With on-page search engine optimization, you’ll be working with various HTML tags, such as H1, H2, and so on. These “H” tags represent the page’s headings: the titles and subheadings.
Headings are HTML tags used for subheadings. There are six levels of headings in total: H1 through H6. They can be identified by the HTML tags
,
and so on. Headings allow visitors to easily scan the text and know exactly what it’s about. The title and subheadings indicate the content’s structure, relevance, and hierarchy on the page.
Headings are hierarchical and can be compared to the structure of a book. This means that the H1 heading is the most important and is also displayed as the title of the content, just as every book has a title. The H2 heading is a subheading and is therefore considered a chapter in a book; the H3 heading is considered a sub-subheading, and so on.
Although they don’t play a major role, headings do influence the ranking of your pages in search results. That’s why HTML headings are part of your search engine optimization.
The H1 heading is the title of the content on the page and the page’s main title. Although Google says that having multiple H1 headings does not affect your ranking, they do recommend using only one H1 heading.
It’s also a good idea to include the main keyword in your H1 heading. A good H1 heading perfectly summarizes the content and is appealing to the reader. A good H1 heading is easy to read and definitely not too long, but also not too short.
This raises the question: what is the right length? Unfortunately, there’s no single correct answer. A heading consisting of one or two words is too short, but a title that’s three lines long is too long. When determining the length of your H1 heading, it’s best to keep your visitors in mind. If the heading is relevant and contains quality content, Google will recognize this as well.
It’s also important to remember that the H1 heading is used as the page title in Google if you haven’t entered a page title.
You can use H2 through H6 headings more frequently on the page. Use these headings to further structure the text and establish a hierarchy.
The H2 heading is the most commonly used and is often used as a subheading for each paragraph. The H3 heading also appears regularly on a page and is often used as a subtitle for an H2 or, for example, in a question-and-answer paragraph.
First, add an H2 tag to the question-and-answer section, and then give each individual question an H3 tag.
The H1 heading is the most important, and the H6 is the least important. We recommend that you avoid using H4 through H6 headings.
It is recommended to use these headings only when necessary—for example, in a long text.
Please note: Using too many headings often makes the text more cluttered rather than more structured. So be sure to use headings in a way that’s helpful.
The HTML heading tags, which you can select in the editor of virtually any CMS. If you don’t have an easy-to-use editor, you can also add the headings yourself using HTML code. The tag consists of the following code:
.
Use our free HTML heading tag checker to see which HTML headings you’re using on your pages.
We’d like to give you a few more tips on how to use headings correctly, so you can get started right away.
As mentioned earlier, use headings in a logical and structured way. So don’t put your headings in a random order, and don’t use unnecessary headings either. If you want to highlight text, such as a call-to-action, use a button or ask a developer to do this for you. Do not use a heading for this purpose.
A heading is a title or subheading. So don’t turn paragraphs of text into headings. This will not have a positive impact on your search engine visibility.
Something we often see in search engine optimization projects is that the visitor is overlooked. People often think, “As long as Google can find me, that’s good enough.” Our advice is that you shouldn’t use headings solely for Google’s sake.
Not only is this unfriendly to visitors, but Google also views it less favorably: user-friendliness is a key factor for Google. Make your headings logical and appealing to visitors. After all, you want visitors to spend time on your website.
With a passion for SEO and an unmatched drive for results, Jarik Oosting is the driving force behind SmartRanking. With over 15 years of experience in the field, he has built an extensive body of knowledge spanning technical SEO to complex site migrations. As the founder of SmartRanking, he has assembled a team of like-minded SEO specialists who help businesses achieve sustainable online growth.
His academic background in information science at the University of Groningen, with a specialization in natural language processing, gives him a unique perspective on the world of SEO. For Jarik, it’s not just about visibility in search engines, it’s about sharing knowledge and guiding businesses toward sustainable online success. That mission also led him to write a Dutch book about GEO.