How to choose a hero image for an online store?

Finding a hero image for you online store might be challenging. Here are some tips how to choose a top-performing hero image:

1. If you already have some brands and products on your store, consider a product picture for your hero. It can be either a clean, white-background image or something more styled.
2. Ensure the product in the image is clearly visible and in sharp focus.
3. If you still, here are some available brands which don’t need any approval from a brand and whose pictures can you use right away. Of course, designer brands like for example Nordhale, March Design and Mirgoods have cooler pictures, but they also require first approval.

But what if I don’t have any products yet?

1. First impressions are crucial. Choose a hero image that conveys emotion. What feelings do you want to evoke in your customers? Seeking tranquility, joy, or a good laugh? Or maybe you want to exude luxury and create a fear of missing out on the fantastic products you are going to offer?
2. If you already know the category / niche of your store, you can go from there.Say you’re launching an online store for children’s toys and clothing. Your hero image doesn’t need to showcase the exact items you’re selling, but it could be kids enjoying themselves. There are plenty of royalty-free image resources with excellent stock photos for everyone’s use. I recommend a playful shot from Unsplash or a creative option from Pixabay.
3. To be honest, in some cases we have seen that stores that have lot’s of products and nice product pictures, still use a photo or a video from Unsplash, Pixaybay or some other photobank. It just gives a better overall mood sometimes if choosing the right one of course. Our own Hertwill’s Shopify demo store has a hero image from Pexels. Some, more bold might even try using AI to generate a picture.

General tips

1. Your hero image should have a single point of focus—either the product or the emotion—and minimal clutter. Overly busy images with excessive colors or objects can overwhelm and confuse users.
2. A great photo often adheres to the rule of the Golden Ratio.
3. Check that your hero image scales well on mobile and tablet devices. About 70-80% of your users will visit your store via mobile, so it’s a cliche, but think mobile first.
4. The hero image should complement your copy. Craft engaging and clever text for your hero image. Steer clear of clichés and aim for a unique message. Also, avoid using fonts that are too elaborate and difficult to read.
5. The picture should have ample space for your copy, as demonstrated by this stock image from Pexels.