Your hero section has about 3 seconds to convince someone to stay. No pressure.
Here's the thing most AI prompts get wrong: they describe what they want but not how it should feel. You type "make me a hero section" and get something that looks like it was designed by a committee in 2015.
I've spent the last month testing hero section prompts obsessively. Most failed. But the ones that worked? They share a pattern I'm about to show you.
Key Takeaways:
- The hero prompt formula: context + layout + visual style + emotional tone
- Specific prompts beat vague ones by 10x (tested this across 50+ generations)
- Industry-specific prompts consistently outperform generic templates
In This Article
- What Makes AI Hero Prompts Work
- The Hero Prompt Formula
- SaaS Hero Prompts
- Agency & Portfolio Prompts
- E-commerce Hero Prompts
- Startup Hero Prompts
- Creative Variations
- Common Mistakes
- FAQ
What Makes AI Hero Prompts Actually Work
Let me save you some frustration. Generic prompts like "create a modern hero section" produce generic results. Every. Single. Time.
What separates good hero prompts from bad ones:
| Element | Bad Prompt | Good Prompt |
|---|---|---|
| Layout | "hero section" | "split-screen with image right" |
| Typography | "nice fonts" | "bold 72px heading, 20px subtext" |
| Visual | "modern design" | "gradient purple-to-blue background" |
| Intent | nothing | "for a project management SaaS" |
The AI doesn't know what "modern" means to you. It's interpreting that word based on millions of examples, and the average of those examples is... average.
If you've worked through our AI landing page prompts guide, you know this already. Specificity is everything.
The Hero Prompt Formula That Works
After testing dozens of variations, here's the structure that consistently generates usable hero sections:
[INDUSTRY/PRODUCT TYPE] hero section with: - Layout: [specific arrangement] - Headline: [topic or exact text] - Subheadline: [value proposition] - CTA: [button text and style] - Visual: [image/illustration/gradient description] - Style: [framework + aesthetic]
This isn't magic. It's just giving the AI enough context to make good decisions. Think of it like briefing a designer—more detail means fewer revision rounds.
SaaS Hero Prompts
SaaS heroes need to communicate value fast. Nobody cares about your features until they understand the outcome.
Prompt 1: Analytics Dashboard SaaS
Create a SaaS hero section for an analytics platform. Split-screen layout with dashboard mockup on right showing charts and metrics. Left side: bold headline "See What's Actually Working", subheadline about real-time insights, purple gradient CTA button "Start Free Trial". Dark mode with subtle grid background. React + Tailwind. Professional but not boring.
Prompt 2: Team Collaboration Tool
Hero section for team collaboration SaaS. Centered layout with floating UI elements around headline. Headline: "Finally, a workspace that doesn't suck". Playful but professional tone. Animated gradient background (blue to teal). Two CTAs: primary "Try Free" and ghost button "Watch Demo". Include small avatar stack showing "10k+ teams". Tailwind CSS, clean shadows.
Prompt 3: API/Developer Tool
Developer-focused hero for an API product. Code snippet visible on right side with syntax highlighting. Left: minimal headline "Ship faster. Debug less." Terminal-style aesthetic with monospace accents. Dark background (#0a0a0a), green accent color. Single CTA "View Documentation". No stock imagery—code IS the visual. React component, Tailwind.
Prompt 4: Project Management
Project management tool hero section. Show Kanban board preview floating at angle on right. Bold headline "Stop managing projects. Start finishing them." White background, one accent color (indigo-600). Trust badges below CTA showing integrations (Slack, GitHub, Notion icons as placeholders). Clean, lots of whitespace. shadcn/ui styling.
Prompt 5: AI Writing Assistant
AI writing tool hero with before/after split effect. Left shows messy text, right shows polished version with sparkle effect. Headline: "Write like you. 10x faster." Gradient text on headline (purple to pink). Floating testimonial card in corner. Light mode, soft shadows. Input field CTA "Paste your draft" instead of button.
These prompts work because they paint a complete picture. The AI isn't guessing—it's executing.
Agency and Portfolio Hero Prompts
Creative work demands creative heroes. But "creative" doesn't mean "chaotic."
Prompt 6: Design Agency
Design agency hero—bold and confident. Full-width with large serif headline "We design brands people remember". Oversized typography, headline at 120px. Horizontal scrolling project thumbnails below fold line. Black background, white text, one accent color (coral). Minimal nav with just logo and "Let's Talk" button. Next.js + Tailwind.
