Header tags are the HTML elements h1 through h6, used to mark the headings and subheadings of a page. The H1 is normally the page's main heading, H2s mark its major sections, and H3s break those sections down further. Good headings make a page easy to scan, help screen readers navigate it, and give search engines and AI systems a clear outline of what each part of the page covers.
What a sensible structure looks like
Headings should form an outline, with each level nested under the one above.
<h1>How to Set Up SSO for Your Team</h1>
<h2>Before you start</h2>
<h2>Configure your identity provider</h2>
<h3>Okta</h3>
<h3>Microsoft Entra ID</h3>
<h2>Test and enforce SSO</h2>How much headings matter for SEO
Headings are one of the ways Google understands the topic and structure of a page, and Google can use the main heading when it rewrites a title link. They are not a magic lever, though. Google has said that using more than one H1, or skipping heading levels, is not a problem for ranking. What matters is that the headings honestly describe the content beneath them.
For AI search, clear headings help systems that split pages into passages. A section with a heading that states its subject, followed by a direct answer, is easier to extract and cite.
Writing useful headings
- Make the H1 match the page's purpose and agree with the title tag.
- Write H2s that tell a scanning reader what each section answers, such as “How much does it cost?” rather than “Overview”.
- Use question-style headings where the section answers a real question people search.
- Use heading tags for structure, not for styling. If text should look big but is not a heading, style it with CSS.
Accessibility
Screen reader users often jump between headings to find the section they need. A logical hierarchy without skipped levels is mainly an accessibility requirement, and it is good practice for that reason alone.
Common mistakes
Using headings for visual styling
Marking a promotional banner or a footer label as an H2 because it looks right adds noise to the page outline. Use CSS for size and weight.
Vague section headings
Headings like “Introduction”, “More info” and “Conclusion” tell neither readers nor search engines what the section contains.
No H1, or an H1 that is just the logo
Some site templates wrap the logo in an H1 on every page. Each page should have a heading that describes that page.
Questions
Yes. HTML allows it and Google has said multiple H1s are fine. Most sites still use one H1 per page because it gives the clearest outline.
Where it reads naturally, yes, because headings describe what each section covers. Forcing the exact keyword into every heading makes the page harder to read and does not help.
