Did you know that it takes only 0.05 seconds for a prospect to form an opinion about your website?

That’s the reality of the online world. In a fraction of a second your website audience will decide whether to stay or leave. That’s really not a lot of time to make a first impression…

And can you guess what is the first thing your potential clients see when land your website?

It’s the hero image (the large banner at the top), so you want a high quality professional personal brand portrait image to dominate the first half of the prospects screen.

As an experienced professional portrait photographer from Brighton, Sussex UK (often in London), I have noticed that many of my clients nearly overlooked the importance of carefully designing, creating and selecting this hero image.The hero banner image on your website has a very define purpose:

The hero banner image on your website has a very define purpose:convert!

1. Immediately grabbing the visitor’s attention

2. Welcome and communicate: who you are, what’s your story

3. Engage and encourage your audience to take an action: stay or leave

4. Build trust and excitement, to learn and explore your site further

What to take into account when selecting your hero banner image?

• a Clear and strong focal point of your hero image

My portrait photography style has a very captivating focal point which helps to redirect the audiences attention exactly where I want it: the smile and sparking eyes of the person behind the brand.

• importance of the Design + composition of the hero image

Hero image is not any image, quite opposite.

It’s a wide angle image, with the main subject situated on the left or right site of the image (one third rule) with the remaining empty and white space around dedicated to text, logo, call for action and button as part of the website design.

As a professional Brighton and London based personal brand photographer with years experience I know the importance of image size, format and composition. Here is a link to an article that will help you understand this: you must do this before uploading images on your website.

• Think about the mood + emotions of your website

Choose an image which will amplify the emotions you want to evoke when your potential clients land on your website.

It could be trust, connection, clarity… similar emotions can be expressed during your portrait photoshoot: capturing authentic facial expressions, those sparkles in the eyes, big beautiful smile and more.

• Images which amplify the copy of your website (the headline title)

Always aim for connection between the content of your website (this includes the main headline title or main copy) and the hero image.

• Power of showcasing the face behind the brand

Never underestimate the power of human connection in business.

For that reason, rather than hiding behind the product, service, logo, brand design or stock image, this hero image is redirecting attention to the company’s founder: YOU.

That’s why the personal brand portrait photo session is so powerful and worth of investment.

• use brand colours

Staying on brand is important! Here are my 3 easy ways to incorporate your business brand colours during portrait photoshoot.

• Hero image can be static or active.

  With video content booming, more and more of my clients adding filming to their personal brand photo-session with me.

  Together we create “about me” short story-telling personal brand video or animations. Engaging video blog: avoid boring social media videos with these 4 tips

Key takeaways

• Stay away from stock images

• Replace stock images with personalised brand photography either portraits of you or your product / service or behind the scene…

• The right hero image will improve your brand perception, influence your audience to stay on your website and even convert

• And remember, you can any time update or change your hero image to see which one works best in terms of conversion

Meet your professional personal brand portrait photographer based in Brighton Sussex UK, often in London

My name is Magdalena, I am Brighton based (often travel to London and beyond) professional personal brand portrait photographer helping women like you to become more visible online in the most authentic yet expressive way.