Below the Fold – Above the Fold
Below the Fold” and “Above the Fold” refer to advertisements, banner ads or any other references to images, articles, headlines as well as further links. These are often used in the context of AdSense or affiliate marketing. The advertising banners are normally located above or below the main content of the website in question. The name “Below the Fold” comes from the need to scroll to get to the content “Below the Fold”.
Meaning “Above the Fold”
In the field of SEO, “Above the Fold” plays a role in that Google penalizes selected websites through the “Page Layout Algorithm Update”. A website is then penalized as soon as a massive use of advertising banners “above the fold” occurs. For the user, these websites only provide a very poor user experience, as the actual content of the website only comes to light after a long period of scrolling.
In order to get a good ranking for your own website, it is advisable to keep the mass of advertising banners lower than the actual content of the website. The associated on-page optimization includes not only the technical aspect of the website, but also the design, i.e. the user-friendliness.
It is well known that the upper part of a website attracts the most attention. As a result, advertising banners are particularly popular in this area. However, you should never forget the ranking, which can deteriorate due to too much advertising, especially at the top of the website. It is therefore advisable to weigh up how the income from the advertising banners relates to a poor ranking.
The “above the fold” is also very problematic for the website view for mobile devices. Since there are also no solutions for mobile devices, such as responsive design, for a better view, the content of the website is even more difficult to find.
Meaning of “Below the Fold”
As the name suggests, “Below the Fold” refers to the advertising banners that are placed below the actual content. Websites in the e-commerce sector now have the opportunity to display additional products, articles or social proofs. The editorial pages, which can also link to further information or similar articles, also benefit.
This has a positive influence on user behavior through aspects such as longer dwell time, better click-through rates or better customer loyalty, and your website may achieve a better ranking.