Prompt 7: Developer Portfolio
Developer portfolio hero with terminal aesthetic. ASCII art or code visualization as background. Name displayed like a function: "const developer = 'Sarah Chen'". Links styled as code comments. Dark theme mandatory. Subtle typing animation on tagline. Green monospace text on black. Single page feel—no heavy imagery.
Need more portfolio inspiration? Check out our complete guide to building portfolios with AI.
Prompt 8: Freelancer Landing
Freelancer hero section—personal but professional. Circular headshot placeholder on left, introduction on right. Handwritten-style accent font for "Available for projects". Warm background (cream/off-white). Three service cards peek from bottom. Social proof: "Featured in..." logos. Friendly, approachable, not corporate.
Prompt 9: Photography Portfolio
Photography portfolio hero—let the work speak. Full-bleed hero image as background with dark gradient overlay. Name in bottom-left, minimal. Mouse-follow parallax effect on background. Navigation dots on right for vertical scrolling through hero images. No buttons—just atmosphere. Tailwind + Framer Motion ready.
Prompt 10: Motion Design Studio
Motion studio hero with animated gradient mesh background. Studio name reveals with mask animation. Showreel preview in circle, expands on hover. Typography: geometric sans-serif, heavy weight. Black/white with neon accent (electric blue). "Watch Reel" as primary interaction. Premium feel.
E-commerce Hero Prompts
E-commerce heroes sell products. Everything else is decoration.
Prompt 11: Fashion Brand
Fashion e-commerce hero—editorial style. Full-bleed product photography placeholder with model. Minimal overlay text: brand name top-left, "New Collection" center-bottom. Mouse cursor changes to "Shop" near products. Two navigation arrows for hero slider. High contrast, magazine aesthetic. No clutter.
Prompt 12: Tech/Gadget Store
Tech product hero showcasing single hero product. Product image floating with subtle shadow. Feature callouts with lines pointing to product parts. Bold price tag, strikethrough original price (show discount). "Add to Cart" pill button with cart icon. Clean white background with product as star. Specs grid below hero.
Prompt 13: Subscription Box
Subscription box hero—lifestyle focused. Hero image showing box contents "exploded" artistically. Headline: "Curated for you. Monthly." Price per month prominent. Three trust points: free shipping, cancel anytime, 100k subscribers. Warm, inviting colors. "Get Your First Box" CTA with arrow. Mobile-first design.
Prompt 14: Food/Beverage DTC
Food brand hero—appetite appeal. Hero product on lifestyle background (kitchen/table setting). Ingredient badges (organic, no sugar, etc.) as subtle pills. Headline focused on benefit, not product name. "Find Your Flavor" links to quiz. Instagram-worthy aesthetic. Cream/earth tones.
Prompt 15: Beauty/Skincare
Beauty brand hero—clean and scientific. Product jar as hero with ingredients floating around it (visual representation). Clinical but warm design. Before/after slider concept visible. "Dermatologist Approved" badge. Soft gradient background (pink to peach). "Shop Best Sellers" and "Take Skin Quiz" dual CTAs.
Startup and Product Launch Hero Prompts
Launches need energy. Your hero should feel like something's happening.
Prompt 16: App Launch
App launch hero—mobile-first visual. Phone mockup with app screen centered. App store badges (placeholder) below CTA. Headline: "[App Name] is here." Short, punchy. Countdown element if pre-launch. Confetti or particle effect on scroll. Dark mode, gradient accent. Email capture instead of download button.
Prompt 17: Waitlist Page
Waitlist hero—create FOMO. Large waitlist count animating up. "Join 2,847 others waiting" with live counter effect. Single email input field, big "Get Early Access" button. What you'll get: 3 bullet points. Gradient background with subtle motion. Position number shown after signup. Minimal, focused on conversion.
If you're building a full startup page, our startup landing page guide walks through the complete flow.
Prompt 18: Product Hunt Launch
Product Hunt style hero—vote momentum visible. Product Hunt badge prominent. Real-time upvote counter (simulated). Headline is one sentence value prop. Feature list with emoji bullets. Founder photo and quote in corner. Orange accent color (PH vibes). "Upvote on PH" primary CTA. Launch day energy.
Prompt 19: Beta Launch
Beta launch hero—exclusive feel. "Private Beta" badge with lock icon. Limited spots remaining counter. Hero shows product in "preview" state with frosted glass over parts (coming soon feel). Early adopter benefits listed. Request access form: email + use case dropdown. Dark, premium.
