The Ultimate Guide to Header Tags and Search Engine Optimization
The ultimate guide for Header (H) tags are elements that divide content on a webpage and are part of Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), making it easy to read. They’re highlighted as H and range from H1 to H6; the lower the number, the more important it is. For instance, H1 is the more important, while H6 comes last and is least important. H tags structure content to make it easy to read for human readers and search engines, and the process is known as Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
Use of Different Header Tags
The topic of an article can be a Title or H1 tag. If the subject is a title, the first subtopic automatically becomes H1. Any content with the topic as H1 means the first subtopic becomes an H2. Regarding search engines like Google, heading tags and SEO are better recognized o a webpage meaning such a page will rank better than others. As part of SEO, search engines better understand a page with one title and one H1. Here’s how to use header tags.
H1 – It can be the title of your post
H2 – They’re subtopics that follow H1 and can be more than one.
H3 – Use them as subtopics of H2. In short, they explain the content under H2 in further detail.
H4, H5, H6 – Although these aren’t commonly used, they’re available if you need to use them.
The Importance of Header Tags
Header tags are like the chapters in a book. From the table of contents, you’ll find that some chapters are more descriptive compared to others, and they describe the book’s flow from the beginning to the conclusion. Here’s why H tags are important.
Provide Structure to Content
Headers provide structure for a post, and each should give the reader an idea of what’s coming next. Like a table of contents, titles will systematically lead the reader to the next content or page.
Break Up Content Chunks
An article with headers breaks down content into smaller easy-to-read texts for readers and search engines. Properly used headers make the content user-friendly, and search engines like to reward such by ranking them among the top. Easy-to-read content appeals to readers, who are likely to share it with others.
Use Keywords Header Tags
Search engines scan content on a page using header tags to understand what it’s all about. Therefore, including keywords in headers helps Google understand a page, but it shouldn’t be spammy or excessive. For SEO purposes, it’s recommended to include keywords in H2s and H3s.
Optimize Snippets
Unfortunately, some people don’t use headers properly, yet they can greatly impact content. You can use headers to drive the reader to a specific paragraph or list snippets on a page.
Best SEO Practices
Search engine optimization (SEO) is crucial if you need your content to count on search engine results pages (SERPs). Ranking well on SERPs makes a page more findable and generates more traffic. Here are some of the best SEO practices that will make your content stand out without overdoing the content.
A page with proper use of H tags makes it easy for a reader to read and navigate through content. Likewise, search engines can scan a page with headers like a reader for a better user experience. Breaking content using headers makes content easy to digest, and even though headers don’t impact SEO directly, misusing them can affect a page negatively.