[Fiona Freelance Financier]

Hello — I run a small personal website and I’m curious about using AI to generate the large “hero” images at the top of pages. I’m not technical and would like a simple, practical workflow that gets attractive results without a steep learning curve.

What I’m hoping to learn:

• Beginner-friendly tools or services that work well for hero images.
• A short, step-by-step workflow (prompt → generate → edit → optimize).
• Basic tips on prompts, image size/format, and accessibility (alt text).
• Any licensing or copyright things I should watch for.

If you have a quick example prompt, recommended tool, or a simple before/after tip, I’d really appreciate it. Links to tutorials or example images are welcome too. Thanks — looking forward to practical suggestions from people who’ve tried this!

[aaron]

Make your hero image sell—don’t let it sit there pretty and do nothing.

Problem: your website’s hero is the first thing visitors see and the last thing they remember. Generic stock photos and busy compositions kill conversions. With AI you can create unique, on-brand hero images that load fast and drive clicks—without needing a designer.

Why this matters: a strong hero image improves click-through rate, reduces bounce, and increases time on page. Small visual lifts here translate to measurable revenue gains.

Quick lesson from practice: the highest-performing hero images focus on one idea, a clear focal point, and contrast that supports the headline and CTA.

1. Prepare (what you’ll need)
   • Brand brief: headline, CTA, 1–2 core messages, brand colors, logo.
   • Desired dimensions: e.g., 1600×900 for desktop hero; 800×450 for mobile.
   • An AI image generator account (examples: Stable Diffusion, Midjourney, DALL·E) and a simple image editor (canva, Photoshop or equivalent).
2. Create initial concepts
   1. Write 3 short prompts matched to your message and style (minimal, photographic, illustrative).
   2. Generate 6–9 variations (3 prompts × 2–3 seeds) to explore composition.
3. Refine for focus and readability
   • Choose images with a clear negative space area for headline/text.
   • Adjust color grading to preserve CTA contrast (dark overlay, light text, etc.).
4. Optimize and implement
   1. Crop to responsive sizes, compress for web (WebP or optimized JPEG), add alt text and descriptive filename.
   2. Upload as A/B test variants (control vs 2 AI variants).

Copy-paste AI prompt (start here):

“Create a clean, minimal hero image for a SaaS homepage. Style: realistic photography with soft lighting and shallow depth of field. Focal subject: a confident middle-aged professional using a laptop at a modern desk. Color palette: brand blue (#0A66C2), warm neutrals. Composition: left third negative space for headline, right third with subject. Mood: professional, approachable, trustworthy. High resolution, 1600×900, no text or logos.”

Metrics to track

• Hero CTR (clicks on primary CTA from hero) — baseline and change.
• Bounce rate and time on page for users who land on page.
• Conversion rate for visitors entering through hero CTA.
• Image load time and Core Web Vitals (LCP impact).

Common mistakes & fixes

• Busy imagery that buries the headline — fix: add negative space or overlay.
• Low contrast text area — fix: darken background behind text or choose lighter text.
• Using single image without testing — fix: run A/B tests with 2 variants.
• Ignoring mobile crops — fix: generate/crop mobile-specific assets.

1-week action plan (exact steps)

1. Day 1: Define message, CTA, sizes, and brand colors.
2. Day 2: Draft 3 prompts and generate 9 images.
3. Day 3: Select top 3, refine prompts for 2 final variants.
4. Day 4: Edit, crop, compress, add alt text.
5. Day 5: Implement A/B test on your page.
6. Day 6–7: Collect data and review KPI changes; iterate based on results.

Your move.

Aaron Agius

[Jeff Bullas]

Hook: Your hero image should sell, not just sit pretty. With a few AI prompts and a tidy testing plan you can create on-brand, fast-loading hero images that lift clicks and lower bounce.

Why this matters

A clear, single idea with negative space for your headline is one of the fastest ways to improve conversions. AI lets you iterate quickly and produce unique visuals without hiring a designer.

What you’ll need

• Brand brief: headline, CTA, 1–2 core messages, primary brand color, logo file.
• Target sizes: desktop (e.g., 1600×900), tablet, mobile crop.
• An AI image generator account and a simple editor (Canva, Figma or Photoshop).
• Image optimizer (WebP export or compressor) and your A/B test tool.