Prompt 20: Open Source Project
Open source project hero. GitHub stars counter prominent. Code example or terminal command showing installation. "npm install [package]" in copyable format. Headline: what it does in one line. Contributor avatars from GitHub. Two CTAs: "Documentation" and "View on GitHub". Dark theme, developer-focused.
Creative Hero Variations
Sometimes you need something that breaks the mold. Use these when standard layouts feel stale.
Prompt 21: Split-Screen Hero
Split-screen hero, 50/50 vertical divide. Left: solid color background (deep navy) with white text, headline and CTA. Right: full-bleed image or video placeholder. On mobile: stacks with image on top. No overlap— clean geometric division. Works for any industry.
Prompt 22: Video Background Hero
Video hero with full-bleed looping background. Content centered with semi-transparent dark overlay for readability. Play/pause control in corner. Headline, subheadline, and CTA float over video. Fallback image for mobile (video can drain battery). Cinematic aspect ratio feel.
Prompt 23: Scroll-Triggered Hero
Hero that transforms on scroll. Initial state: bold headline fills screen. On scroll: headline shrinks, product/content slides up from below. Scroll indicator pulsing at bottom. Creates anticipation. Use intersection observer for trigger. Smooth 60fps animation.
Prompt 24: Interactive Hero
Interactive hero—user controls the visual. Example: background color changes based on mouse position. Or: 3D product that rotates on drag. Headline stays readable regardless of background state. Memorable first impression. React Three Fiber or canvas-based.
Prompt 25: Minimalist Hero
Extreme minimalist hero. Just headline and one link. Nothing else. Headline uses viewport units—scales with screen. Enormous white space. Link is subtle, almost hidden. Architectural aesthetic. Confidence through restraint. Only for brands that can afford to say less.
Bonus: Animated Gradient Hero
Hero with animated mesh gradient background (like Stripe). Soft, morphing color blobs. White text container in center, slight blur backdrop effect. Headlines feel like they're floating. Premium tech aesthetic. Performance-optimized animation (CSS or canvas).
Common Hero Prompt Mistakes (And How to Fix Them)
I've made all these mistakes so you don't have to:
Mistake 1: No visual hierarchy clue
❌ "Create a hero section with text and a button" ✅ "Create a hero with 56px bold headline, 18px gray subtext, and large primary button—clear visual hierarchy"
Mistake 2: Forgetting mobile
❌ "Side-by-side layout with image and text" ✅ "Side-by-side on desktop, stacked on mobile with image first. Touch-friendly 48px button."
Mistake 3: Too many elements
❌ "Hero with nav, headline, subheadline, 3 CTAs, feature list, testimonial, and background video" ✅ Pick two or three focal points. A hero isn't a parking lot.
Mistake 4: Vague aesthetics
❌ "Modern and clean design" ✅ "White background, Inter font, 8px border-radius, subtle gray borders, inspired by Linear/Notion aesthetic"
Once you nail the hero, don't forget the other sections. Our guides on navbars and footers and testimonial sections complete the picture.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the ideal length for a hero section prompt?
3-5 sentences covering layout, visual style, content, and framework. More detail helps, but don't write novels. The prompts in this guide hit the sweet spot.
Should I specify exact headline text or let AI generate it?
Specify if you have copy that's tested. Otherwise, describe the topic and tone: "headline about time savings, confident but not salesy." Let AI draft options, then refine.
How do I get consistent results across different AI tools?
Include your design system constraints: "Use Tailwind CSS, shadcn/ui components, Inter font, rounded-lg borders throughout." Consistency comes from constraints.
Can I combine multiple prompt templates?
Absolutely. "Take the split-screen layout from #21 but add the developer aesthetic from #7" works well. Mix elements that complement each other.
Why do my hero sections always look generic?
You're probably not including enough specific details. Add one unexpected element: a specific animation, unusual typography choice, or distinctive color combination. Generic prompts = generic outputs.
You Might Also Like
- AI Landing Page Prompts: 50+ Templates - Complete page templates beyond just hero sections
- Build a Startup Landing Page with AI - Step-by-step from hero to deployment
- AI Navbar & Footer Prompts - Complete your page structure
Hero sections don't have to be painful. Grab a prompt, customize it for your product, and ship something real. The best hero section is the one that's live—not the one you're still perfecting in your head.
Written by the Fardino Team. We build AI tools for frontend developers. Try Fardino free →
