A hero can save the day, even in website design. Impressive, attention-getting hero images have become a trend in web design, and with good reason. They work. Business web design that features beautiful, relevant images are stealing the show. Before you toss just any big image on your site, it is important to learn the best ways to use hero images so they create the right effect.
What Is A Hero Image?
A hero image is a large and often full-screen image banner on a website that is the first thing a user notices when they visit the site. Bold hero images immediately grab a user’s attention and make an impression. When combined with large headers throughout the site, hero images are a great addition to minimalist, responsive website design. They create mood and engage viewers from the start, offering immediate insight into your website.
How to Best Use Hero Images
As simple as this may sound, using a hero image effectively in business web design takes careful consideration. Pay attention to the important details below when adding these prominent images to your web design:
- Image Type and Quality - Always work with high-definition images that will retain their quality on multiple screen sizes. The image must resize for the various screen sizes so that centering and emphasis does not change. Optimize images for fast loading so they do not slow your website design down. Illustrations and graphics may also work for some sites; however, bold and dramatic images are preferable.
- Image Content - Above all, a hero image must be relevant to your website, giving the user a preview of what can be found within the website. Photographs of real people, close-ups of products or images that portray a certain idea work best. Chosen images should also generate emotion in the viewer since positive emotion is an essential part of a website’s message.
- Image Layout - Hero images used in business web design can be applied as full-screen backgrounds, single-page oversized headers, or emphasis photos. Get creative with bold and contrasting headlines, highlighted callouts, upper and lower navigation, rotating photo galleries, and selected text that links to featured articles.
- Creating Emphasis - Your hero image should be the focal point and centerpiece of the main page of your website. It must prominently present your message, along with important calls to action. Consider using different photographic effects such as blur, contrast, color, and overlay to create focus and guide users. Contrast is especially important for ensuring that any text can be read over the image.
Hero images are a great alternative for adding interest and spark to minimalist website design. Relevant, attractive, and emotion-invoking images used in your business web design can say more than text and keep your user interested as they explore your site. Large clear photos, good text contrast, and obvious calls to action can turn an ordinary homepage into a web design that takes users on a journey into the depths of your site. Hero images can be the hero your website needs to attract more users and help your business get more customers!