The first screen visitors see determines whether they stay or leave. Make every pixel count.
'Above the fold' refers to the portion of your website visible without scrolling. Research shows that visitors spend 80% of their time above the fold, making this the most valuable real estate on your entire website. Getting it right is critical for converting visitors into enquiries.
The essential elements above the fold are: a clear headline stating what you do and where (e.g., 'Emergency Plumber in Manchester'), a visible phone number with click-to-call functionality, your Google review rating, and a prominent CTA button. Everything else is secondary to these four elements.
Remove anything that doesn't serve the goal of generating an enquiry. Sliders and carousels are particularly wasteful - studies show that less than 1% of visitors interact with them, yet they take up the entire viewport. A static, focused hero section converts better every time.
Test different above-the-fold layouts and measure the impact on conversion rates. Sometimes moving your phone number from the right side to the left increases calls. Sometimes changing your CTA from 'Contact Us' to 'Get a Free Quote Today' doubles form submissions. Small changes above the fold have outsized effects on performance.