Step-by-step — quick and practical

1. Write 3 focused prompts: photographic, illustrative, and abstract. Include composition (where negative space should be), mood, color palette, and “no text or logos.”
2. Generate 6–9 variations (3 prompts × 2–3 seeds). Save the best 3.
3. Refine chosen images: crop to responsive sizes, add subtle overlay for headline contrast, place logo separately (don’t bake into image).
4. Export optimized files (WebP or compressed JPEG), add descriptive alt text and filenames.
5. Run an A/B test: control vs 2 AI variants. Measure hero CTR, bounce rate, time on page and LCP impact.

Copy-paste AI prompts (start here)

Photographic prompt (best for professional sites): “Create a clean, minimal hero image for a SaaS homepage. Realistic photo style, soft natural light, shallow depth of field. Focal subject: a confident middle-aged professional at a modern desk using a laptop. Composition: left third negative space for headline, subject on the right. Color palette: brand blue #0A66C2 and warm neutrals. Mood: approachable, trustworthy. High resolution, 1600×900, no text or logos, no recognizable public figures.”

Illustrative prompt (friendly brand): “Create a flat-style illustration hero image for a product homepage. Simple shapes, clear left negative space for headline, a single focal icon of a dashboard on a laptop, color palette matching brand blue #0A66C2 and soft cream. Minimal detail, high contrast for readability, 1600×900, no text or logos.”

Common mistakes & fixes

• Busy image that buries the headline — fix: choose images with clear negative space or add a 30–60% dark overlay behind text.
• Low contrast text area — fix: change overlay, switch to light/dark text, or move headline to the negative space.
• Only desktop crop — fix: generate/crop mobile-specific assets and test them.
• Using images with trademarks or real public figures — fix: keep prompts generic and avoid likenesses.

1-week action plan

1. Day 1: Create brief, choose sizes and brand colors.
2. Day 2: Draft 3 prompts and generate 9 images.
3. Day 3: Select top 3 and refine prompts for final two variants.
4. Day 4: Edit, crop, overlay, and compress.
5. Day 5: Launch A/B test (control + 2 variants).
6. Day 6–7: Review metrics, pick winner, iterate.

Final reminder: Start small, test fast, and iterate. The biggest gains come from one clear idea, readable text, and a clean CTA. Your move — generate, test, and improve.

[Ian Investor]

Quick win (under 5 minutes): pick your current hero, add a 30–50% dark overlay on the left third and move your headline into that clear space. You’ll immediately improve readability and reduce bounce — no redesign needed.

What you’ll need: a short brand brief (headline, one CTA, primary color), one hero image (or three quick AI variants), a simple editor (Canva, Figma or similar), and an image optimizer. Expect to spend an hour to generate alternatives and one day to run a basic A/B test.

1. Prepare (5–30 minutes)
   • Decide the single idea your hero must communicate (benefit, not feature).
   • Note target sizes (desktop and mobile crops) and the color you’ll use for CTAs.
2. Generate options (15–60 minutes)
   • Use an AI image tool to create 3 distinct style directions: photographic, illustrative, and abstract. In each request, ask for clear negative space on one side, a neutral mood, and no text or logos.
   • Save 6–9 variations so you have room to choose strong compositions.
3. Refine for clarity (10–40 minutes)
   • Pick images with a dominant focal point and obvious negative space for the headline.
   • Add a subtle overlay behind text, check contrast for accessibility, and crop separate assets for mobile.
4. Optimize and test (30–90 minutes setup; 1 week to collect data)
   • Compress to WebP or optimized JPEG, add descriptive alt text, and implement two AI variants vs your current hero as an A/B test.
   • Track hero CTR, bounce rate, time on page and LCP impact. Expect small lifts (single-digit % CTR gains) that compound if you iterate.

What to expect: quick visual improvements in readability and engagement; measurable but modest conversion lift on the first test. The biggest wins come from one clear idea, obvious negative space for copy, and testing at least two variants.

Concise tip: when you refine images, separate logo and headline from the raster image — keep them as HTML/CSS so you can tweak contrast and copy without re-exporting the graphic.

[aaron]

Nice quick win — that 30–50% left-third overlay is the fastest readability hack you can do. I’ll add the next steps so you turn that visual fix into measurable lifts.

Problem: a readable hero is necessary but not sufficient. If you stop at an overlay you miss the chance to test creative direction, impact on CTA clicks, and page performance.

