Lead Story Component

A full-size lead story should contain a summary of what’s on the page so that when a user lands on it, they know what they’ll find if they scroll further down. Thus, the name “lead.” The lead story component displays the page’s most important story and summarizes what the page offers. It contains a section heading, a headline, body copy, an image or video, and an optional call-to-action link.

Component Resources

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Usage

The full-size lead story is typically the main story on the page with the highest priority. The 2/3 and 3/4-size lead stories represent the second, third, or fourth most essential content on a page.

Be strategic about which content to emphasize using in the full-size lead, 2/3, and 3/4 components. One of the ways you can decide which content is the most important is by reviewing your intake forms, customers’ frequently asked questions (FAQs), and your page’s data. Think of each lead story as carrying a designated level of importance. So, the full-size lead story represents the overarching message for the page. The 2/3 features the next most crucial service, and so forth. When used as a secondary or tertiary page section, these smaller lead stories should introduce additional details like Knowledge Base (KB) articles, story groups, etc. A story group rarely acts as a stand-alone component on a page. Use keywords in your headers and make the most of your page’s ability to attract traffic. Headers are a great place to add search engine-optimized (SEO) keywords or phrases.

Variations

Full-size lead story

At full version, the image displays at its largest size, 600 X 400 pixels, and is the default variation of the Lead Story component.

Small business help

This lead story succinctly “tells the story” of what a user will can find on the page. It’s helpful to add a brief opener and a few bullet points so the user can quickly skim through. This copy should reflect the page’s main ideas or services. It can outline the information that users will find or an overarching container for additional page content.

For example, Agency ABC represents thousands of small and minority businesses. The lead story provides a brief overview of the entire page’s content. Subsequent sections further down the page explain things in more detail further down the page. Be sure to keep your language simple.

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2/3-size lead story

2/3 version displays the image at a medium size.

Open your business

The copy here should go more in-depth about the second-most important content on the page and focus on one main “story” at a time.

For example, let's say you briefly touched on Agency ABC's different responsibilities in the lead story above. This 2/3-size lead story takes a deeper dive into the next-most essential resource. The component could succinctly focus on how Agency ABC helps you open your business. You can organize copy on your page according to your data.

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3/4-size lead story

3/4 version displays the image at the smallest size.

Fund your business

This component should highlight the THIRD-most crucial story feature. Again, looking at your data, you’ll want to be strategic about which content to emphasize. This smallest lead story provides the next most important service, KB, or message. You can add more stories to the page but don’t create a scroll that is too long.

So, what crucial service or resource did you mention in the lead story that merits more attention? What content would benefit from a concise, more profound explanation? For example, a 3/4-size lead story might feature copy about Agency ABC’s mentoring program. Always use keyword-rich headlines.

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