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 closed my laptop and thought about how I disliked what I just saw for a 2025 website revamp."

"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. So, how do you veto a full-width hero within your organization? And what is the solution to keep beautiful imagery while keeping UX standards?"

"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."

High-quality photography was available, yet a classic full-page hero with a gradient was proposed for a 2025 website revamp. Leadership approved the full-width hero despite its likely irrelevance and poor usability over time. Full-page heroes often prioritize a single overwhelming visual and can fail UX standards. Half-page heroes split the homepage, placing an image on one side and text on the other to deliver balanced, engaging experiences and immediate clarity. Pairing compelling imagery with concise, actionable text improves user focus. Users spend 80% of their time above the fold, so hero layout has significant impact on engagement and clarity.

Read at Medium