What is the Purpose of Heading Tags and Why You Should Use Them?

You’ve written a great piece of content and you’re ready to publish it on your website. But hold on one second. Take a quick glance at what you wrote. What does it look like? How is it organized? Did you use the right heading tags?

If you didn’t organize your content using heading tags, you may be missing out. People browsing online may not find your content, or if they do, they may not read it. Heading tags can help you attract and retain those readers. In this we will discuss what is the purpose of heading tags?

What are Heading Tags?

Think of heading tags as an outline of your content. They’re HTML tags that indicate headings on a webpage. An H1 tag, or Heading 1, is the name or title of your piece of content. It’s the biggest and most important heading. Normally, you’ll use just one H1 tag for a page. From there, H2, H3, and H4 headings are used in numerical order, decreasing in size and importance.

An Example of a Heading Structure

Let’s say that you’re writing a blog post about Thanksgiving recipes. Your main keyword is “Thanksgiving recipes,” and in your post, you want to share some popular holiday dishes and how to make them. Using heading tags, you might structure your post like this:

H1: Delicious and Easy Thanksgiving Recipes
- H2: Appetizers to Snack On
  - H3: Charcuterie Board
  - H3: Spinach Dip
  - H3: Deviled Eggs
- H2: Side Dishes
  - H3: Stuffing
  - H3: Sweet Potatoes
  - H3: Cranberry Sauce
  - H3: Other Side Options
- H2: Main Dishes
  - H3: Turkey
  - H3: Ham

If you’re not sure how to create your heading tags, labeling your content using a bullet list is a helpful way to plan and organize it.

Page Titles and H1 Tags

One quick note about a Heading 1 and a Page Title: essentially, both kinds of tags describe what your content is about. The difference is where the tags appear. A page title tag, or <title>, isn’t actually present on your page. It appears within the search results from Google, and it also appears in the title bar at the top of your web browser. Using our Thanksgiving recipe example, “Delicious and Easy Thanksgiving Recipes” would pop up in search results, in the title bar, and also in a user’s bookmarks if they bookmarked your page.

In comparison, the H1 tag is expressed as <h1>. That’s what you’ll see on your page at the top, as the title. “Delicious and Easy Thanksgiving Recipes” is your H1 tag on your actual page.

Why Should I Use Heading Tags?

Give Your Content Structure

Imagine that you’re scrolling through your regular daily news feed or blog feed online. After reading an enticing headline, you click on the article link to keep reading. However, you’re immediately met with a giant wall of text. You click away instantly and look for a different article on the same topic.

Make your content easy to scan and follow with heading tags. Each heading tag should aptly describe its section or paragraph, letting readers know what to expect to read. If someone scrolls too far down or loses their place, a quick glance at a heading tag should help them find their way back, too.

Improve Accessibility

Heading tags indicate headings on a webpage by using code to tell a web browser how to display content. That’s why and how they organize your content into a format that’s easy to read.

In addition to general structure and readability, heading tags help improve accessibility for people who can’t easily read screens. How? Visually impaired readers might use a screen reader to read the text on a screen for them. Headings are in HTML, so by reading or listening to the headings in a piece of content, visually impaired readers can get the gist of an article and decide if they’d like to continue reading it.

Screen readers also allow you to navigate through an article by jumping to the next heading. So when you have good descriptive heading tags, you improve the readability and navigation for those who are blind or visually impaired.

Boost SEO

Even though page titles are the ones that appear in Google search results, it’s the H1 tags that are most important to search engine optimization or SEO. Search engines examine headings for appropriate keywords in a user’s search. If your headings match what people are searching for, generally, your content has a better chance of surfacing early in Google search results.

The primary keyword, “what is the purpose of heading tags,” should be strategically placed within your heading tags to boost your SEO. Search engines prioritize well-structured content that accurately matched search queries. By including the keyword in your H1 and H2 tags, you’re signaling to search engines that your content is relevant to the user’s query.

Enhance Readability and Visibility

The way you organize your content can make a big difference in grabbing readers’ attention and keeping their focus on your page. Strong, descriptive heading tags give structure to your content and guide readers along. For those who are visually impaired, this can be especially helpful in navigating your content and making your point. Crafting unique, SEO-aligned headings is quick and easy, so it’s a good habit to start practicing with your content.

How to Use Heading Tags Effectively

Plan Your Content Structure

Before you start writing, outline your content. This helps you organize your thoughts and ensures that your headings are logical and flow well. Use bullet points to list your main sections and subsections, similar to the Thanksgiving recipes example earlier.

Use Only One H1 Tag Per Page

Your H1 tag should be the main title of your page. It tells both readers and search engines what the page is about. Using more than one H1 tag can confuse search engines and make your content less effective.

Use H2 Tags for Main Sections

H2 tags are for main sections of your content. Each H2 should represent a significant section of your article, giving readers a clear idea of what that section will cover.

Use H3 Tags for Subsections

H3 tags are for subsections within your H2 sections. They help break down the content further, making it easier for readers to follow.

Keep Headings Descriptive and Relevant

Your headings should accurately describe the content they introduce. This not only helps readers but also improves your SEO. Avoid vague headings like “Introduction” or “Conclusion.” Instead, use descriptive headings that include relevant keywords.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Overusing Keywords

While it’s important to include keywords in your headings, overusing them can make your content seem spammy. Use keywords naturally and only where they make sense.

Ignoring Subheadings

Some content creators only use H1 and H2 tags, ignoring H3 and lower-level headings. This can make your content harder to follow. Use subheadings to break down your content into manageable chunks.

Using Headings for Styling

Headings should be used to structure your content, not just to make text bigger or bolder. Use CSS for styling and keep your headings reserved for content structure.

The Role of a Digital Marketing Agency

A digital marketing agency like Trajital can help you optimize your content, including proper use of heading tags. They can provide guidance on SEO best practices, content structure, and overall digital marketing strategies to ensure your content reaches the right audience.

By partnering with experts from a digital marketing agency, you can ensure that your content is not only well-structured but also optimized for search engines. This can help increase your visibility, drive more traffic to your site, and ultimately improve your overall digital marketing efforts.

Conclusion

In summary, the purpose of heading tags is to keep your headings descriptive and relevant, and avoid common mistakes like overusing keywords or using headings for styling. With these tips in mind, you can create well-structured content that attracts and retains readers, improves accessibility, and boosts your SEO. And if you need help, consider partnering with a digital marketing agency like Trajital to optimize your content and achieve your digital marketing goals.