Hero images are the visual “hello” for your brand—appearing on homepages, landing pages, and even in email headers. They’re designed to be the very first thing a visitor or subscriber sees the moment a page loads or an email opens.
Because of that, a hero image’s main job is to capture attention instantly while your headline, short supporting copy, and primary CTA clarify what you offer and why it matters. Done well, this combination pulls people deeper into your content instead of bouncing.
Take Moosend. Its hero image introduces the platform by highlighting core features, paired with a clear headline and concise copy that expands on the value. The intent is obvious: communicate benefits in seconds and drive clicks on the CTA beneath.
Many sites follow this familiar pattern—and that’s fine. Convention reduces cognitive load, so visitors know where to look and what to do. The key is using the pattern intentionally rather than generically.
In short: hero images work, but only if you implement them with care.
Hero Images Let You Control the First Impression
People form an opinion about a page in roughly 50 milliseconds, which makes your hero area a decisive part of how your brand is perceived.
That means the visual must be striking, relevant, and instantly legible. In a glance, visitors should be able to tell what you do and why they should keep scrolling.
Skip generic stock photos. Choose authentic imagery (or product UI) that reflects your audience and brand. Real people, real product, real context—these cues build trust fast and avoid the “template” feel.
Remember, the image isn’t a solo act. Pair it with a strong headline, a clarifying subhead or short body copy, and a focused CTA. The text gives context and promise; the CTA gives the next step.
Tandem shows its app in action across mobile and desktop directly in the hero. That preview sets expectations and helps visitors picture themselves using the product.
Unlike Moosend, Tandem places the visual on the left. Because users spend about 80% of their time looking at the left side of a page, the app preview becomes the focal point within an F-pattern scan.
The concise headline and supporting copy to the right reinforce the value proposition—learning languages by chatting with real people—while the hero shows profiles to make that promise concrete.
The CTA text “Start learning” is specific to the product outcome (better than a generic “Sign up”), and its contrasting style makes it easy to spot without overwhelming the design.
The adjacent dropdown to choose a language adds light interactivity, nudging visitors to engage immediately and self-select their path.
A secondary CTA in the top-right nav provides an alternate, ever-present conversion path for visitors who skip the hero button.
Overall, Tandem’s hero clarifies what makes the product different and offers a realistic peek into the experience—effective and cohesive.
Everything Should Build on the Hero Image
Because the hero shapes the first impression, let it set the story—and let the rest of the page continue that story.
Your hero should communicate what you do and why it’s better. The sections below the fold then add proof, detail, and guided next steps—consistent with the promise you made up top.
Back to Tandem: the hero shows real profiles and the interface; the headline promises language learning through conversation. The rest of the page demonstrates how that happens in practice.
Below the fold, Tandem quickly explains the product, then uses a simple narrative: two people who want to learn each other’s language. Stories help visitors connect the promise to a real-life use case.
A short video on the left plus a text-based walkthrough on the right gives both visual and verbal learners what they need. The copy invites readers to imagine themselves in the flow; the video shows the steps.
Together, these sections reinforce the claims made in the hero and reduce uncertainty—exactly what you want before asking for a signup.
Hero Image Best Practices
Hero images can lift engagement and conversions. Use these guidelines to get them right.
Find the right size
There’s a sweet spot between crisp visuals and fast performance. Aim for sharp imagery that doesn’t tax load time.
Large files look great but can slow the page and hurt user experience. Keep hero files lean without visible artifacts. As a rule, avoid images larger than ~1MB; many teams target a few hundred KB after compression for the hero because it often influences Largest Contentful Paint (LCP).
Dimensions depend on the layout, but these updated ranges work well in most cases:
- Full-screen hero images: 1,440–1,920 pixels wide with a 16:9 (or 21:9) aspect ratio.
- Banner hero images: 1,600–1,920 × 500–800 pixels.
- Mobile hero images: 1,080 × 1,350 or 1,200 × 1,600, with both vertical and horizontal variants for phones and tablets.
Optimize elements for loading speed
Slow pages bleed visitors—many will leave if a site feels sluggish.
Google also factors performance into rankings. Check your page with PageSpeed Insights and focus on Core Web Vitals—especially LCP (hero load), INP (interaction responsiveness), and CLS (layout stability).
Start with compression. Tools like Compress JPEG, Tiny JPG, and Smush for WordPress reduce file size with minimal quality loss. Where possible, serve modern formats (WebP/AVIF), set explicit width/height to prevent CLS, and avoid lazy-loading the primary hero image if it harms LCP.
