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I don’t know if this is a new trend or just the fact that I’ve not come across this pattern before and it’s actually old, but I’m unable to find anything on it. The story is that you access the root URL on a website and all you get is a Full-size Device-independent Start View with tagline only content and downward pointing arrow to access the rest of the site. Sometimes there is a hamburger menu in the upper right corner, but it does the same as the downward pointing arrow: get you to the second screen where you have the content and the usual navigation links.

It looks like someone wanted us to not be able to access the content, without watching the start screen image. And if you click the company icon, you’ll get the start screen once more, forcing the user to JavaScript themselves to the real navigation. And moreover, in some implementations you can’t bypass the start image even if you try to bookmark the second (navigation and content) page.

I’m not asking for its usefulness (I have that answer already in my head). I want to know the name of this pattern/control. Is there one?

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    Many of users are doing this just to look their websites more cool
    – Shubham Nigam
    Jul 21, 2015 at 13:47

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There's no official pattern name for it but the NN/g termed it as "False Floors". They've written an article on it and have discussed how this practice leads to bad UX as it does not naturally encourage the users to scroll. Good designs shouldn't need an arrow to tell users to scroll. To quote from the article:

When pages of any size offer little content at the top, it is difficult for users to know what else is available on the page. It may make for an attractive page, but that may come at the cost of discouraging users from scrolling. Such designs can create “false floors” that make users think they’ve seen the full page of content.

In short, it should be avoided and content itself should be organised well so that it builds the story about the product thereby encouraging the reader to keep scrolling.

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I have always heard them called "splash screens" (especially on mobile). I think the traditional splash screen doesn't include the down arrow but this site includes many examples that include them. http://line25.com/articles/web-design-trend-showcase-splash-screen-revival

Modern examples of splash screens are built right into the main page, filling the screen with eye catching imagery but still only containing a logo or statement as the main piece of content.

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  • Agreed - splash screen has always been the industry standard term for them, both for websites, and even before that, for applications. And before that, for movies!
    – Dewi Morgan
    Jul 22, 2015 at 18:11

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