3 Reasons to avoid homepage sliders

Now before you get all defensive, I am aware that there are some cases where a homepage slider may be an appropriate choice. (In fact it was recently pointed out to me that I myself use one on my own website.) However, I am referring to the thousands of websites, where a generic slider has been thrown into it’s landing page with limited thought given to its content.

We’ve all been guilty (including myself) of designing a homepage concept with a Shutterstock image dropped into it’s hero, and lorem ipsum in it’s caption.

This is not always down to lazy design work:

My clients often request a hero slider in their homepage. But I now remind them (tactfully) that my job is not to do as they ask, but to meet and surpass the post-launch results that they are hoping for.

So here are my main reasons for avoiding the homepage hero slider:

1. They become a dumping ground for content that the client doesn’t really know what to do with

The first section of the homepage is a crucial piece of real estate whose main goal is to instantly captivate and engage with it’s audience…

…So why would you want to leave the creative decision of such an important element in the hands of the client?

2. Promotional content often dropped into these sliders, will be more effective when presented to it’s audience a little later in their experience

The website should create a positive rapport with it’s audience by providing them with the content they are looking for. Once they have found this and are feeling positive, only then should you cross sell.

3. The ability to upload an infinite amount of content into one space inhibits creative selection

Less is more. Cliche but true. If you are limited to one image, video or other piece of visual content to use as your pages hero, than you’re going to make damn sure that it’s a bloody good one.