Infrastructure matters too. Choose hosting with solid CPU/RAM and caching, add a CDN for global delivery, enable HTTP/2 or HTTP/3, and use an image CDN to auto-resize and serve the right format per device. All of this compounds into faster first impressions.
Go responsive
Since mobile devices generate over 55% of web traffic, responsive hero images are non-negotiable.
A 1,600 × 500 banner may look great on desktop but will feel cramped on small screens without adjustments.
Relative CSS units help images scale naturally across viewports.
The code above uses an absolute width of 500px. On a screen narrower than 500px, the image will clip or force awkward scrolling.
Using a relative width (e.g., 50%) makes the image fluid. Height scales automatically to keep the aspect ratio intact.
For finer control, add media queries and pair them with responsive image techniques like srcset and sizes (or the <picture> element) so browsers choose the best file for each screen.
Here, the image will span 100% width when the screen is 480px wide or less—clean and readable on small devices.
Include powerful messaging
As in the Tandem and Moosend examples, connect your hero visual to a clear, outcome-focused tagline. The copy should mirror what the image shows to create immediate relevance.
Keep it short and specific: who you help, what you do, and the benefit users get. Add proof or a qualifier if it increases confidence (e.g., “Trusted by 10,000+ teams”).
Place a single, unmistakable CTA beneath the copy. Use action verbs tied to value (“Start my trial,” “Generate a quote”) and ensure text contrast is accessible for all users.
Make sure the headline, subhead, and CTA read in a natural visual order. This hierarchy supports how people scan and increases the odds of a click.
Create harmony with the rest of the webpage
Your hero should feel native to the page, not pasted on top. Excess contrast or clashing styles can distract from the message and the CTA.
Match colors, typography, spacing, and button styles. If text sits on top of an image, use overlays or subtle gradients to preserve readability and avoid layout shifts. A cohesive hero strengthens brand memory.
Powerful Hero Image Examples
- Planable
Planable’s hero displays the platform’s scheduling and collaboration features right away, backed by a headline that clarifies the value. It’s a direct demonstration rather than an abstract visual.
The calm background with pops of bright color creates a friendly, modern feel. Small animations and playful microcopy reinforce the brand’s tone instead of competing with the CTA.
The bright green accent draws the eye to the primary actions, while the bold headline adds context and scannability. Everything points toward trying the product.
- Vectr
Vectr uses an animated illustration to showcase core actions—resizing, editing, and collaborating. The visual suggests teamwork and capability without requiring a demo.
Animation is subtle, adding life without stealing focus. A plain, high-contrast CTA stands out, while a short headline and subhead summarize the “what” and “why.”
The rest of the page extends the same visual language—white plus layered blues and recurring illustrations—so the hero feels like the first chapter of the story, not a separate design.
- Apple
Apple’s hero showcases the iPhone 15 Pro with dramatic, minimal styling. The black background and tight product framing signal premium quality and focus.
The headline is simply the product name; the supporting copy highlights a key differentiator. The visual lines up with the message by emphasizing the titanium edges.
CTAs appear as understated text links that fit the minimalist aesthetic while remaining obvious through color and placement—proof that a “button” isn’t required if hierarchy is clear.
Further down, high-quality product imagery plus concise copy continues the rhythm. Alternating dark and light sections increase contrast and scanning ease.
It’s minimalist, but still follows core web design best practices: short, clear copy; on-brand palette; and unmistakable calls to action.
- CXL
CXL’s hero does double duty. It introduces the instructors referenced in the headline and copy, and it functions as social proof through real names, faces, and titles.
Showing credible experts elevates perceived value. Visitors are more inclined to trust advice when it’s visibly tied to recognized roles and companies.
It’s a straightforward formula: authority + clarity + focused CTA.
- Cocokind
Cocokind uses a clean split layout above the fold, dividing three equal columns. Two columns are devoted to hero imagery; the third delivers a tight, benefit-focused message.
The left image features the flagship product; the middle explains how to use it; the right copy communicates why it’s worth buying. Left-to-right order matches how most users read, turning the hero into a simple narrative.
Pastel tones, generous spacing, and strong product photography keep attention while creating a calm, easy browsing experience.
Do Hero Images Work?
Yes—when they’re purposeful. Despite how common they are, well-executed hero sections still lift attention, clarify value, and nudge conversions.
They make pages more scannable, reinforce brand identity, and communicate benefits without a wall of text. Measure impact with simple metrics: click-through on the primary CTA, scroll depth, signups, and Core Web Vitals for the hero (LCP/INP/CLS).
When planning your website, treat the hero as the centerpiece and build outward. Nail the image, message, and action—and remember you have about 50 milliseconds to earn the next second.