Above the fold is the content visitors see before scrolling. It should contain: a clear headline, a supporting subheadline, your primary CTA button, and at minimum one trust signal (logo bar, stat, or short testimonial).
The hierarchy matters. The headline should be the largest text element, immediately communicating what the visitor gets. The subheadline adds specificity. The CTA should use a contrasting color and action-oriented text. Supporting text reduces friction by addressing the most common objection.
Common mistakes: putting a video as the hero (forces visitors to work), hiding the CTA below the fold, using vague headlines like 'Welcome to Our Platform,' and cramming too many messages into the hero. One clear message, one clear action. Everything else goes below the fold.