Heading structure for SEO and accessibility

What headings are for

Headings divide a page into sections, much like chapter titles in a book. In HTML they run from H1 to H6. H1 is the main heading, H2s are major sections, H3s are subsections within an H2, and so on.

They help three groups:

• Readers who scan before deciding whether to read.
• People using screen readers, who often jump between headings to navigate. The W3C's guidance on headings explains why structure matters for them.
• Search engines, which use headings as one clue about what each part of the page covers.

The basics

• Use one H1 that describes the page's main topic.
• Use H2s for the main sections.
• Use H3s for subsections inside an H2.
• Don't skip levels for visual effect, such as jumping from H2 to H4.
• Use headings for structure, not styling. If you want large bold text that isn't a heading, use CSS.

Google has said multiple H1s won't cause a problem for search, but one clear H1 is still the simplest approach for readers and screen reader users.

Write headings people would scan for

Headings work best when they tell readers exactly what's in each section. Compare two outlines for a boiler installation page.

Vague:

• Why choose us?
• Our process
• Get in touch

Specific:

• What a new boiler costs in Nottingham
• Combi, system or regular: which boiler suits your home
• What happens on installation day
• Warranties and aftercare
• Book a free survey

The second outline answers questions people actually have. Someone skimming can jump straight to the cost section. Search engines get a clearer picture of what the page covers.

Questions make good headings

For guides and FAQs, using the question as a heading, then answering it directly in the first sentence below, works well. It mirrors how people search and makes the answer easy to find.

For example: "Do I need planning permission for a garden office?" followed by a one-sentence answer, then the detail.

Common problems

Headings used for styling

Some website builders make it easy to choose "Heading 2" just to get bigger text. You end up with taglines, phone numbers and testimonials marked as headings, which confuses the structure.

Missing H1

Templates sometimes use the logo or a slider caption as the H1, or have no H1 at all. Check your main pages.

Everything in one section

Long pages with no subheadings are hard to read on a phone. Break them up every few paragraphs.

Keyword stuffing

Repeating the same phrase in every heading reads badly. "Emergency plumber Leeds", "Our emergency plumber Leeds services", "Why choose our emergency plumber Leeds" helps nobody.

How to check your headings

• Browser extensions. Several free extensions show a page's heading outline.
• View the outline. If the list of headings alone makes sense as a summary of the page, you're in good shape.
• Screen reader test. If you can, try navigating by headings with a screen reader such as NVDA on Windows or VoiceOver on Mac or iPhone.

A worked example

A small law firm's family law page had one H1 ("Family Law"), and then everything else, including "Divorce", "Children" and "Finances", styled as bold paragraphs rather than headings. A screen reader user couldn't jump between them, and the page was a wall of text on mobile.

The firm restructured it:

• H1: Family law solicitors in Exeter
• H2: Divorce and dissolution
• H3: How no-fault divorce works
• H3: Typical timescales
• H2: Arrangements for children
• H2: Financial settlements
• H2: Fees and funding
• H2: Speak to a family solicitor

Each H2 section got a short introduction and a link to a more detailed page. The content barely changed. The page became far easier to use.

Headings and featured snippets

Clear headings followed by direct answers can make it easier for Google to pull a short passage into a featured snippet. There's no markup that guarantees it, but well-structured pages give Google something clean to work with.

Headings on service pages versus guides

Service pages and guides need slightly different heading patterns. On a service page, headings usually follow the buying decision: what it is, what it costs, how it works, why trust you, and how to book. On a guide, headings follow the reader's questions in a logical order, often starting with the simplest one. Product pages may only need a few headings, such as specifications, delivery and reviews. Matching the pattern to the page type helps readers find what they came for and keeps your site consistent. It also makes writing easier, because you're filling in a familiar shape rather than starting from nothing.

Write the headings first

A useful habit when creating a new page is to write the headings before anything else. If the outline doesn't make sense, the page won't either. Share the outline with a colleague and ask whether anything obvious is missing. It's much quicker to fix structure at this stage than after the page is written.

Quick checklist

• One H1 that matches the page's purpose.
• H2s for main sections, H3s for subsections.
• Headings that describe their section.
• No headings used just for styling.
• A heading outline that makes sense on its own.