Hero Images in Design: Best Practices

This is an era of the extraordinary. We are continuously drawn to the powers of the Avengers or the Transformers. We love to see them outdo the wicked. We rejoice in that victory! A happy ending due to the daring feat of the Hero!

This is the impact a HERO image has on your design!

It is this image that speaks for your design much before people care to check the details. If your Hero image is able to strike that connection with the mind of the onlooker, you can bet your design is half-sold. The other half will depend on other nuances and offers.

If you are a design firm, seeking to gain market presence and looking at growth, you do need that person in capes, loaded with those high-fidelity gadgets to leave a mark without having to say much. Yes! Hero Images, maybe on your portal, on your designs, on your blogs, possibly everywhere will help you break the deal faster. The idea is clear if you want your audience to consider you like a good design firm, you need to show them good designs.

What made Hero Images so Significant to Designs?

The idea of Hero images took birth in the days when print media resorted to using full-page images of celebrities, other prominent people, and famous places to draw the attention of viewers especially when rolling out campaigns for some events. And, it worked every time! The hitherto unknown publications were able to make it big. It worked like a magic wand then and the best part is-it still does!

We all have stopped by to see those advertisements who often come along with some striking image, or love to visit websites that appeal to our senses and are not text-heavy.

Imagine, if you own a web business, what is the chance you stand to be picked up by the internet audience that has a choice of million other websites working in your domain. Not only that, almost 380 new ones entering the space every day. So, here lies the fight that you only have a very few seconds of that very precious attention span of your visitors to make them stay! And, if at all you are a design firm, that doesn’t have much to showcase in the first few seconds- bet you have lost the game! The Internet has made people unkind in the web-behavior. So, you have to be aggressive in not only writing a message that is short, crisp and loud enough to be ignored. Hence, a good hero image will work far more effectively than those long paragraphs of verse.

Compelling Reasons to Consider Hero-Images for your Designs

Sharp Messaging

Most websites with Hero Images often ensure that they give out the main USP of your product or service and also is able to suggest the aptest solution to the primary problem faced by your visitor. You have to ensure that your hero image is able to bring out the most effective message that is the answer to the pain-point faced by your visitor. There can be no misgivings or vagueness. It has to be focussed and of course appealing.  If both these facts fall in sync then you can consider you have successfully converted that lead into a prospect. You then have crossed the first and the major barrier to sales.

Brand-Building

Branding was and continues to be a significant part of the marketing efforts of all teams. Your choice of hero images in your designs will also be a reflection of your brand values and culture. It will be enough for your audience to understand what your brand stands for. The role of these images becomes even more pronounced in brands that deal in the products and services that have a far-ranging emotional appeal, for instance, the brands involved in selling holiday experiences, real estate, food, relationships, etc. All these cannot simply rely on texts for making an impact. Graphics, when supported by texts, are a perfect answer as they can trigger a chain of emotions and imaginations in your visitor’s mind-something that is completely unthinkable by mere text.

Announcing Offers

It is said there is no dry season. People no longer wait for the end of season offers or for festival sales. Now, life is a celebration and when brands truly recognize that concept, they sell big. Happiness sales, placed mid-season are no longer a surprise. This means when everyone is putting their best foot forward, you have to be innovative. You can no longer afford to play subtly. Hero images can be the best option to tell what is it that has led to the latest buzz. They are not an interruption to your browsing experiences like the pop-ups or flyers but are a part of it.

There is thus no challenge to the appeal these images have on brands. But there are certain points that have to be kept in mind like these images need to be high on appeal and best placed on blurred backgrounds. There can be no excuse for compromised quality so designers have to put their best foot forward. And yes, they resonate best when they are packed with some action.

Next time you roll out an offer or simply are redesigning your websites, ensure you have given it enough thought. Let your imagination go wild for you never know you lead to a new design revolution. Hero images are not a part of your story but are the ones that define it. So pick them wisely. Be your best version!

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