It is common practice among web designers to cram as much information as possible above the page fold. This is done to be sure that users will see it without having to scroll. But in doing so designers are apparently adhering to a myth. That is the conclusion of Milissa Tarquini, Director of User Interface Design and Information Architecture at AOL.
According to her, screen performance data and new research indicate that users will indeed scroll to find information and items below the fold. But when designers and web editors are gathering requirements for design projects they are still asked to cram as much information above the fold as possible, complicating the information design.
Milissa Tarquini explains:
"I took a look at performance data for some AOL sites and found that items at the bottom of pages are being widely used. Perhaps the best example of this is the popular celebrity gossip website TMZ.com. The most clicked on item on the TMZ homepage is the link at the very bottom of the page that takes users to the next page. Note that the TMZ homepage is often over 15000 pixels long – which supports the ClickTale research that scrolling behavior is independent of screen height. Users are so engaged in the content of this site that they are following it down the page until they get to the “next page” link."
Apparently - but not surprisingly - it is all about quality of content and not about design...
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