As we all know, the web is a pretty fast moving place, where attention spans are short and patience is limited. A trend that’s become increasing popular is for designers to introduce themselves on the home page, with more information available on the About page. Or if your entire website resides one page, then you really have to introduce yourself on that page.
The introductory text needs to be short and to the point, and useful for the reader. It makes sense that the introduction is (nearly always) at the top of the page where it can catch the eye. Saying hello in this fashion certainly gives a friendly feel to the site and allows a designer to expand a bit on the usual tagline and logo combination. To make the introduction stand out, many designers are using large text and bright colours or strong contrast. Below for your design inspiration, you’ll find 10 examples of designers saying hello!
Mathia Leihu has a colouful big text intro at the top of his site, with a small portrait rollover in the sidebar.
Claire Baxter’s site is clean and colourful with a short hello.
Joseph Gallagher’s portfolio has a nice header image, followed by an introduction from the designer.
Design Spectacle clearly outlines the roles of the site owner. Large headings on the left and paragraphs of text on the right.
A mulit-lingual hello from Area 17.
Daniel Gutierrez has a beautiful portfolio site with a big hello right in the middle of the homepage.
Illustrator Fernando Landi’s character and speech bubble greets the visitor on the homepage.
Ryan Keiser fills the page with his introduction.
Seth Said is clean with a memorable image and his latest tweet.
Ok, so there’s no introductory text here, but there is a cute character and a nice hello on the Dan Joe Design homepage.
Do you have an introductory hello on your site? Or do you save your info for the About page? Have you seen any sites with really cool designer introductions?
I wonder who started the “Hello, I design websites” in big pretty letters trend. Nice to see it done in different unique ways in the examples you rounded up, thanks for sharing :)
June 11th, 2009 at 9:38 am
I’ve been saying hello for a long time, and wondered if it was appropriate… I guess I’m OK after all.
June 11th, 2009 at 10:27 am
I love these artful sites! Now I have to find an artist AND a developer! Previous to reading this post, I could not even afford the developer. :)
June 11th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
I recently updated my website to be an introduction on the front page as well: http://www.vancelucas.com. I’ve received great response from it so far.
It just seems to be more friendly now. I would highly recommend an introduction home page on a personal website to any freelancer or professional.
June 12th, 2009 at 12:53 am
Great selection. just one picky point from me. It would be more helpful if the images linked to the sites.
June 12th, 2009 at 1:25 am
Oh babyboy, always with the picky stuff!! ;)
June 12th, 2009 at 2:56 am
Not a bad article. Reminds me of something Smashing Magazine might do.
June 12th, 2009 at 7:53 am
great list, though you of course forgot my own site, propagandery.com.
June 12th, 2009 at 10:01 am
Actually I think they’re verging on the cringeworthy, trying-too-hard-to-be clever and uncomfortably pretentious … I would click back from all of them straight away except, possibly, for the Design Spectable site. The others are just more of the same old, same new; following the latest twee fads in an orderly fashion. I mean, come ON … “we believe websites can change people’s lives … is that crazy?” or “Hi, I’m Clare and I make pretty things”. There is nothing “different” about them. They adhere perfectly to the current unofficial guidelines for web design. Just as a few years ago it was all glossy, reflective web 2.0 style minimalism, preferably featuring lime green or orange.
June 12th, 2009 at 10:36 am
Nice article, thanks for posting.
June 12th, 2009 at 11:08 am
Google does it best. Nothing fancy. All those sites only impress designers or people who like pretty things. They are not easy to look at. If I was after something like a print banner, definitely, for a website? hell no. But that’s my programmer opinion =)
June 12th, 2009 at 9:07 pm
Yes for sure Smashing Magazine on steroids LOL, very nice one ;)
thanks
June 12th, 2009 at 10:26 pm
funny to me~
June 13th, 2009 at 1:41 am
Czaries is promoting his own site, which is against Mr. Managing Editor’s policy. I’m wondering why they allowed posting of URL here and added nothing to the discussion.
June 16th, 2009 at 6:40 pm
I think an introductory hello for individual sites can be effective. Most of the time it provides a casual flow into the conversation of the site.
June 29th, 2009 at 11:45 am