Why this matters: small visual lifts here compound. A clearer hero increases hero CTR, lowers bounce, improves time on page — and those feed conversions downstream.

Real lesson: make the hero do one thing: carry the headline and get the click. AI speeds up variants so you can test what works, not guess.

1. What you’ll need
   • Brand brief: headline, single CTA, brand color, logo (separate SVG).
   • Target sizes: desktop (1600×900), mobile crop (800×450).
   • AI image generator account (Midjourney/Stable Diffusion/DALL·E), simple editor (Canva/Figma), image optimizer (WebP).
   • A/B test tool or ability to swap images and track events.
2. Step-by-step (do this now)
   1. Apply the left-third 40% dark overlay and move headline into that space — deploy as a quick red/green test.
   2. Create 3 AI prompts: photographic, illustrative, abstract. Generate 6–9 images total.
   3. Pick two finalists, crop for mobile, add 20–40% overlay variants to ensure text contrast.
   4. Export optimized WebP, add descriptive alt text, and run A/B test: control vs A vs B for 7 days.

Copy-paste AI prompt (start here):

“Create a clean, minimal hero image for a SaaS homepage. Style: realistic photo, soft natural light, shallow depth of field. Subject: confident 40–60-year-old professional at a modern desk using a laptop (no recognizable public figures). Composition: left third clear negative space for headline, subject on right. Color palette: brand blue #0A66C2 and warm neutrals. Mood: approachable, trustworthy. High resolution 1600×900, no text or logos, no trademarks.”

Do / Don’t checklist

• Do: Keep logo and headline in HTML/CSS, test 2 AI variants, crop for mobile, optimize file size.
• Don’t: Bake text into the raster image, use busy images that hide CTA, skip mobile crops.

Metrics to track

• Hero CTR (primary CTA clicks from hero).
• Bounce rate and time on page for hero traffic.
• Conversion rate for visitors entering via hero.
• Image load time and LCP contribution.

Common mistakes & fixes

• Busy composition — fix: choose images with clear negative space or add overlay.
• Low text contrast — fix: stronger overlay or move text to negative space.
• One-off image — fix: always test at least two variants.

Worked example (hypothetical)

Before: control hero CTR 2.8%, bounce 58%. Quick overlay lift to 3.3% (deploy in 5 minutes). After testing two AI variants, Variant B wins at 3.9% CTR (+1.1 percentage points, ~40% relative). Time on page up 12 seconds. Actionable insight: swap in Variant B and iterate copy.

1. 1-week action plan
   1. Day 1: Apply overlay and deploy quick A/B test.
   2. Day 2: Draft 3 prompts, generate 9 images.
   3. Day 3: Select top 3, create final 2 variants (desktop + mobile crops).
   4. Day 4: Export optimized assets, add alt text, set up test tracking.
   5. Day 5: Launch A/B test (control + 2 variants).
   6. Day 6–7: Review metrics, pick winner, iterate copy and color if needed.

Your move.

[Jeff Bullas]

Make your hero image work harder than your headline. You’ve nailed the readability hack. Now let’s turn that into a repeatable system that reliably lifts clicks without hiring a designer.

Quick refinement (so you don’t leave money on the table): don’t lock your A/B test to 7 days. Run until you have enough data. Aim for at least 150–200 hero CTA clicks in total (or a full business cycle of 10–14 days) so you’re confident in the winner. Low traffic? Run longer and avoid calling it early.

Why this works: AI lets you explore creative directions fast, then your metrics tell you which one earns the click. One clear idea, safe space for copy, and on-brand contrast usually deliver the first lift. Iteration compounds it.

What you’ll need

• Brand notes: one benefit-led headline, one CTA, brand color hex, logo as SVG.
• Sizes: desktop 1600×900, mobile 800×450, plus a “safe zone” for text on the left third.
• AI image tool of choice and a simple editor (for crop, background removal, overlays).
• Image optimizer (export WebP or optimized JPEG) and your A/B test or analytics setup.

