A hero image is a screen-width visual element, often a professionally captured photograph or a carefully designed graphic, that sits at the top of a page. It captures the attention of incoming visitors.
We’ve included a bunch of hero image examples—all grouped by their respective business types.
Food, Dining, and Catering
Here are some of the best hero image examples in the food, dining, and catering business.
1. Birdie’s
Birdie’s is an award-winning, family-run, wine and dine restaurant that works on the first come, first served principle.
Why its hero image is amazing:
- A juxtaposition of two simple yet distinctive dishes signals creativity, variety, and care to potential guests
- The restaurant’s unique font and colorful logo retain a cozy component while preserving a rustic, everyday feel
- An inclusion of wine bottles and healthy-looking veggies in the hero image tells guests everything they need to know
2. Dairy Queen
Dairy Queen is one of the most popular fast-food chain restaurants, featuring more than 4000 locations across the United States.
Why its hero image is amazing:
- A colorful background, paired with lively complementary colors, exemplifies the company’s openness as a family brand
- A clear, bold typography and short but impactful promotional messaging convey Dairy Queen’s uncompromising dedication to its customer base
- The site’s modern and slick hero section design, coupled with a single-button user interface (UI) placement, makes for an inviting experience for patrons of all backgrounds and ages
- Keywords like “irresistible” and “sizzling” turn an ordinary copy into an immediate call-to-action (CTA)
3. High Street Market & Deli
High Street Market & Deli is an established LA catering company with more than 100 years of history behind its brand.
Why its hero image is amazing:
- An overall modern and slick website design plays well with its interactive online menus that everyone can use
- A full-screen hero image takes the entire space above the fold, showcasing High St. Market & Deli’s role as the leading provider in the catering industry in LA
- The site only uses two distinctive and contrasting colors, further emphasizing the marriage between traditional food offers and modern deli flavors
Learning and Educational Resources
Colleges, universities, and private learning hubs require having a strong digital presence to win over aspiring students and improve their reputation among competing institutions. Here are a couple of mesmerizing hero images from sites that do that very well.
4. Rhode Island School of Design
The Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) is a private arts and design college based out of Providence, RI.
Why its hero image (or the lack thereof) is amazing:
- RISD smartly uses the white space throughout its site, leveraging its minimalistic approach to relay important information to students and school donors
- The omission of a classical hero image serves a double role: to highlight the school’s mission statement and to demonstrate an affinity for contemporary web design and an efficient user experience (UX)
- An inclusion of RISD’s founding year in the heading lends an additional air of credibility to an already established historical institution
5. Fashion Institute of Technology
The Fashion Institute of Technology is a public arts and business university in NYC.
Why its hero image is amazing:
- A model student occupies the center of the image, stressing FIT’s willingness to prioritize learning for both its new and enrolled students
- “Unconventional minds at work” is the perfect slogan that complements the institute’s mission statement and describes its teaching philosophy in a single sentence
- The use and placement of basic rectangle shapes capture and guide the user’s attention to key resources on the page, while a subtle parallax scrolling effect encourages visitors to keep exploring the site—thereby indirectly reducing the bounce rate by a significant amount
6. Stanford University
Stanford University is a private research university in Stanford, CA, and is considered by many to be one of the most renowned learning institutions in the world.
Why its hero image is amazing:
- A centered overview of the school’s main campus area serves as the hero image’s focal point, demonstrating the university’s history, reputation, and renown
- A simple header menu offers students, alumni, and donors an intuitive roadmap to reach the most important information on the site
- The lack of copy, slogans, and other website elements on the front page works in the university’s favor, swapping web spectacle for simple pragmatism
Architecture and Construction
Businesses that deal with facility design and construction need the best visual representation of their models, approaches, and building techniques. Here are a few of them.
7. EYRC Architects
Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney (EYRC) Architects is an architectural practice with a reputation for unique and versatile design.
Why its hero image is amazing:
- Several professionally curated photographies of some of the studio’s most prominent works adorn its landing page with elegance and charm
- The omission of every letter besides the capital ones in the menu and corresponding headlines showcases an unorthodox, but also playful approach to EYRC’s problem-solution design philosophy
- Its minimalistic UX reflects the company’s dedication to telling incredible design stories in few words
8. McCarthy
McCarthy is one of the largest employee-owned construction companies in the United States, employing over 2500 employee-owners across 16 different offices.
Why its hero image is amazing:
- A visual slice of its employees in action underscores the firm’s unrelenting dedication to its core tenets, which prioritizes the wellbeing and safety of the employee-owner over unreined expansion and potentially detrimental growth
- A short headline builds on the bedrock of an equally as impactful hero image, promising “superior results” and “great experiences” for partners and clients alike
- With a major focus on its people, McCarthy communicates trustworthiness, a collaborative spirit, and a thorough enjoyment of the building process
9. HBW Construction
HBW Construction is a full-service commercial construction firm that operates in the Washington, DC area.
