions).

So it’s safe to say that the average fold is 800 pixels. 

It’s always a good idea to decide on your fold line based on visitor screen size data from your web analytics. 

2. Is above the fold still relevant?

VERY. The average difference between how users treat the information above the fold and the one below the fold is 84%. 

Users will scroll ONLY if they find the information above the fold useful enough to spend more time and explore further down the page.

This intent is irrespective of the screen size. 

So above-the-fold content is still important, provided you fix your goal.

The top fold is ideal to gain your visitor’s attention and engage them, not necessarily convert them. 

Its job is to keep the readers hooked to the page and scroll down to consume the rest of the information. 

This is where below-the-fold content comes in—it complements the above-the-fold content. 

3. Does above the fold affect SEO?

YES, it does. Google’s updates have always focused on putting the customer first. And their research revealed that users wanted to see the content right away—instead of ads. 

People already have a short attention span. So if they don’t find something engaging on the top fold, they’ll leave. This will affect the average time spent by users on a page—which Google tracks. 

So putting your important content above the fold is going to boost user engagement—and consequently, search engine rankings. 

Key points to remember:

• Scrolling is second nature to visitors—especially on mobile. As per this research, 50% of users start scrolling within 10 seconds and 90% within 14 seconds. 

• There are multiple screen sizes so it’s a bit difficult to ascertain a specific fold line that includes all resolutions. However, 800 pixels is a standard resolution that takes into account both mobile and desktop. 
• Customers are more interested in gathering information and understanding a brand first before purchasing. This shift in buying psychology means they’ll spend more time reviewing information before finally arriving at a decision. 
• Above-the-fold content helps to shape the visitor’s perception of your brand and what to expect from the specific page.
• The role of above-the-fold content is NOT to drive conversions but simply to create an opportunity for conversions to happen.
• Below-the-fold content complements the top fold content in turning attention and engagement into conversions.

4. Is it OK to design below the fold? 

Below the fold content has an extreme chance of less viewability since the user has to scroll down to see the content. 

According to a Google Study, the median viewing time for below the fold ads was  40% while the above the fold ads fared better at 68%. 

So summing it up, less scroll means higher viewability.

5. What is above the fold copy? 

Above the fold copy refers to the key messaging present in the first half of the website before scrolling down. It’s the first thing that a user sees within 5 seconds of landing on your eCommerce homepage. 

Here’s an example of above the fold copy featuring RXBar. 

The copy, formatting, and CTA are a part of above the fold copy. It is recommended that you don’t overstuff the above the fold portion and use carousels instead to display other elements.

6. What is above the fold vs below the fold? 

Above the fold refers to the first portion of the page before scrolling down while below the fold is the latter part of the page appearing after the scroll. 

While above the fold content has high visibility, stuffing it will cause friction and confuses your site visitors. It also adversely affects your UX resulting in high drop-offs and low conversion rates. 

7. Does above the fold matter for CRO? 

57% of users spent most of their time viewing above the fold content. This is due to the interaction cost—the collective effort including mental and physical that users must take to reach their goals while interacting on a site. 

Above the fold has a low interaction cost. It takes minimal effort to view. Comparatively below the fold content has an invisible or higher interaction cost of scrolling to see what’s hidden. 

Your above the fold is going to determine if a user decides to scroll further and take action.

Above the fold content is critical for UX success because it includes important elements such as copy, CTA, categories, navigation menu, etc. 

Summing up, yes, your above the fold content is important for CRO success. 

To determine above the fold size, running a scroll map test will help you identify the areas where your users are spending the most time. 

Great first fold design is about sharp UX

98% of visitors who visit an eCommerce site—drop off without buying anything.

Why: user experience issues that cause friction for visitors.

And this is the problem Convertcart solves.

We've helped 500+ eCommerce stores (in the US) improve user experience—and 2X their conversions.

How we can help you:

Our conversion experts can audit your site—identify UX issues, and suggest changes to improve conversions.