The system (step-by-step)

1. Define the one idea. What benefit should the hero communicate in 7 words? Write the headline first; your image should support it, not compete.
2. Generate three creative directions. Ask for: photographic, illustrative, and abstract. In each, require a clear left-third negative space and “no text or logos.” Create 2–3 variations per direction (6–9 total).
3. Select and sanity-check. Pick two finalists with a single focal point and clean background. Zoom in for AI artifacts (hands, glasses, edges). If needed, regenerate or retouch quickly.
4. Prepare responsive crops. Mark a left-third safe area for copy so it survives mobile crops. Export desktop and mobile versions separately.
5. Use an adjustable overlay in your page, not baked into the image. Add a CSS gradient overlay on the hero container so you can tune 20–40% darkness without re-exporting. This is the fastest way to fix contrast after you ship.
6. Optimize for speed. Export WebP (keep under ~250–350 KB if you can). Set proper dimensions, and ensure the hero isn’t lazy-loaded so it doesn’t hurt LCP.
7. Test properly. Run control vs Variant A vs Variant B. Track hero CTA clicks, bounce, time on page, and LCP. Let the test run until you have enough clicks to be confident (see refinement above).
8. Ship the winner and iterate. Keep your overlay adjustable and your copy in HTML/CSS so you can tweak headline and contrast in minutes.

Copy-paste AI prompts (premium templates)

• Photographic (professional services/SaaS): “Create a clean, minimal hero image for a B2B SaaS homepage. Realistic photo style, soft natural light, shallow depth of field. Subject: confident 45–60-year-old professional at a modern desk using a laptop (no recognizable public figures). Composition: clear left-third negative space for headline, subject on right. Color palette: brand blue [#YOURHEX] with warm neutrals. Mood: professional, approachable, trustworthy. High resolution 1600×900, no text, no logos, no trademarks.”
• Illustrative (friendly brand): “Create a flat vector-style hero illustration. Single focal scene: open laptop showing a simplified dashboard icon. Composition: large left-third negative space for headline. Palette: brand blue [#YOURHEX], soft cream, and one accent color. Clean shapes, minimal detail, high contrast for readability. 1600×900, no text or logos.”
• Abstract (fast-loading + versatile): “Design an abstract hero background with soft gradients and subtle geometric shapes. Composition: smooth left-third area with very low detail for easy text overlay. Palette: brand blue [#YOURHEX] plus two harmonious neutrals. Gentle depth, no noise, no text or symbols. 1600×900, high contrast potential.”

Insider trick: composite for control. If the background is busy, generate two images: a clean abstract background plate and a subject shot. Remove the subject background in your editor and place it on the abstract plate. You get strong focus, natural negative space, and easy color control.

Quality checks before you publish

• Headline contrast meets accessibility (aim for AA-level contrast; if it’s tight, strengthen the overlay or lighten text).
• Subject doesn’t collide with the headline in the mobile crop.
• No baked-in text or logos inside the image.
• File size is reasonable and LCP doesn’t degrade after launch.
• Alt text describes the purpose (e.g., “Professional using laptop in modern workspace, supporting our productivity software headline”).

Common mistakes & fixes

• Mistake: Overlays fixed at 40% flatten the image. Fix: keep overlays adjustable in CSS and tune between 20–35% based on the headline and background.
• Mistake: One strong desktop design that fails on mobile. Fix: re-crop for mobile and protect the left-third safe zone.
• Mistake: Faces or hands look “off.” Fix: regenerate, retouch, or switch to illustrative/abstract.
• Mistake: Calling the test early. Fix: wait for enough CTA clicks to be confident, even if it takes 10–14 days.

Worked example (what to expect)

• Baseline hero CTR: 2.8%, bounce 58%.
• After readability overlay + mobile crop: CTR 3.3%.
• After testing two AI variants: Variant B reaches 3.8–4.0% CTR, bounce drops 4–6 points. That’s a modest change with meaningful downstream impact.

7-day plan (simple and repeatable)

1. Day 1: Write headline/CTA; choose brand color and sizes; define left-third safe zone.
2. Day 2: Generate 3 directions (9 images). Pick top 2 finalists.
3. Day 3: Prepare desktop/mobile crops; composite if needed; keep overlay adjustable.
4. Day 4: Optimize to WebP; set alt text; confirm LCP is healthy.
5. Day 5: Launch control vs A vs B. Track hero CTA event.
6. Day 6–7: Let data accrue; do not call early. Tune overlay if readability is borderline.

Final nudge: you don’t need a redesign. Generate two focused variants, keep your overlay adjustable, and test until you’re confident. Small, consistent lifts here compound into real revenue.

[Author]

Posts