The large, prominent visual and messaging area at the very top of a webpage — typically the first thing a visitor sees, combining a headline, supporting copy, an image or visual, and often a primary call to action.
Why it matters
The hero section carries an outsized share of a page's first impression — many visitors decide within seconds whether to keep reading based on what's in the hero alone, which is why it's usually the most rigorously tested part of a page.
In a sentence
"We tested four different hero headlines before settling on the one that best communicated what the product actually does."
Related terms
- Often confused with: Above the fold (the hero section is typically the main content within the above-the-fold area, but "above the fold" is the broader concept of everything visible without scrolling, which can include more than just the hero).