The first screen users see often determines whether they engage or leave. This makes above the fold testing essential for evaluating whether visitors can quickly identify the next step.
In this use case, we used Attention Insight’s predictive eye-tracking technology to test how small visual hierarchy changes affected CTA visibility in hero section designs from the Heromaster Figma collection.
The goal was simple: improve CTA visibility without redesigning the layout from scratch.
For designers and marketers, improving CTA visibility is one of the most common goals of above the fold testing. Small changes to visual hierarchy, contrast, positioning, and emphasis can significantly affect how quickly users identify the next action on a page.
What Is Above the Fold Testing?
Above the fold testing evaluates how users interact with the content visible immediately after a page loads, before any scrolling occurs. The term “above the fold” refers to the first screen visitors see on a landing page, website, or app. Because this area creates the first impression, designers often test elements such as headlines, images, and call-to-action (CTA) buttons to ensure users can quickly understand what the product is, why it matters, and what action to take next.
What Is Attention Insight?
Attention Insight is an AI-powered predictive eye-tracking platform that predicts where users are most likely to look during the first few seconds of viewing a design.
Teams can validate visual hierarchy decisions before launch using:
- Attention Heatmaps
- Focus Maps
- Percentage of Attention (AOIs)
- Clarity Score
- Design Comparisons
For this experiment, all designs were tested at 1920 × 1080 resolution.
How to Upload and Test a Design
Running an above the fold testing analysis takes only a few minutes.
1. Create a new analysis on the Attention Insight App.
2. Select Asset Type.
3. Upload your design.
4. Choose Desktop/Mobile Viewport and Content type.
5. Run the analysis.
6. Review the results.
7. Create a revised version.
8. Use Comparisons to evaluate both versions side-by-side.
How We Evaluated the Design
Attention Heatmap
The Heatmap predicts which areas are most likely to attract attention. Warm colours indicate high visibility, while cooler colours indicate lower visibility.
Percentage of Attention (AOI)
AOIs allow specific elements to be measured individually. We created an AOI around the CTA button to track visibility improvements.
Throughout this experiment, CTA visibility was the primary success metric because the goal was to improve the visibility of the primary call-to-action without redesigning the hero section from scratch.
Clarity Score
Clarity Score measures how visually clear and understandable a design appears to first-time visitors.
Comparisons
The Comparisons feature allows multiple versions to be evaluated side-by-side, making it easy to validate whether design changes improve visual performance.
Test 1 – Grocery Store Hero Section
Original Design – Analysis 1
Our first above the fold testing experiment focused on a grocery delivery hero section.
Although the layout appeared visually balanced, the initial Attention Insight analysis revealed that attention was concentrated around:
- The model’s face
- The headline
- Supporting imagery
Meanwhile, the CTA received virtually no attention.
Results
- Clarity Score: 47
- CTA Attention: 0%
The analysis showed that the CTA was not part of the primary attention path.
First Iteration – Analysis 2
After reviewing the initial analysis, we introduced several changes to improve CTA visibility:
- Increased CTA prominence
- Improved CTA contrast
- Strengthened button visibility
- Reduced competition from surrounding elements
- Improved alignment between the CTA and content structure
Results
Clarity Score: 47
CTA Attention: 2.1%
The analysis showed that the CTA had become more visible and started attracting attention from users. However, Attention Insight revealed additional opportunities for optimization, particularly around strengthening the visual connection between the headline and the action area.
Final Iteration – Analysis 3
Using insights from the second analysis, we introduced a final round of hierarchy refinements:
- Expanded the search component
- Increased CTA prominence further
- Reduced dominance of the hero image
- Strengthened alignment between the headline and CTA
- Improved the visual connection between the message and the action
Results
- Clarity Score: 63
- CTA Attention: 3.7%
The CTA became part of the primary attention path and significantly easier to find.
Design Comparison
Using Attention Insight’s Comparisons feature, we evaluated the original and final versions side-by-side.
Original Version
- Clarity Score: 47
- CTA Attention: 0%
Final Version
- Clarity Score: 63
- CTA Attention: 3.7%
Improvement
- Clarity Score: +16 points
- CTA Attention: +3.7 percentage points
The comparison confirmed that relatively small hierarchy adjustments can dramatically improve CTA visibility without requiring a complete redesign.