Why its hero image is amazing:
- With a professionally curated slideshow of several retouched hero images, HBW Construction calls on its devotion to quality, credibility, and trust
- The firm’s elegance, maximum attention to detail, and unrelenting commitment are reflected through a showcase of its most practical solutions above the fold
- A clear and informative five-item header menu invites potential clients to stay longer on the page, while the outstanding visual portfolio below helps with closing the deal
Event-Planning and Supplies
Planning an upcoming event is a challenging task, but what’s even more challenging is building a website for your business that makes customers go: “That’s the one!” Here are several hero image examples of event-planning businesses that have taken this notion to heart.
10. Twenty Three Layers
Twenty Three Layers is an event planning group based out of NYC, with a stellar client list that includes working with Slack, Glossier, BuzzFeed, Pandora, and Ribbit Capital.
Why its hero image is amazing:
- A clutter-free UX ditches everything but two colors for its hero image scheme—purple and light blue—going for a barely symmetrical design that exhibits innovation, uniqueness, and punctuality
- A scarcely populated headline is nested inside the hero image, describing all of Twenty Three Layer’s services in three simple words—Event Design + Production
- The visuals go easy on the eyes, enabling potential clients to explore as much as they’d like before making a final decision
11. Zoe Braga Events
Zoe Braga Events is a company that creates and organizes wedding events in Mendocino County, CA.
Why its hero image is amazing:
- The beautiful use of white space in the upper two-thirds of the hero image symbolizes longevity and happiness, and it also naturally evokes the famous fairy tale trope of “living happily ever after”
- In planning a wedding, it’s all about taking care of the event’s logistics and letting the happy couple enjoy their biggest moment in life without undue stress; this hero image conveys those emotions very well
- The lack of sales copy in the header area personifies three important planning tenets: trustworthiness, integrity, and punctuality, all vital to possess, for an organization that you’d entrust to planning the most important day in your life
12. Kristin Banta Events
Kristin Banta Events, Inc. is a design, planning, and event production studio in Los Angeles, CA.
Why its hero image is amazing:
- Skilfully captured photographies visually explain the planning prowess and creativity of Kristin Banta Events, leaving it up to the site’s visitors to scroll through and pick their favorite ones to look at
- A slideshow of uniquely captivating hero images coexists together with some of the more traditional venue events that leave clients wanting for more, imploring them to convert without leaving the site
- The only text available on the landing page is the stylish brand logo and the top navigation bar, fully agreeing with the notion that an amazing hero image can be worth a thousand words
Farming and Gardening
The look and presentation of the food are equally as important as the way it’s sourced, and these websites utilize that fact to full effect. Here’s a quick rundown of some of the most prominent hero images in the farming and gardening space.
13. Urban Cultivator
Urban Cultivator is a hydroponics company that specializes in building high-quality indoor gardening appliances that can grow a variety of herbs, vegetables, and flowers for immediate use in commercial and residential kitchens.
Why its video presentation is amazing:
- On its homepage, Urban Cultivator greets visitors with a general overview of handling its indoor gardens and then using the microgreens generated through them in culinary recipes
- With a short and impactful headline that everyone can agree on, i.e., “Eat Better Food,” the hydroponics enterprise sets a precedent for delivering a clear message via simple means
- A concise top navigation menu above the main video presentation is a perfectly serviceable addition to an impeccable home and gardening website design
14. True Garden
True Garden is a vertical aeroponic food farm in Phoenix, AZ, whose facility is fully operated on solar power.
Why its hero images are amazing:
- Its hero image is divided into two main quadrants that perfectly summarize the farm’s main offers—on the left-hand side, visitors can browse through its four main seedling categories, including herbs, greens, fruits, and flowers, while on the right-hand side, interested parties are greeted with a sizeable banner that organically promotes the current month’s deal
- A slick and contemporary UX design aids greatly in nurturing a futuristic feel for True Garden’s vertical tower gardening system
- All image guidelines lead to a professional checkout system where customers can place their orders and earn special points to use in future plans
15. LEAF
LEAF is a non-profit, member-driven, and urban gardening community in Fremont, CA that helps members grow their own gardens in a sustainable way.
Why its hero images are amazing:
- It demonstrates its volunteers, students, and other members in action, tending to a beautifully lush garden that looks like it’s within everyone’s reach—a clear signal of a welcoming and open-minded community
- A poignant message below the hero image encompasses everything a striving member should adhere to if they want to become part of the group, and signals to future donors an openness to help and collaboration to achieve a common goal
- A clutter-free landing page provides resources for everyone willing to commit to the non-profit’s regenerative agriculture cause
Home Improvement and Repair
The aesthetics of a nice-looking home is the major selling point of home improvement services, and what better way to demonstrate the necessity of these services than a visually breathtaking website? The following examples feature some of the best hero images in the home improvement and repair niche.
