Likewise, the first screenful of a web site's homepage is the most important real estate of the whole site, regardless of whether the page is fixed or flexible. It is here that the user makes the decision to continue exploring the site or to hit the "Back" button and move along. Web designers have adopted the term "above the fold" to apply to the contents that fit in that important first screen. My personal experience shows that users tend not to scroll beyond the first page, even when the vertical scrollbar is visible. Thus, the first screen bears the entire burden of enticing users to stay at your site.

As discussed throughout this chapter, a "screenful" can be quite different depending on the resolution of the monitor. To play it absolutely safe, consider the space available for the lowest common denominator 640 480 monitor -- approximately 600 300 pixels. That's not a lot of space!

Some elements you should consider placing above the fold include: