Nobody likes reading huge blocks of text. Not even search engines. Imagine reading a book and there’s no chapters. Or a newspaper (remember those) with no headlines. You’d definitely have a hard time tracking where you were up to or understanding what you’re reading. The same goes for website pages. I’m guessing that unless there
Nobody likes reading huge blocks of text.
Not even search engines.
Imagine reading a book and there’s no chapters.
Or a newspaper (remember those) with no headlines.
You’d definitely have a hard time tracking where you were up to or understanding what you’re reading.
The same goes for website pages.
I’m guessing that unless there is a break in this blog pretty soon, you’d stop reading.
So let’s get into what header tags are and why you need to use them not only for SEO, but to keep readers engaged with your content.
Header tags are the different headings you see on a website that give it structure.
If you want to get technical, they’re little HTML elements that define the hierarchy of importance on a page, ranging from most important (H1) down to (H6).
On a page they’d usually look like:
H1: Main heading
H2: Section headings under H1
H3: Subheading under H2
H4: Subheading under H3
etc etc
Using headings makes it a lot easier for readers to read or skim your content (or skip to the section they’re most interested in).
For SEO, header tags give Google and search engines a better idea about the structure and organisation of the information on the page.
This makes it easier for search engines to understand and rank your page.
Like I’ve said, the main benefit of using header tags is they make your content easier to read.
By breaking content down into smaller, more manageable sections, you can create a better experience for your readers (and make your content easier for search engines to understand).
Just look at the example of this blog put side by side.
One with no headings.
One with good heading structure.
Which of these would you be more likely to read (or understand):
John Mueller has also said header elements are a “really strong signal” that informs Google’s understanding of a page’s topic.
Here’s a few more reasons header tags are useful for SEO and readers…
Because search engines pay particular attention to header tags, they’re a perfect place to put keywords.
Not only does it make it clearer for search engines to understand your keywords, it means you can get keywords into your article without stuffing them into the body copy.
Featured snippets have taken a bit of a back seat more recently since AI overviews started to appear more at the top of search results.
But they’re still there, and header tags give you a better chance of getting into them.
Screen readers use header tags to help readers with impaired sight understand your content.
While header tags are useful for SEO, you have to use them properly to get the benefits.
Going rogue can actually make it harder for users and Google to understand your page.
So here’s how to use heading tags properly…
The H1 is the main signal to search engines of what your page is about.
Think like the title of a book or headline on a news story or advertisement.
Your website should only have one H1 tag, and it should include the main keyword you’re on targeting on the page.
As an example, the H1 of this blog is Understanding header tags for SEO.
For your headings to make sense to Google, you need to keep a logical order and not jump over headings.
For example, your heading structure should look like:
H1 – Main heading
H2 – Section heading
H3 – Detail
H4 – More detail
H2 – Section heading
H3 – Detail
etc
You shouldn’t jump from a H2 to H4 without a H3 for example.
Headers are a great place to use secondary keywords in your article or web copy without stuffing them into the body copy.
Headers can be a great way to guide readers through a story on your blog and move them naturally from section to section.
Heading tags should explain what the reader (and Google) can expect to find within a certain section.
Here’s an example from our own blog of how we use H2s and H3s to break up content and take a reader through a journey in the blog.
If you’ve not used headers before, it can be easy to go wrong (we’ve seen our fair share of incorrect heading structures).
Here are a couple of the main mistakes and problems we see with header tags…
Remember, the H1 is your main headline, and there should only be one main headline.
Adding multiple H1s can confuse search engines about what your page is about (especially if you use different keywords) and can end with your page not ranking.
Think of your headers tags like floors in a building.
You wouldn’t jump from level 2 to level 4. The same rule applies to headings.
Each new section should start with a H2, and then move down the H3, H4, H5, H6 structure before moving back to H2 at the start of a new section.
Header tags are a signal to Google to define a content’s structure. So that’s how you should use them.
Don’t just use them as a style point.
You should definitely use keywords in your header tags when you can. But, like adding keywords anywhere else in your content, you shouldn’t just stuff them in for the sake of it.
If you’re creating web pages and articles for SEO, you should learn how to structure content using header tags.
By using them properly you can end up with content that’s easier for readers to skim through, but also easier for search engines to understand.
And if you can make your content as easy as possible for search engines to understand, you’ll have a way better chance of ranking in SERPs and getting found by your customers.
If you need more help, we’ve got a load of content about SEO for businesses that you can use to help you improve your search performance and get found by more customers.
Or if you want some professional help, our search engine optimisation agency is here to help.
Speak to a member of our team and start your project today!
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