Headings give your page an outline. Readers scan them; search engines use them to understand topics.
The rules
- One H1 that states the page's topic, usually close to the title.
- H2s for the main sections.
- H3s for sub-points inside a section.
- Do not skip levels (H2 straight to H4) just for styling.
- Use CSS, not heading tags, for big text that is not a heading.
Use keywords naturally
Put the main keyword in the H1 and related keywords or questions in H2s, where they fit the reader.
Example outline
- H1: How often should you change an RO filter?
- H2: The short answer
- H2: Filter-by-filter schedule
- H3: Sediment filter
- H3: Carbon filter
- H3: RO membrane
- H2: Signs your filter needs changing
- H2: What a filter change costs
Read only the headings and you know the whole page. That is the goal.
Common mistakes
- Logo or site name wrapped in an H1 on every page, so each page has two H1s.
- Sidebar and footer titles marked as H2, mixing them into the page outline.
- Headings used only to make text big.
Headings and accessibility
Screen-reader users jump between headings to find what they need. A clear heading structure helps them as much as it helps search engines.
Check the structure
The heading structure checker shows the outline of any page and flags missing H1s, several H1s and skipped levels.
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