I was recently talking to a client about Web site development and he said a supplier of his insisted that users shouldn’t have to scroll to the information they want on a Web site. His contention was that Web sites that required users to scroll are somehow inferior.

I understand the desire to have relevant information ‘above the fold’—as is the goal when designing printed publications. However, this is unrealistic and unnecessary for Web sites in my opinion. Here’s why:

• Screen resolutions and monitors come in all shapes and sizes. One user may be sporting an 800×600 CRT while another might be rocking a 32-inch LCD with 1280×1024 pixel res. The Web site won’t look the same on both monitors. Don’t get me started on IE, Firefox, Safari, Chrome and various mobile browsers.
• People are used to scrolling. The reason there is a scrollbar on the aforementioned browsers is that people are used to scrolling.
• The Web is for information exchange. I know everyone wants to have the coolest graphics and tight, terse copy on their site. But, you need to deliver a tremendous amount of (well-organized) information on your site for maximum stickiness, especially for SEO.

It’s important to note that some of the biggest brands have Web sites that require scrolling. So, in my opinion, it’s not about building a site that doesn’t make you scroll. It’s about developing a site that makes people want to scroll

What are your thoughts? Oh, and thanks for scrolling  to the bottom of this post. Hope it wasn’t too much trouble.