Headings organise a page the way chapter titles organise a book. The H1 is the page's main title, and H2 and below mark sections and subsections. They help people scan, help screen readers navigate and give search engines a clear sense of what each part covers.
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Using them well
- One clear H1 that matches the page's main topic
- H2 for main sections, H3 for parts within them, without skipping levels
- Headings written for readers, with the topic in plain words
- Real headings, not bold text styled to look like one
What they are not
Headings are not a ranking switch. Stuffing keywords into them reads badly and gains nothing. Clear structure helps the page be understood and, for AI systems, makes sections easier to quote.
Common mistakes
Choosing a level for its size
Use CSS for appearance. The tag should say what the heading is.
Missing H1 on templates
A theme that puts the logo in the H1 leaves the page without its own title.
Frequently Asked Questions
HTML allows it, and Google handles it, but one H1 per page keeps structure simple and is a safe default.
Keep reading
- Title Tag: A title tag is the HTML element that names a page. Google often uses it as the clickable headline in search results, so it shapes both ranking and clicks.
- Meta Description: A meta description is an HTML summary of a page. Google sometimes shows it as the snippet under a search result; it does not directly affect rankings.
- Semantic HTML: Semantic HTML uses elements that describe what content is, such as headings, lists, tables, nav and main, rather than generic divs styled to look the part.
- On-Page SEO: On-page SEO is everything you change on a page itself, from the title and headings to the body copy and internal links, to help it rank for a search.
- Above the Fold: Above the fold is the part of a page visible before scrolling. It decides first impressions and whether a visitor sees the answer or a wall of ads.
- AI-Assisted Writing: AI-assisted writing uses language models to help research, outline, draft or edit content. Google judges the result on quality, not on how it was made.
- Anchor Text: Anchor text is the clickable text of a link. It tells readers and search engines what to expect on the page the link points to.
- Answer-First Writing: Answer-first writing puts a direct, complete answer to the reader's question at the start of a page or section, then adds context and detail.
