A heading structure checklist

Headings are often picked for how they look: a big one here, a bold one there. The result is a page that reads fine to its author but has no clear outline for search engines, screen readers, or a visitor who scans. This lesson shows you how to structure headings, with a worked example and a checklist.

Headings are a table of contents

Think of the headings on a page as its table of contents. If you copied only the headings into a list, a stranger should understand what the page covers and in what order.

Three kinds of reader depend on that outline:

• Visitors who scan. Most people do not read a page from top to bottom. They jump between headings until they find the part they need.
• People who use screen readers. A screen reader can list the headings on a page and jump straight to one. If the levels are wrong, that list is confusing.
• Search engines. Headings help them understand what each part of a page is about.

HTML has six heading levels, from H1 to H6. The H1 is the title of the page. H2s are the main sections. H3s are parts inside an H2. Most pages never need more than those three levels.

Read only the headings. If they do not tell the story, the page is not finished.

One H1, then H2s and H3s

The rules are short.

1. Exactly one H1. The H1 says what the whole page is about. One page, one topic, one H1. In most site builders the page or post title becomes the H1 automatically, so check before you add another one in the text.
2. H2s for the main sections. Each H2 starts a new part of the page. If you removed everything else, the H2s alone should cover the topic.
3. H3s inside an H2. Use them only when a section has parts of its own, such as steps, options or examples.
4. Do not skip levels. Do not jump from an H2 to an H4. Going back up is fine: after an H3 you can start a new H2.

The H1 is not the same thing as the title tag. The H1 is what a visitor sees at the top of the page. The title tag is what shows in search results. The wording can differ a little, but both should describe the same topic. If your title needs work too, see how to write title tags that get clicked.

The words matter as much as the levels. A good heading says what the section contains.

The first heading could sit above any text on any site. The second tells the reader, and the search engine, which question the section answers. Use your keyword in a heading where it fits naturally, and do not repeat the same phrase in every heading on the page.

Do not pick headings for their size

This is the most common mistake I see. Someone picks an H4 because the H2 looked too big. Or they make a sentence an H2 because they want it to stand out, such as "Free shipping on all orders" or a phone number.

A heading level describes structure, not style. If a heading is the wrong size, change the style in your theme or design settings and keep the correct level. If you want a sentence to stand out, use bold text or a highlighted box, not a heading.

The reverse happens too. A line of bold text that introduces a section is doing the job of a heading, so make it a real one.

Wrong headings also hide in places you did not write yourself:

• The logo or site name set as an H1. Then every page has the same H1, or two of them.
• Banners and sliders. Each slide may carry its own H1 or H2.
• Sidebar and footer titles. "Newsletter" and "Follow us" are sometimes set as H2s, which adds noise to the outline.
• Empty headings. Some editors leave a blank heading behind when text is deleted or when a heading is used for spacing.

A worked example, and how to see your outline

Here is the outline of a service page for a roofing company. Indentation shows the level.

H1  Roof replacement in Austin: cost, timing and what to expect
  H2  How much a roof replacement costs
    H3  Asphalt shingles
    H3  Metal roofing
  H2  How long a roof replacement takes
  H2  Signs you need a new roof
    H3  Leaks and water stains
    H3  Missing or curling shingles
  H2  How to get a quote

You can read that list and know what the page covers. There is one H1. Each H2 answers one main question. H3s appear only where a section has parts. No level is skipped.

To see the outline of your own page, you have a few options:

• In your editor. Many editors have an outline or document overview panel that lists every heading with its level.
• In the browser. Right-click a heading and choose Inspect. The highlighted line of code starts with the tag name, such as h2.
• With an extension. Several free browser extensions list all headings on a page in order.

On a long page, a short list of links at the top that jump to each H2 helps visitors. Those are internal links, and they work across the whole site too. That is the subject of an internal linking plan you can reuse, the next lesson in the On-Page SEO series.

Check your own page

Open one page, list its headings, and go through these questions:

• Is there exactly one H1, and does it say what the page is about?
• Does each main section start with an H2?
• Are H3s used only inside an H2, with no levels skipped?
• Would the headings alone make sense as a table of contents?
• Is any heading there only because of its size or look?

When the outline reads well, run the free audit to check the rest of the page.