Heading structure: how to use H1 to H6 so people and search engines follow your page
Headings are the outline of your page. Here is how many H1s to use, how to order the rest and the mistakes that confuse readers and screen readers.
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Put this into practice
Why do headings matter?
Headings are the outline of a page. People skim by them, screen readers let users jump between them, and search engines use them to understand what each section covers. A clear outline helps all three.
The basic rules
- Use one H1 per page, naming the main topic
- Use H2 for the main sections, then H3 for parts of a section, and so on
- Do not skip levels, for example jumping from an H2 straight to an H4
- Write headings that say what the section covers, not clever teasers
Common mistakes
- Choosing a heading level because of its size, not its meaning. Change the look with styling instead
- A logo or banner wrapped in an H1 on every page
- Empty headings left behind by a page builder
- Several H1s on one page, or none
- Headings that exist only after JavaScript runs
A quick way to review a page
Read only the headings, top to bottom. If the page still makes sense, the outline works. If it does not, rewrite the headings first.
Frequently asked questions
Is more than one H1 a penalty?
It is allowed by the HTML standard, and search engines handle it. A single clear H1 is still the simplest, most readable choice.
Do keywords in headings help?
Headings that naturally describe the section help readers and give search engines context. Stuffing keywords in reads badly and does not help.