16. Wischmeyer’s Plumbing Plus
Wischmeyer’s Plumbing Plus is a family-owned business that offers plumbing, hearing, and air conditioning services.
Why its hero image is amazing:
- The nature of its family-owned business, as well as the entire company’s cadre, is clearly displayed in the featured hero image for all interested clients to see—which adds another layer of credibility to Wischmeyer’s Plumbing’s offers
- An elevated view of the employees, vehicles, and equipment signals the business’ willingness to serve its customers regardless of what it takes to finish the job
- A stamp of customer approval on the left-hand side links to more than 3000 positive reviews about the firm’s past projects and the satisfied customers who bought its services
17. Mister Sparky
Mister Sparky is a franchising company that offers a variety of electrical services, including repair, maintenance, and safety consultation.
Why its hero image is amazing:
- A playful website design is accompanied by an intriguing hero image that tells a story of all the things that could go wrong if you don’t get professionals to do electric work on your properties
- The creative manner in which the hero image is presented indicates the firm’s collaborative nature and its openness to solve problems with minimal friction between the client and the service provider
- The great use of colors serves as a trail that leads visitors to one of the website’s many strategically placed CTAs, leading to improved conversion rates over the long haul
18. Bill Huey + Associates
Bill Huey + Associates is a full-service remodeling and architecture business in Charleston, SC.
Why its hero images are amazing:
- The elegant and slick style of the website’s many hero images gives off a feeling of being a high-end architecture and remodeling company
- Its minimalistic approach, together with the stellar portfolio showcase, all point to an established firm that strives to provide the best service possible
- The lack of distractions in the upper portion of the site makes the image slideshow take center stage, doubling as an organic advertisement for the firm’s home improvement offers
Ecommerce
Ecommerce sites heavily depend on their visual and graphic design to attract visitors and convert leads to repeat customers. Notice how these ecommerce businesses use the power of great hero images to improve their customer acquisition and retention process.
19. Europa Eyewear
Europa Eyewear is an optical wholesale B2B and B2C enterprise based in Vernon Hills, IL, featuring a strong ecommerce presence due to its modern and intuitive website design.
Why its hero image is amazing:
- A pleasant image shows a happy customer with a look that promises a better feature once they acquire one of the company’s glasses
- A Fast Company endorsement decorates the lower left quadrant of the hero image, communicating an impeccable reputation and a strong brand presence
- By focusing on emotions over product features, Europa Eyewear is trying to sell a striving ideal—rather than inundating visitors with statistics or comparison charts
20. Dollar Shave Club
Dollar Shave Club is a company that specializes in delivering personal grooming, hygiene, and care products to customers by mail.
Why its hero image is amazing:
- Visitors can see two of the company’s best-selling products propped against the background of a stylized American flag, communicating the firm’s roots and ambitions
- A short headline and an effective CTA button remind visitors what to do after they’ve witnessed the hero image and read the copy, improving click-through rates
- An impeccably designed hero image demonstrates Dollar Shave Club’s attention to detail and dedication to robust product quality
21. Ritual
Ritual is an ecommerce store that formulates and sells vitamin supplements for men and women.
Why its hero image is amazing:
- The vibrant color palette embodies health, vitality, and longevity—the perfect counterpart to combat fatigue and stress
- Every individual element in the hero image is carefully chosen not to overshadow the two CTAs in the bottom middle area, which is part of the main element that pushes visitors further down the sales funnel
- Participating in the customer journey feels organic and enjoyable
Pet Care and Supplies
Getting premium care for your pets is essential for their health and well-being, and businesses who know this are quick to visually express their reputation, past track record, and trustworthiness on their websites. Here are the best three.
22. District Dogs
District Dogs is a membership-based dog park that offers premium pet care, including boarding, grooming, and training services.
Why its hero image is amazing:
- A fun and playful diagonal design implores users to click and convert into paying customers as quickly as possible
- A gentle yellow color tint permeates the hero image, indicating energy, liveliness, and vigor that all pets should have, signaling to owners the capability of District Dogs to deliver on those promises and more
- A happy dog inhabits the image’s right-hand side, which is the best indicator of the type of services pet owners will get for their furry friends if they decide to join the club
23. Pet Poison Helpline
Pet Poison Helpline is a 24/7 animal poison control emergency service for pet owners and veterinarians.
