What Are Header Tags?
Header tags, also known as heading tags, are HTML tags used to format the headings and subheadings of a webpage. They make it easy for readers to navigate through an article and for search engines to understand the structure of the content.
There are six header tags, starting with H1, the most important, and ending with H6, the least important. Most bloggers use these tags to format their content using the guidelines below:
- De H1 tag is for the main heading of the page
- The H2 tag is for the subheadings of the page
- The H3 tag is for the subheadings of the H2 tag
- The H4 tag is for the subheadings of the H3 tag
- The H5 tag is for the subheadings of the H4 tag
- The H6 tag is for the subheadings of the H5 tag
Most sites only use H1 to H3 tags, while some use H4 tags. Webpages containing H5 and H6 tags are often rare.
Importance of Header Tags
Header tags are important for SEO en user experience purposes. They allow visitors and search engines to understand the structure of the content. This is helpful for visitors as they can easily identify the most relevant headings and understand how they relate to one another.
Search engines, on the other hand, use the header tags to understand the hierarchy of the content. This allows them to easily identify the relationship between the headings and subheadings on the webpage. Header tags are also crucial for SEO as they typically contain primair en secondary keywords for which the blogger wants the content to rank.
Header Tag Best Practices
The average webpage contains one or more header tags. To maximize their effectiveness and avoid SEO and user experience issues, it’s best to follow the header tag best practices outlined below.
1 Use One H1 Tag per Page
Although you can include multiple H1 tags on a page, using more than one can confuse readers. So, it is best to use a single H1 tag per page. This improves the flow of your content and makes it easy to follow and understand.
2 Structure the Header Tags Hierarchically
Your content should begin with the main heading, which should contain an H1 tag. Subheadings should use H2 tags, subheadings under an H2 tag should use H3 tags, and it goes on like that. It is crucial to follow this hierarchy as it makes your content easy to follow.
3 Avoid Skipping the Heading Levels
Use the tags appriopirately without skipping any level. That means if your heading has a H1 tag, then your first subheading will have an H2 tag. Do not skip the levels and go from H1 to H3. It will confuse your readers and hurt your user experience.
4 Include Keywords in Your Header Tags
Include keywords in your header tags where possible. This could be your primary or secondary keyword. However, make sure to only use keywords where they are relevant, else you may end up keyword stuffing, which could hurt your rankings.
5 Keep Your Header Text Concise and Descriptive
Your headers should go straight to the point. They should not contain irrelevant words and should clearly describe the intent of the heading without confusing the visitor.
6 Don’t Use Header Tags for Styling Purposes
Header texts are usually styled differently to make them identifiable from the rest of the content. So, only use header tags for your headings and subheadings. If you need to style a text, use CSS. Don’t use header tags for styling.