# Above the fold

Category: [On-Page & Content](https://seo-geo-glossary.com/en/glossary/category/on-page-content/) › [Headings, images & media](https://seo-geo-glossary.com/en/glossary/category/on-page-content/headings-images-media/)

**Above the fold** is the part of a web page that is visible in the browser window when the page loads, before anyone scrolls. The term comes from newspapers, where it meant the top half of the front page that stays visible when the paper is folded.

## What does above the fold mean for SEO?

On the web there is no fixed fold. The visible area depends on screen size, device, browser window and zoom. A phone shows a short section, a large monitor a long one, so a page should be checked in several viewport sizes.

Google's page experience documentation asks whether a page avoids intrusive interstitials and whether it avoids an excessive amount of ads that distract from the main content. Both questions concern what visitors see first. Google also says relevance comes first, and that it will show relevant content even if the page experience is poor.

The visible area also affects a metric. Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) reports the render time of the largest image, text block or video visible in the viewport. web.dev defines 2.5 seconds or less as good, measured at the 75th percentile of page loads. Content below the visible area does not count toward LCP.

What belongs at the top of a page is practice, not Google guidance. Common choices are the headline, a line about the benefit, an image and the main call to action (opinion).

## Example

A blog article opens on a phone with a cookie banner covering half the screen, an ad below it and the headline underneath. The text starts only after scrolling. With a smaller banner and the ad moved down, the visitor sees the headline and the first paragraph right away.

## Common mistakes

- A large hero image or slider delays LCP.
- Ads or banners push the main content out of view.
- The page was only checked on desktop, although many visitors use phones (opinion).

## FAQ

**Is above the fold still relevant?** The idea of a first screen still applies. Visitors do scroll, so the first screen does not have to hold everything (opinion).

**Are there fixed pixel values?** No. The visible area varies by device, and pixel figures in blog posts are rough guides.

## Related terms

- [Call to action (CTA)](https://seo-geo-glossary.com/en/glossary/call-to-action/index.md)
- [Landing page](https://seo-geo-glossary.com/en/glossary/landing-page/index.md)

## Sources

- [Understanding page experience in Google Search – Google Search Central](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/page-experience)
- [Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) – web.dev](https://web.dev/articles/lcp)
- [Above the fold – Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Above_the_fold)

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Last updated: October 7, 2026
URL: https://seo-geo-glossary.com/en/glossary/above-the-fold/