What is Header Tags (H1-H6)?

Header tags are fundamental to both user experience and SEO. They organize content into a logical hierarchy, making it easier for readers to scan and find information while signaling to search engines which topics are most important on a page. Think of headers like a book's table of contents—they outline the structure and help readers navigate. Google uses header tags to understand content structure and context, making them valuable for ranking. Beyond SEO, proper header usage improves accessibility for screen readers and creates better reading experiences, reducing bounce rates and increasing engagement.

Headers follow a logical structure: **H1** is the main page title—use only one per page, **H2** tags mark major sections within your content, **H3** tags are subsections within H2 sections, **H4-H6** provide further nesting when needed. Think of it as an outline: H1 is your title, H2s are main chapters, H3s are subchapters. Never skip levels (don't go from H2 to H4)—maintain proper nesting for accessibility and SEO.

Proper header usage improves SEO in several ways: Headers help Google understand content structure and topic relationships, keywords in headers signal content relevance, well-structured content earns featured snippets more often, headers create natural internal linking opportunities, scannable content reduces bounce rates (a user experience signal), and headers can appear in search results as jump links. Google has stated headers help them understand content better.

Optimize headers effectively: Use one H1 per page matching your main topic, include primary keywords in H1 and H2s naturally, keep headers descriptive but concise (typically under 60 characters), make headers useful for scanning—they should summarize section content, maintain consistent formatting across your site, use headers to break up long-form content every 200-300 words, and avoid using headers purely for styling (use CSS instead).

Avoid these frequent errors: **Multiple H1 tags** on one page (confuses hierarchy), **Skipping header levels** (H1 to H3, missing H2), **Keyword stuffing** in headers (unnatural reading), **Using headers for styling** instead of structure, **Headers that don't match content** that follows, **Too many headers** cluttering the page, **No headers at all** in long-form content, and **Inconsistent hierarchy** across site pages.