What is a Hero Image

In web design, a hero image is a large web banner image, prominently placed on a web or categorypage, generally in the front and center. The hero image is often the first visual element a visitor encounters on the site; it presents an overview of the site’s most important content. A hero image often consists of image and text, and can be static or dynamic (e.g. a rotating list of images and/or topics).

Larger than the other images displayed on that page, the hero image is usually placed above the fold, in the center of the page, and takes the majority of the space. The hero image can be a single image (banner) or a series of images (carousel images).

The content presented varies with the purpose of the site: it can be relevant news about the site, specific site-links, or—in the case of e-commerce—the best-selling or strategically placed products or services.