Hero and promotion

The hero and promotional layer allocate the storefront’s most prominent attention. The business outcome is a clear first message with a credible next action, not a larger image or more campaigns above the fold.

This module covers whether the page needs a hero, which message leads, whether several messages should rotate, how promotions map to destinations, and how expired campaigns leave the page cleanly. They belong together because format cannot rescue unresolved priority. Baymard’s research supports static sections as a technically simpler alternative to a carousel and documents the extra interaction work rotation creates.¹

Sequence matters. Decide the primary audience and job first. Choose the lead message and destination second. Select static or rotating presentation third. Finally, define mobile crop, controls, accessibility, publishing owner, expiry, and measurement. Starting with a carousel setting reverses those decisions.

Module diagnostic

Inventory every hero and promotional message on the homepage. For each, record its audience, promise, destination, owner, start date, and expiry. Open each destination and confirm it continues the message. On a phone, inspect the initial state before interacting. Flag messages that compete for the same audience, depend on later slides, or lead to generic pages.

Small assignment

Choose the lead promotion for the next active period. Write the one message, audience, destination, format decision, fallback, owner, expiry, and live QA checks. If rotation is proposed, explain why static sections cannot carry the messages.

Evidence and further reading

1. [1]“10 UX Requirements for Homepage Carousels,” Baymard Institute, https://baymard.com/blog/homepage-carousel. Supports static content as a simpler alternative and documents the interaction requirements introduced by carousels. Accessed August 23, 2026.