H1
The main visible heading on a page; should describe the topic clearly.
H1, defined
H1 is the top-level heading element in HTML, normally the main visible heading on a page. Below it, H2 to H6 headings break the content into sections. Headings help readers scan a page, help screen reader users navigate and help search engines understand how a page is organised.
An example from a UK business
A removals firm's home page has the H1 "Welcome!". It changes to "House and office removals across Kent", with H2 sections for house moves, office moves, packing and storage. Visitors can scan straight to what they need, and the page reads more clearly.
What to avoid
- Using headings just to make text bigger.
- Hiding the H1 or making it a picture with no text.
- Writing an H1 that has nothing to do with the title tag.
- Worrying about having exactly one H1. Google says multiple H1s aren't a problem, but one clear main heading is usually easiest for readers.
A quick check you can do now
Open a page, right-click and choose "Inspect", then search the code for "h1". Or use a free heading checker, such as the one on our tools page. You're looking for one clear main heading describing the page, followed by section headings that make sense as an outline if you read them on their own.
What it changes for you
A clear H1 tells a visitor straight away that they've landed in the right place. Many templates use the logo or a slogan as the H1, or style headings with no proper structure. Fixing that improves accessibility and makes the page's topic clearer to Google.
Other on-page terms
- Title tag: The HTML title of a page. It matters for relevance and for whether people click.
- On-page SEO: Optimising titles, headings, content, internal links and HTML on your own pages.
- Header navigation: Primary menu links that shape crawl paths and UX.
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