Prompt Library design intermediate

Midjourney Prompts for Website Hero Images: Above-the-Fold Impact

Midjourney prompts for website hero section images. SaaS, e-commerce, and service business hero images with composition and visual hierarchy guidance.

Tested on: GPT-4oGemini 2.5

The Prompt

Act as a web designer and Midjourney specialist who creates hero section visuals for high-converting landing pages.
Generate Midjourney hero image prompts for:
Website type: {SaaS app / e-commerce / agency / consultant / service business / media}
Brand aesthetic: {modern tech / warm human / bold creative / minimalist clean / enterprise professional}
Hero purpose: {full background image / illustration / product screenshot context / abstract concept}
Text overlay needed: {yes — provide space for text / no — image fills the hero fully}
Color direction: {desired palette or "derive from industry"}

Generate 4 hero image prompt variations:
Style A — Abstract/conceptual (shapes, gradients, visual metaphors for the value proposition)
Style B — Human/lifestyle (people in context of the product or service)
Style C — Product in context (the product/interface shown in use)
Style D — Minimal/typographic space (composition designed to hold headline text)

Prompt format:
[hero image type], [composition: rule of thirds, left/right space for text], [lighting: cinematic / soft / dramatic], [color palette], [mood: professional / warm / energetic / calm], [quality: 8k, hyperrealistic, award-winning design], aspect ratio for web --ar 16:9 --v 6

For Style D (text space), add: "negative space on left/right third for headline text, avoid busy detail in text zone"

Constraints:
- All prompts must specify 16:9 aspect ratio for web hero compatibility
- If text overlay needed: specify which side has negative space and ensure prompt creates visual breathing room
- For human-focused heroes: specify age range and setting, not specific appearance
- Avoid stock-photo clichés: no handshakes, no pointing at whiteboards, no generic team meetings

Variables to fill in

  • {website type} SaaS, e-commerce, agency, consultant, service, or media
  • {brand aesthetic} Modern tech, warm human, bold creative, minimalist, enterprise
  • {hero purpose} Background, illustration, product context, or abstract
  • {text overlay needed} Whether text will overlay the image — affects composition

How to use this prompt

  1. Generate multiple variations and A/B test hero images for conversion impact
  2. Use Style D for any hero where the headline text is the primary conversion driver
  3. Brief your web developer with the prompt output to ensure the final CSS/Tailwind matches the visual direction
  4. Use the output as a reference brief for a professional designer or photographer
Website hero section design on desktop screen with compelling visual and headline
Photo by Christopher Gower on Unsplash

Negative space in hero images converts better than full-bleed visuals

Hero images that are visually complex across the entire frame compete with your headline for attention. A hero image that has intentional negative space on one side — where the H1 headline sits — creates a visual hierarchy that guides the eye from image to message to CTA. The ‘Style D’ prompt direction generates exactly this layout.

The 16:9 aspect ratio is not optional for web hero sections

Hero sections on modern websites typically fill 60-100% of the viewport height. On widescreen monitors (16:9 ratio), a hero image that’s square or portrait-oriented either shows significant letterboxing or gets cropped in ways that destroy the composition. All prompts in this output use —ar 16:9 by default.

Stock photo clichés reduce conversion

Handshakes, pointing at whiteboards, and generic ‘diverse team meeting’ images have been on stock photo sites for so long that users have learned to cognitively filter them out. The prompt explicitly bans these clichés — forcing the AI to generate distinctive, context-specific imagery that actually represents your value proposition.