Hero Images are Dead. These Solutions are Replacing Them.

"The thing is, the company I was working for had a dedicated photo team that provided beautiful, high-quality images with numerous contextual and action shots, perfect for web pages. So when what came to my desk was a classic full-page hero of an image with a gradient, I wasn't exactly surprised. But it did frustrate me that we couldn't come up with something more bold."

"I checked in later with my team and leadership to see how they reacted to the redesign. Leadership loved it. I, however, knew this wasn't a good proposal and that it could be irrelevant in a couple of years. See, full-page heroes are terrible design most of the time, but our photography team and C-Suite would never agree with that. It's what they know a website should be. It is what they are used to."

"Splitting the homepage with an image on one side and text on the other offers a balanced and engaging user experience that full-width hero images often lack. Unlike full-width heroes, which prioritize a single, often overwhelming visual, the half-page format delivers immediate clarity by pairing a compelling image with concise, actionable text. Users spend 80% of their time "above the fold," so hero layout matters hugely."

Companies often default to generic full-width hero images despite UX drawbacks and the availability of high-quality contextual photography. Full-page heroes can overwhelm visitors, reduce clarity, and become irrelevant quickly, even when supported by dedicated photo teams and executive preferences. Splitting the homepage into a half-page hero — image on one side, concise, actionable text on the other — creates balance, immediate clarity, and stronger above-the-fold engagement. Alternative hero patterns should preserve compelling imagery while improving usability and long-term relevance across different business models. Design solutions must address leadership familiarity with traditional heroes by demonstrating how new layouts maintain brand photography while aligning with UX standards.

Read at Medium