Why its hero image is amazing:
- A bold typeface and striking colors immediately draw the visitor’s attention to the contact information, including the emergency instructions where they can act quickly to prevent the worst-case scenario for their affected pet
- A clear visual hierarchy of the headline, number, and next steps inside the hero image makes all the important information easy to comprehend for incoming visitors
- A cute, but slightly concerned canine sends a visual signal that tells visitors they’ve landed on the right page
24. Only Natural Pet
Only Natural Pet is a pet care, food, and supplies vendor that sells high-quality pet nutrition products and eco-friendly pet accessories, promoting a natural lifestyle for all furry friends.
Why its hero image is amazing:
- A well-groomed canine is posing playfully on the right-hand side, while a sizable content card on the left-hand side enhances the shopping experience for new and repeat patrons alike
- In the sales copy, Only Natural Pet reinforces the notion that environmental sustainability and a holistic approach to pet care go hand-in-hand, further strengthening the organization’s noble mission statement
- A code for 20% off all Only Natural Pet products sits just above the CTA, providing additional incentives for the site’s guests to make a purchase
Fashion and Accessories
Fashion is a predominantly visual medium, and those who don’t adhere to this adage are likely failing to attract customers. On the other hand, the digital presences of the following three fashion and accessories brands are a sight to behold.
25. Marrisa Wilson
Marrisa Wilson is a contemporary women’s apparel brand that stands out thanks to its daring and unconventional approach to fashion.
Why its hero image is amazing:
- Bold and bright colors provide a contrasting experience between the site’s background and the Guyanese-American designer’s featured piece of the day
- The alluring photography captures the essence of the brand, exuding an innovative and vibrant feel that jibes well with the surrounding environment in the hero image
- The font, menu, and CTAs are very inconspicuous, perhaps to a certain fault, and they barely detract from the visual experience of the page
26. GANNI
GANNI is a fashion and lifestyle brand that offers everyday clothing items and eco-friendly products.
Why its hero image is amazing:
- A visually authentic experience greets the visitor and doesn’t let go long after they’ve left the site, which leaves a lasting impression on those interested in becoming loyal brand ambassadors
- Simple complementary colors showcase part of GANNI’s latest line—a button-down, medium-length skirt with a leopard pattern and plenty of room to breathe to withstand those long, hot summer days
- Clicking the hero image leads the visitor to the new arrivals page, providing a casual and frictionless shopping experience
27. Nike
Nike is the world’s leading provider of athletic footwear, apparel, and sports equipment.
Why its hero image is amazing:
- The entire hero image is a hyperlink, leading potential customers directly to Nike’s store regardless of where they click on the page above the fold
- A bold and emphatic typeface accompanies the famous Nike swoosh, making it easier for visitors to recognize the iconic logo at first glance
- The copy is always on point, promoting healthy improvement with “Go back better” and urging new talent to “Win from the start”—in school, the gym, or elsewhere
Travel, Expediting, and Transportation
An effective travel hero image is like a postcard from a faraway place: it’s vibrant, and exotic, and often assists in waking up that adventurous spirit that lies dormant in ourselves. Here are the best hero image examples from sites in the travel and transportation industry.
28. Smart Trip
Smart Trip organizes tours for college students studying abroad in Europe at affordable prices.
Why its hero image is amazing:
- Smart Trip focuses on energetic imagery and past student trips to tell a captivating story of why students should choose the titular company’s tours over other travel experiences
- A high-octane action shot defines the agency using a single, static frame
- A strong emphasis on capturing the right travel moment makes Smart Trip the perfect example of how to utilize an amazing hero image to its highest potential
29. Lonely Planet
Lonely Planet is a travel publication featuring high-quality travel stories readers can access for free.
Why its hero image is amazing:
- Three clickable stories with three different travel photos complete the page’s hero section, offering a glimpse of what readers can experience by engaging with one of the site’s many sections
- The stories rotate weekly, so visitors can never feel a dull moment while browsing the site
- The copywriting below features a playful headline that continues to build on the already-established travel narrative—”Where to next?”
30. Top Shelf Expediting
Top Shelf Expediting is a shipping business offering elegant solutions to the current setbacks in the supply chain industry.
Why its hero image is amazing:
- A sophisticated aesthetic invokes a country feeling that seamlessly integrates with the organization’s mission statement
- The exceptional imagery of a truck in motion almost urges future clients to bookmark the page for regular use
- Logically and naturally arranged menu items make it easy for visitors to find what they’re looking for on the page
31. Trainline
Trainline is a travel platform that offers tickets and trip-planning itineraries at competitive prices.
Why its hero image is amazing:
- Ditching a classical hero image for a graphic featuring simple geometric shapes and colors, Trainline’s main focus falls on simplicity, punctuality, and effectiveness in trip organization
- The hero image is secondary to the site’s main functionality, enhancing the search bar by pointing to the left
- A strategically placed advanced search card makes it easy for visitors to plan their favorite routes quickly and efficiently, finishing with a clearly visible CTA in what seems to be one of the best-designed UI on this list
