Heading structure that makes sense
Headings give a page an outline. Used properly they help readers scan, help screen readers navigate, and help search engines understand which parts of a page matter.
What it is
H1 through H6 are ranked headings. H1 is the page title as the reader sees it, H2 marks major sections, H3 marks subsections within them, and so on.
They are structural, not decorative. Using an H3 because the font size looks right, when it's really a top-level section, breaks the outline.
One H1, in order
A page should have exactly one H1 that states what the page is about. Zero leaves the page without a clear subject; several compete with each other.
Levels should not be skipped. Jumping from H2 straight to H4 leaves a gap in the outline that assistive technology reports as a structural error.
Modern HTML technically permits multiple H1 elements inside sectioning elements, but in practice a single H1 remains the safest and clearest approach.
Who relies on the outline
Screen reader users move around a page by its headings. Most screen readers have a single key that jumps to the next heading and another that lists them all, so a page with clear, ordered headings can be scanned by ear in a few seconds. A page with no headings, or with headings chosen for their size, has to be listened to from the top.
Search engines use the same structure to work out what each part of a page is about, and AI assistants use it to find the passage that answers a question. Headings that describe their section, such as 'Call-out fees' or 'Areas we cover', do far more work for all three audiences than clever ones like 'Why choose us?' or 'Our difference'.
Headings on template-built sites
Most heading problems on small business sites come from the theme or page builder rather than from anyone's decision. Common examples are a logo or tagline marked up as an H1 in the header, so every page shares it; a hero banner whose large text is a styled paragraph rather than a heading; and sidebar or footer widgets with H2 titles that interrupt the outline of the main content.
Page builders usually let you choose the heading level for each block separately from its style, though the setting is often buried. Fix the template first, so the header and footer stop contributing headings to every page, then go through the main pages one at a time. A browser extension that lists a page's headings makes the outline visible in seconds and shows exactly what a screen reader user hears.
Writing headings that work
A good heading describes what follows it, in words a reader would use. Put the important words first, since people scanning a page read the start of each heading and skip the rest. 'Hot water repairs in Ballarat' tells a reader where they are; 'Welcome to our services page' tells them nothing.
The H1 and the title tag should agree without being identical. The title is written for a search result, with the business name at the end, while the H1 is written for someone already on the page, so it can drop the brand and be a little more conversational. If the two describe different subjects, one of them is wrong.
Keep headings short enough to read at a glance, usually under ten words, and make each one distinct. Three sections all headed 'Our services' give a screen reader user three identical choices with no way to tell them apart. Headings phrased as the questions customers ask, such as 'Do you charge a call-out fee?', also help AI assistants find and quote the answer that follows.
When you have finished, read the headings on their own, top to bottom, without the text between them. They should read like a sensible table of contents for the page: a clear subject, then the main topics in a logical order. If the list makes no sense on its own, the page's structure probably doesn't either, for readers or for search engines.
How to fix it
- Identify the one sentence that describes the page and make it the H1.
- Demote any competing H1 elements, which are often a logo or a tagline in the header, to a lower level or to plain text.
- Walk the page from top to bottom and confirm the levels descend without gaps.
- Use CSS for size and weight rather than picking a heading level for its appearance.
What good looks like
<h1>Emergency plumbing in Ballarat</h1>
<h2>What we cover</h2>
<h3>Burst pipes</h3>
<h3>Blocked drains</h3>
<h2>Call-out fees</h2>Common mistakes
- Wrapping the site logo in an H1 on every page, so every page shares the same H1.
- Using headings purely to make text bigger.
- Having no H1 at all, which is common on template-built home pages.
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