DESIGN SPOTLIGHT

The job of your marketplace’s hero image is to capture attention and communicate the value of your marketplace at a quick glance.

Stock imagery

Don’t use free stock images. People can tell (I often see the same ones repeated all over the internet) and it’s not going to make you stand out. In the ideal world, you would pay a photographer or illustrator to product a bespoke image that aligns with your unique style and branding. However, this is often out of reach for earlier stage marketplaces. If this is the case, I suggest paying for a premium stock image. I’ve found some great ones on iStock for less than £20.

AI generated images

Unless you have a talent for writing great AI prompts, I don’t recommend using it to generate images. I’ve seen so many bad AI generated images on websites recently - the tech is just not there yet.

Consistent style

Your hero image needs to be consistent with other images used across your homepage and wider website. Images should look like they’ve been produced by the same photographer or illustrator to ensure a consistent style, tone, and quality across your website. This creates a cohesive look that strengthens your brand identity.

Be specific

Choose an image that is hyper-specific to your marketplace. For example, Sugarlift could have chosen an image of a generic piece of art. Instead, they purposefully chose a beautiful image of an real art exhibition they hosted in July 2024. A hero image that is specific to your marketplace can help you to build trust, convey relevance, and create an emotional connection with visitors.

Text over images

The hero section usually includes text over an image. A big mistake I see a lot of websites make, is not having a big enough contrast between the colour of the text and background image. It’s vital that your text is readable and meets accessibility standards. Otherwise, as well as causing your visitors problems, you will harm your SEO. If you place text directly on top of an image, make sure the text sits in an area of clear, white space, rather than a busy section (which will be distracting). Alternatively, you can place your text on solid background. I use this Colour Contract Checker to ensure my designs meet colour accessibility standards.

Include images of people

You want your visitors to build a connection with your marketplace. Studies have found that people are subconsciously drawn towards faces as they evoke emotions and foster trust. That’s why I recommend featuring a person (or people) in your hero image to create a stronger, more personal connection with your visitors.

Keep mobile in mind

Mobile users typically account for 55-60% of website traffic, so it’s important that you test how your hero image appears on mobile. If it doesn’t display well, consider adjusting the layout - for instance, moving the text above or below the image instead of overlaying it - or using different images for desktop and mobile. Just ensure the design remains visually consistent across all devices.

QUESTION OF THE WEEK

1. Hero section

As mentioned above, the hero section is your chance to make your first impression. Aside from a great image, you need great copy. Here are the other main components that make up your hero section.

Header: If your visitors read nothing else on your page, they should be able to at least describe what you do. Try keeping it within 6-10 words so people can quickly scan it.

Subheader: Now that people understand what you do, you should describe how you do it. Try to keep your sub-header within 10-13 words 

Call to action: Next, invite your visitors to take action using a button. For those using the no-code version of Sharetribe, remember to be specific and include what the user is searching for. For example", “Find a pet sitter”. If you’ve extended your marketplace with code, you could include some search fields such as “destination”, and “dates” like booking.com have done.

Either way, be sure to use a button with a contrasting colour to the background to make it really stand out.

Social proof: It can also be a good idea to include an element of social proof. This shows visitors you are trusted by others and provides reassurance that you’re legitimate.

You can do this with ratings, like TrustedHousesitters have done (aobe) where they’ve included their TrustPilot score. Or you can add a vertical line of recognisable logos along the bottom of the hero section. These logos are usually from companies who use your marketplace, or media outlets that your marketplace has been featured in.

2. Benefits

Give your visitors three simple reasons why they should use your marketplace. Use this section to explain what makes you different from everyone else. What makes your marketplace unique?

This section should be short and snappy. Don’t write long paragraphs of text - people will not read it.

Instead, make it easy for people to scan. Display descriptive images, write short headers and sort descriptions.

Hipcamp absolutely nail this section for me. Not only does it look pretty, but I find the copy and images really engaging. For example, it tells me that they have exclusive campsites and tools (such as comprehensive maps) that I wouldn’t find elsewhere.

3. Featured listings

Featuring high quality, popular listings on the homepage will quickly give your visitors and insight into the types of inventory listed on your marketplace.

Group these listings into popular or interesting categories and include a button to view all of the listings in that category. This will help your visitors find what they are looking for, quicker.

You can include multiple “featured listings” sections on your homepage, grouped by popular or trending categories.

In the example above, Jitty, a real estate marketplace, have grouped listings into aspirational categories such as “Amazing Views” and “Near the Sea”.

Displaying listings in this way has the added benefit of showing visitors you have plenty of inventory available, giving them assurance that they’ll be able to find the right listing for their needs.

4. Popular categories

Pick 5-10 popular categories to showcase on your homepage. Like the “Featured Listings” section, “Popular Categories” gives visitors a quick indication of what your marketplace is all about and whether it’s the right place for them.

If your marketplace has a small number of categories (under 10), you could display them all. However, some marketplaces have many (10+). Displaying too many categories can be overwhelming and add cognitive load. So I recommend choosing a small number (5-10) of your most popular categories and showcase these instead.

I like how Unicorn Factory have displayed their categories on the homepage. They’ve listed 8 different categories, each with a clear image and a single line of text. They’ve kept it simple so visitors can quickly scan the page and find the category they’re looking for.

5. Testimonials

Finally, if you have real customers transacting on your marketplace, you should include some testimonials.

Positive feedback from real users or customers reassures visitors that your marketplace or service is reliable, valuable, and worth engaging with. Testimonials also help humanise your brand and provide relatable experiences that resonate with your audience.

Masterclass do this really well. By including an image of the person providing the testimonial, along with their name (first name), role and location, they increase the credibility. The photo also personalises the review, while the role and location provides context, helping potential customers relate to the reviewer. This strengthens the impact of the testimonial and makes it feel more genuine.

TOOL TIPS

It often took photographers 24-48 hours (sometimes longer) to respond to an enquiry or booking request.

Whenever you’re ready, there are two ways I can help you:

Sharetribe configuration - Feeling bamboozled by the Console, or simply lacking time? Leave it to me. I can set up, configure and customise your Sharetribe marketplace in no time. 

UX/UI design - Whether you want to design some additional features, or redesign your entire marketplace with your own unique style, I'm here to help.