If you’re designing or redesigning your website, you’ve inevitably faced the big question: what goes in the hero section? For years, the go-to answer has been an image slider, also known as a carousel. It seems like a great idea, right? You get to showcase multiple products, feature different promotions, and add some flashy movement to the top of your page.
But in the debate of sliders vs. static hero sections, a mountain of evidence suggests that what seems like a versatile solution is often a critical mistake.
Before you commit to a slider, let’s look at what the research says about their real-world impact on your website’s performance, user experience, and bottom line.
The Hard Truth: Why Hero Sliders Often Do More Harm Than Good
While sliders can look slick, they often fail at their primary job: engaging the user and communicating value. Decades of user testing and website analytics have revealed several major flaws.
1. They’re Bad for SEO and Page Speed
Your website’s loading speed is a critical factor for Google’s search rankings. Hero sliders are notoriously heavy, forcing a user’s browser to load multiple large, high-resolution images and complex JavaScript files right away.
- Poor Core Web Vitals: This directly harms your Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) score—a key metric Google uses to measure how quickly the main content of your page loads. A slow LCP score can significantly damage your SEO.
- Wasted Load: In most cases, the user’s browser loads all the slider images at once, even though the user will likely only ever see the first one. This is a massive drain on resources for content that goes unseen.
2. Users Ignore Them (a.k.a. “Banner Blindness”)
Users are on a mission. They visit your site to find an answer or complete a task. Through years of being exposed to flashing advertisements, we’ve all developed “banner blindness”—a subconscious habit of ignoring anything that looks like an ad.
Hero sliders, especially those that auto-play, are the classic example. Users frequently scroll right past them without a second glance, completely missing the messages you’re trying to share.
3. They Have Terrible Click-Through Rates
Okay, so maybe users don’t see them, but what about the few who do? The data is just as bleak.
Numerous usability studies have confirmed that sliders have abysmal click-through rates (CTR). One famous study from Notre Dame University found that only 1% of visitors clicked on the hero slider at all. And of that tiny 1%, a staggering 84% of clicks went to the very first slide.
The other slides—the very reason you chose a slider in the first place—are almost completely ignored.
4. They Dilute Your Message
Your hero section is your “above the fold” prime real estate. It’s your single best chance to tell a visitor who you are, what you do, and why they should care, all in about 3-5 seconds.
When you use a slider, you’re not presenting one clear, powerful message. You’re presenting 3, 4, or 5 competing messages. This “design by committee” approach, often used to please multiple departments, only serves to confuse your visitor. Instead of a single, strong call-to-action (CTA), you’re offering a weak, rotating set of options.
5. They Are an Accessibility and Usability Nightmare
- Lack of Control: Auto-playing sliders take control away from the user, which is a cardinal sin of good usability. Visitors, especially those with low literacy or who read more slowly, can’t consume the content before it’s whisked away.
- Accessibility Issues: Sliders are often difficult for users with disabilities to navigate. They can be a nightmare for screen readers and nearly impossible to operate for users who rely on keyboard navigation.
- Mobile Frustration: On a small screen, fiddly navigation dots and arrows are frustrating to use, leading to users simply giving up and scrolling down.
3 Modern Hero Section Alternatives That Actually Work
So, if sliders are out, what’s in? The most effective, modern websites have moved to simpler, more focused alternatives that prioritize clarity, speed, and a single, powerful call-to-action.
- The Static Hero Image (or Video) with a Single CTA This is the most powerful and effective alternative. Choose one stunning, high-quality photograph, graphic, or short background video that encapsulates your brand. Pair it with a clear, benefit-driven headline and a single, unmissable call-to-action button (e.g., “Shop Our Collection,” “Get Your Free Quote,” “Start Your Trial”). This approach is fast-loading, crystal clear, and directs every user toward the one action you want them to take.
- The Typography-Led Hero In this modern trend, the text is the main visual. Using big, bold, beautiful typography, you make your core message the hero. This is an incredibly fast-loading and confident approach. It strips away all distractions and communicates your value proposition with absolute clarity.
- The Interactive Hero This doesn’t mean a slider. Instead, think of a simple form field. If your business goal is to get leads, put the sign-up form right in the hero section (e.g., “Enter your email to get started”). Other interactive elements can include subtle hover-effects or scroll-triggered animations that engage the user without overwhelming them.
The Verdict
Are sliders the way to go for your website’s hero section?
In almost all cases, no.
By trading a clunky, slow, and ineffective slider for a fast, focused, and static hero section, you are making a strategic choice. You’re choosing to respect your user’s time, communicate your value with confidence, and build a website that is optimized for both search engines and, most importantly, conversions.
Don’t dilute your message. Pick your most important priority and give it the full, undivided attention of your hero section.