Want readers, then place your best stories above the fold

Ask any print journalist. He will tell you how important is the top half of the page

Copy Editors make sure that the day’s top stories feature above the fold. Reporters dream to see their stories published above the fold.

Readers too know the value of the fold.

Fortunately, the newspaper sizes are well defined. The copy editor knows where the fold is — right in the middle of the page.

The half above the fold is prime estate. It must carry stories that grab attention.

You would have thought that the term above the fold would be limited to print. But no.

The concept has found a place on the web too though its meaning is different.

The term above the fold refers to the web page that the reader can browse without scrolling.

Clearly, this space will differ from device to device. It will be very limited in the case of mobile phones; it will be more in the case of I-pad; and much more substantial in the case of laptops.

There was a time when websites limited their content to one or to two screens. Today, news websites run as deep as 12 screens.

The question is: Why would readers scroll below the fold?

Their first preference will be stories displayed above the fold. If those stories don’t excite them, then they may consider scrolling down.

But common sense says that if your best stories are not above the fold then you may have lost your reader. He/she will migrate to another site.

After all, why should the reader bother to locate stories buried deep on the page? It requires both effort and time. And there is no guarantee that the reader will find something that is worth the effort.

Won’t it be more sensible to put signposts on top of the page? The reader can decide if it is worth exploring the sections hidden deep within the folds.

The scrolling can become even more painful on small screens. How much lower do you need to dive to find a nugget of valuable information?

Editors need to review content/signposts placed above the fold. It is becoming more and more painful, and frustrating, to visit the homes pages of Indian news sites that are 12 screens deep.

To further understand the importance of placing stories above the fold read the report titled “The importance of being seen.”