Hero shots are a type of photography with a variety of professional applications. They are used to capture the beauty and power of a subject, and to convey a sense of confidence, strength, and accomplishment. Used in a variety of industries and contexts, hero shots are a popular choice for product photography, fashion photography, editorial photography, and more. As the name implies, hero shots focus on the subject and the story they are telling. By capturing a moment in time and leveraging the power of the image, hero shots are a powerful tool for any photographer. In this blog post, we’ll explore what a hero shot is and how to create an effective and compelling one. We’ll discuss the basics of composition and lighting, best practices for creating hero shots, and how to use them in a variety of industries. Whether you’re a professional photographer or an amateur looking to up your game, this post will help you create stunning hero shots that tell a compelling story.
The importance of a hero shot for marketing
Because it serves as a visual representation of the initiative, a hero shot is an essential component of marketing. This is helpful for demonstrating the product’s value and why it is worthwhile to purchase or invest in. An effective hero shot can then enhance the outcomes of other elements, such as:
Conversion rate
Conversion is the process by which individuals who have seen an advertisement turn into paying clients who purchase the item in that advertisement. A common metric used in marketing campaigns is the conversion rate, which quantifies the proportion of site visitors who make purchases.
People resonate with engaging, relevant imagery. Such images can get 94% more views, which may lead to a higher conversation rate and increased revenue growth It’s crucial to guarantee that a hero shot’s visual quality is high and appropriate for the overall marketing goal in order to promote high conversion rates.
Bounce rate
When a user visits a website, the bounce rate metric counts how many of them leave right away without looking at any other pages on the website. The objective of a marketing campaign is to have a low bounce rate. More people are staying on your website as it gets lower
For example, if you have a bounce rate as low as 1%, then your customer conversion rates are healthy, and visitors are sufficiently engaged with the website Based on industry standards, a bounce rate of less than 2% is adequate If you find that the bounce rate for your website exceeds 5%, then it may be necessary to identify which marketing campaign elements and website details can be updated to address any future bounce rate concerns
What is a hero shot?
The hero shot is the name for the main image or video that appears on a website’s landing page. It may also be used to describe a picture that sums up a marketing campaign. The hero shot should accurately depict a service or item offered, as well as any related behavior that demonstrates the website’s and business’s intended use. A hero shot will probably be used in some capacity by practically any business that has an online platform.
Most hero shots are intended to subtly entice customers to purchase a good or service. This isn’t always the case, though; it ultimately depends on the particular circumstances and requirements for the hero shot. Some stir up viewers’ emotions strongly and promote an educational message or agenda, like what you might find on a news website.
Types of hero shots
Here are three types of hero shots to consider:
Product-focused hero shots
A picture of the company’s main product serves as the “product-focused hero shot.” On the landing page, there may be several hero images that change every few seconds. This strategy is the most popular and is crucial to a marketing campaign, especially when the product’s design is a crucial factor. For products like jewelry, furniture, cars, clothing, and other things that people find attractive, you might see a product-focused hero shot. A compelling product hero image can pique people’s interest in the rest of what the business has to offer.
Process-focused hero shots
Instead of concentrating on a product’s appearance, the process-focused hero shot demonstrates to viewers how the product works and illustrates its capabilities. For this kind of hero shot, a video is especially helpful because viewers will be more engaged if the hero shot actively demonstrates how a product works.
The process-focused hero shot is also beneficial for businesses that offer services as opposed to products. This style of marketing communication may be used to promote a streaming service or a program for weight loss.
Outcome-focused hero shots
The primary goal of outcome-focused hero shots is to highlight the outcome of the good or service. It depicts a progression of what you might gain if you purchase the item or subscribe to the service. With video and time-lapse photography, the outcome focus is effective because it demonstrates how a company’s product is developed. When using the outcome-focused hero shot, it’s crucial to maintain positive imagery, so it’s preferable to emphasize the benefits gained rather than the problem that needs to be fixed.
Characteristics of an effective hero shot
The following traits can be found in an efficient hero shot:
Captions
An explanation or description of the good or service is provided in the caption. The caption ought to be in line with the hero image and provide context for what it depicts. Visitors read the caption 200% more than the actual body paragraphs on a webpage, so an engaging caption can improve the influence a hero shot has over the audience
Visuals
The visuals of the hero shot refer to its realism. Since real people—like delighted customers or actual employees—create a stronger emotional connection with viewers and website visitors, effective hero shots frequently feature them. Using real people in hero shots improves site conversion rates by 35%, so its an element to consider when deciding what kind of hero shot to use on your websites landing page However, a hero shot doesnt have to be a person. It could be a nonliving thing, an animal, or even an animated drawing. In the end, the hero shot’s aesthetic will depend on your company’s unique business requirements.
Contextualization
A hero shot’s effectiveness can be increased by demonstrating the good or service in use so that people can see a favorable example of its application. For instance, contextualizing the product might entail using a hero shot of a person jogging on a hiking trail with the gadget carefully placed on their arm if your business sells heartbeat monitors for runners.
Focus point
The focus point of a photograph is the object that subjects are looking at. Sometimes, this minor detail can affect where a visitor looks first. The photo subjects should ideally be gazing at the most important element. To demonstrate that ice cream has a satisfying taste, a young girl should appear to be actively enjoying it in an ice cream company’s photograph of her trying a new flavor.
One product
Many businesses and companies offer multiple goods and services. However, it might be preferable to show just one item in the hero shot. This can lessen the burden of choice for visitors and improve their comfort level while using the site. If you sell knit sweaters and bed frames, for instance, you might try showcasing just one of those in the hero shot. In the end, you might have to decide which product being marketed as the hero shot is most useful.
Body language
It’s important to take into account people’s body language if you’re using them in the hero shot. This has the potential to affect how viewers interpret the photograph’s message, so it must accurately reflect the website’s goal and overarching theme. When modeling the people in the shot, it’s important to keep in mind that different people will interpret postures like crossing your arms or placing your hands on your hips in different ways.
Tips for creating a hero shot
Here are some pointers to assist you in producing a powerful hero shot:
Hire a professional
A professional videographer has the advantage of knowing how to transform your message into moving images that complement your brand and the aesthetic of your website. You can collaborate to create the ideal hero shots for your company’s requirements by consulting experts to decide what visual representation you want to include.
Match hero shot with keywords
A successful hero shot should be in line with the text and key phrases that brought the visitor to the landing page. From the initial search to clicking the link and loading the webpage, this path should line up properly. For instance, the hero shot on the landing page should likely feature something related to healthy foods or food catering if a user searched for a healthy-food catering service.
Take many hero shots
It can be challenging to capture the meaning you want to convey in your first photo. It’s best to have a variety of hero shots to choose from. Just some practice and some trial and error will help you get the right picture for your hero shot. You can experiment with a variety of angles for your hero shots, including:
Make it authentic
When a hero shot is an original photo or video rather than stock photography that anyone can use, it is considered to be authentic. It is more authentic if you take the picture yourself or hire a professional to do it for you. By using a high-quality camera and working during the day when there is good, natural light, you can also enhance the photos’ quality.
Make it consistent
When a hero shot matches the other elements on the landing page, it is consistent. It helps to have a legible font if the text is displayed above the hero shot. Any element on the landing page should coordinate and match. Visually, coordinated color schemes that have a deliberate thematic design and usage look good together. Additionally, the words on the landing page ought to be in line with one another.
For instance, if a picture of a wooden house is present, the captions should be relevant to the home, and the colors of the webpage should complement those in the picture. This level of consistency results in a more efficient, consistent landing page.
