Designing a Captivating Visual Experience
Not to be confused with a hometown hero, a homepage hero is a large banner that is displayed at the top of a website above the fold. It can be a picture, graphic, carousel, call-to-action (CTA), or something else. It’s the first element that visitors see before they hit “scroll.” It should grab web visitors’ attention and convey everything people need to know about your brand. Homepage hero section best practices help achieve this. Now that I’ve convinced you how important a hero image is, how do you design a good one? I’m glad you asked! As a Charlotte web design company, we have a ton of experience with this.
Hit ‘Em with a High-Quality Image
Perhaps it goes without saying but I’m saying it anyway – a homepage hero image requires, well, a nice image. That means something high-quality, not too grainy, and not too compressed. Website hero section design tips include choosing high-quality visuals that match your brand. One of our favorite websites for this is Unsplash, which provides free high-resolution images without copyright protection.
You don’t have to use a photo though. You could use a graphic instead, for which we recommend Canva. It makes graphic design a breeze with its numerous customizable templates. Effective homepage hero design can include graphics, videos, or images. Use it for hero images and social media posts too. Even though I’ve called it a hero “image,” your hero image may not be an image at all! It could be a video. Pexels offers free videos and you can customize the size before downloading one.
As always, be judicious about the image/graphic/video you’re using. You want to make sure it fits in with your brand identity. In addition to web design, we’re also a Charlotte internet marketing company so we can give you some advice if you need it.
Enhancing Your Terrific Text for Improved Conversions
It’s one thing to feature an image on your website in the hero section and another to generate new leads and conversions with a text overlay, which can be very effective. High-converting hero section design includes clear messaging and strong calls to action. When you’re using text make sure to keep it short, use readable fonts, remember your target audience, and use a CTA or lead generation form to capture your web visitors. If you don’t know how to do those things, as an N.C. web designer, don’t worry, we’ve got you.
Make it Fit
I know I mentioned earlier you don’t want an image to be too compressed. What you’re looking for is a sweet spot – you want the image to be optimized, which means the photo loads quickly. Images should be less than 1MB and if yours is larger, you can make it smaller without losing image quality by using an image compression tool such as TinyPNG. It will reduce the size of your WebP, PNG, or JPEG file with smart lossy compression.
Size matters with the hero image because again, it’s large, attention-grabbing. How to design a hero section starts with choosing the right image size and dimensions. That means it should be at least 1,200 pixels and have an aspect ratio of 16:9. A banner hero image should be 1600 x 500 pixels and for larger screens you can push to 1,800 pixels.
What follows are two examples for our work as a Charlotte web designer.
For the social bar and smokehouse Initial Q, we created a video that displays images of food, drinks, and the interior.
It works because the images are high-quality, the company logo is front and center, and we’re hopefully whetting your appetite by displaying the food and drink options.
For our client Camille Martin, RD, we designed this:
It works because she tells you what she does and the CTA button is prominent, bright, and contrasts with the background colors.
Have we inspired you to use a homepage hero image? We hope so. As a Charlotte web design company, we create these all the time. Get in touch with us via email or call (704) 336-9113.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is a website hero section?
A: A website hero section is the prominent area at the top of a webpage that introduces your brand, message, and call to action. Following Website hero section design tips helps capture attention and encourage visitors to explore further.
Q: How do you design a homepage hero section?
A: How to design a hero section starts with a high-quality image or video, a clear headline, concise supporting text, and a strong call to action that encourages visitors to engage with your website.
Q: What makes a good hero section design?
A: A good hero section uses compelling visuals, concise messaging, readable typography, and a clear call to action. High-converting hero section design focuses on guiding visitors toward the next step while reinforcing your brand.
Q: What should a homepage hero section include?
A: A homepage hero section should include a high-quality image or video, a compelling headline, supporting text, and a clear call to action. Following Homepage hero section best practices helps create a strong first impression.
Q: How does a hero section improve website conversions?
A: A well-designed hero section captures attention immediately, communicates your value proposition, and encourages action through a clear call to action. Effective homepage hero design helps increase engagement, leads, and conversions.