Key Takeaway
This above the fold testing experiment demonstrates how relatively small hierarchy improvements can dramatically increase CTA visibility.
Without redesigning the page, we transformed a CTA that received virtually no attention into one that became part of the user’s natural reading flow.
This may help reduce user friction and make it easier for visitors to progress through a website.
Test 2 – Personal Portfolio Hero Section
Original Design – Analysis 1
For the second above the fold testing experiment, we selected a personal portfolio hero section featuring a consultant profile, service descriptions, statistics, and a primary “Hire me” CTA.
The initial Attention Insight analysis revealed that attention was concentrated around:
- The portrait
- The “Natalie Sihombing” headline
- The Services section
- The professional introduction
Meanwhile, the CTA received only a small share of attention.
Results
- Clarity Score: 53
- CTA Attention: 1.1%
The CTA was visible, but it was not part of the primary viewing path.
First Iteration – Analysis 2
After reviewing the initial analysis, we introduced several changes to improve CTA visibility:
- Increased CTA size
- Increased CTA text size
- Improved CTA contrast
- Added a subtle shadow
- Moved the CTA closer to the primary reading path
- Repositioned supporting content
Results
Clarity Score: 53
CTA Attention: 3.7%
The analysis showed that the CTA had become part of the primary reading path and was competing more successfully against surrounding elements. However, the Services section continued to attract a significant share of attention, revealing additional opportunities for optimization.
Final Iteration – Analysis 3
Using insights from the second analysis, we introduced a final round of hierarchy refinements:
- Reduced service description opacity
- Reduced service icon opacity
- Slightly reduced portrait dominance
- Increased CTA width
Results
- Clarity Score: 53
- CTA Attention: 4.2%
The CTA became part of the primary scanning path, significantly improving visibility while preserving the overall clarity of the design.
Design Comparison
Using Attention Insight’s Comparisons feature, we evaluated both versions side-by-side.
Original Version
- Clarity Score: 53
- CTA Attention: 1.1%
Optimized Version
- Clarity Score: 53
- CTA Attention: 4.2%
Improvement
- CTA Attention: +3.1 percentage points
- Approximately 282% improvement in visibility
Although the Clarity Score remained unchanged, the CTA became far more prominent within the user’s visual journey.
The comparison confirmed that relatively small hierarchy adjustments can significantly improve CTA visibility without requiring a complete redesign.
Key Takeaway
This above the fold testing experiment demonstrates how even well-designed portfolio pages can unintentionally hide their primary action.
By improving hierarchy, reducing visual competition, and strengthening CTA placement, we increased CTA visibility while preserving the overall design aesthetic.
This may help reduce user friction and make it easier for visitors to identify the next step.
Final Results
Across both above the fold testing experiments, Attention Insight identified opportunities to improve CTA visibility through relatively small design changes.
Grocery Store Hero Section
- CTA Attention: 0% → 3.7%
- Clarity Score: 47 → 63
Personal Portfolio Hero Section
- CTA Attention: 1.1% → 4.2%
- Clarity Score: 53 → 53
What These Results Mean
Improving CTA visibility is not simply a design exercise. When users can quickly identify the next step, they are less likely to hesitate, become frustrated, or abandon the page. By making primary actions easier to find, designers can reduce friction in the user journey and create stronger conditions for engagement and conversions.
While Attention Insight does not directly measure metrics such as Click Through Rate (CTR), Conversion Rate, Churn Rate, or Customer Drop-Off, it helps identify attention-related obstacles that may negatively influence those outcomes before a design goes live.
Conclusion
These experiments show that relatively small hierarchy adjustments can dramatically influence how attention is distributed across a page.
In both hero sections, Attention Insight identified overlooked friction points and provided measurable evidence that the optimized versions performed better than the originals. By improving CTA visibility and reducing visual competition, designers can create clearer user journeys and stronger conditions for engagement, clicks, and conversions.
Rather than relying on assumptions, designers and marketers can use above the fold testing to validate CTA placement, improve visibility, and optimize designs before launch.
