Best Hero Section Layouts to Captivate Visitors

First Principles of a Money-Making Hero

• Clarity > Clever: What you do, for whom, and where—stated in one line.
• One primary action: A single dominant CTA. Everything else supports it.
• Instant proof: Ratings, logos, outcomes, or micro-case studies near the CTA.
• Performance discipline: Lightweight media, explicit dimensions, lazy-load below the fold.
• Accessibility built in: Real headings, contrast, focus states, and motion safety.

8 High-Converting Hero Layouts (When to Use Each)

Hero Copy That Converts (10-Second Formula)

1. Who & Where: “Website redesigns for California service businesses.”
2. Outcome: “Ship fast, rank faster, convert consistently.”
3. CTA with Expectation: “Book a 15-min fit call — reply within 1 business day.”
4. Proof Near CTA: “42 reviews · 4.9/5 · case studies inside.”

Avoid vague benefits. Name the action, the timeframe, and the response policy.

Media & Performance: Fast First, Fancy Later

• Export hero images to AVIF/WebP with explicit width and height to prevent CLS.
• Set fetchpriority="high" on the LCP image only if it is the true LCP element.
• Use preload for the primary font file; keep weights lean; include font-display: swap.
• Defer noncritical JS; keep hero interactivity under ~10 KB (text size); inline only what’s critical.

Accessibility Non-Negotiables

• Real h1 for the page title; headings in order.
• Buttons are buttons (not links); links go to places.
• 44×44 px hit targets; visible focus ring; keyboard-navigable menus.
• Respect prefers-reduced-motion; offer a still image fallback for video.
• Text and interactive contrast meet WCAG AA.

Tailwind Snippets (Drop-In)

Split Grid Hero

<section class="relative isolate">
  <div class="mx-auto max-w-6xl px-6 py-16 grid items-center gap-10 md:grid-cols-2">
    <div>
      <h1 class="text-4xl font-extrabold tracking-tight text-[#263f4e] dark:text-gray-100">
        Fast, hand-coded static sites for California service businesses
      </h1>
      <p class="mt-3 text-gray-600 dark:text-gray-400">Ship fast. Rank faster. Convert consistently.</p>

      <div class="mt-6 flex flex-wrap items-center gap-3">
        <a href="/workwithus/" class="inline-flex items-center justify-center rounded-md bg-[#d4a856] px-5 py-3 text-sm font-semibold text-black
           hover:bg-gradient-to-r hover:from-[#587b91] hover:to-[#d4a856] hover:text-white
           transition-all duration-200 focus:outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-[#d4a856] min-h-[44px] min-w-[44px]">
          Start Your Project
        </a>
        <a href="/portfolio/" class="inline-flex items-center justify-center rounded-md ring-1 ring-[#8b969a] px-5 py-3 text-sm font-semibold text-[#587b91]
           hover:ring-[#d4a856] hover:text-black transition-all duration-200 focus:outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-[#d4a856] min-h-[44px]">
          See Our Work
        </a>
      </div>

      <div class="mt-4 flex items-center gap-4 text-sm text-[#263f4e]/80 dark:text-gray-300">
        <div class="flex items-center gap-1"><span aria-hidden="true">★ ★ ★ ★ ★</span><span class="sr-only">5 out of 5 stars</span></div>
        <span>42 reviews</span><span aria-hidden="true">·</span><a href="/blog/case-studies/" class="underline">Case studies</a>
      </div>
    </div>

    <div class="relative">
      <img src="/assets/images/webp/pillar-pages/maelstrom_main.webp" alt="Recent build preview"
           width="960" height="720" fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="rounded-xl shadow-sm w-full h-auto" />
    </div>
  </div>
</section>

Billboard with Proof Rail

<section class="mx-auto max-w-5xl px-6 py-16 text-center">
  <h1 class="text-4xl md:text-5xl font-extrabold text-[#263f4e] dark:text-gray-100">
    Own your market with a site built to convert
  </h1>
  <p class="mt-3 text-gray-600 dark:text-gray-400">Eleventy · Vanilla JS · Netlify · SEO baked in.</p>
  <div class="mt-5 flex flex-wrap justify-center items-center gap-4 text-sm text-[#263f4e]/80 dark:text-gray-300">
    <div class="flex items-center gap-1"><span aria-hidden="true">★★★★★</span><span class="sr-only">5 stars</span></div>
    <span>Trusted by 120+ California SMBs</span><span aria-hidden="true">·</span><a href="/portfolio/" class="underline">See logos</a>
  </div>
  <div class="mt-6">
    <a href="/workwithus/" class="inline-flex items-center justify-center rounded-md bg-[#d4a856] px-6 py-3 text-sm font-semibold text-black
       hover:bg-[#caa24b] transition-colors focus:outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-[#d4a856] min-h-[44px]">
      Book a 15-min fit call
    </a>
  </div>
</section>

Video Background (Motion-Safe)

<section class="relative isolate overflow-hidden">
  <video class="absolute inset-0 h-full w-full object-cover opacity-30" autoplay muted loop playsinline aria-hidden="true">
    <source src="/assets/video/hero.webm" type="video/webm">
    <source src="/assets/video/hero.mp4" type="video/mp4">
  </video>
  <div class="relative mx-auto max-w-5xl px-6 py-28">
    <h1 class="text-4xl md:text-5xl font-extrabold text-white drop-shadow">Build once. Win daily.</h1>
    <p class="mt-3 text-white/90">Static speed, dynamic growth.</p>
    <a href="/workwithus/" class="mt-6 inline-flex items-center justify-center rounded-md bg-white px-6 py-3 text-sm font-semibold text-black
       hover:opacity-90 focus:outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-white min-h-[44px]">Start Your Project</a>
  </div>
</section>

<script>
// Respect reduced motion
if (window.matchMedia('(prefers-reduced-motion: reduce)').matches) {
  document.querySelectorAll('video[autoplay]').forEach(v => { v.removeAttribute('autoplay'); v.pause(); });
}
</script>

Hero QA Checklist

• Single, specific headline (what, who, where) and a single primary CTA.
• Proof within the first viewport (ratings, logos, or concrete outcomes).
• Hero media has explicit width & height; LCP stays ≤ 2.5 s.
• Buttons are reachable by keyboard; focus ring is visible.
• Contrast meets WCAG AA; motion respects user preference.
• No layout shift when fonts load; only essential scripts run before interaction.

FAQs

Which layout converts best?

For service businesses, the Split Grid and Billboard routinely outperform—clear copy left, proof near the CTA, and fast media.

Should I put a form in the hero?

Only if intent is urgent. Keep it to two fields plus CTA and move the rest to intake. Always include labels and inline error text.

Can I use a background video?

Yes—compress hard, provide a poster, ensure contrast, and pause for users who prefer reduced motion.

Key Takeaways

• Clarity, a single action, and immediate proof beat flashy art direction.
• Pick a layout that mirrors the buying context, not your mood board.
• Obsess over performance and accessibility—ranking and conversions depend on them.