Why Is Heading Structure Important For SEO?
Heading structures can be easily overlooked for a website since there are plenty of people who focus on the design side of website development over SEO. However, heading structures are important for websites to adhere to since they can help both users and web crawlers to understand a site’s content.
What Are Header Tags?
Headers are Headings tags are a part of HTML coding that is used to determine the hierarchy content found on a page. Heading tags range from H1-H6, and appear like this:
- H1 Heading: Page Title (You should only use one h1 on a page)
- H2 Heading: Primary Subheadings for the page
- H3 Heading: Subsection within an H2
- H4 Heading: Subsection within an H3
- H5 Heading: Subsection within an H4
- H6 Heading: Subsection within an H5
With each heading, the content becomes more specific to the topic of the header tag that it is found under. Header tags determine the importance of content and should introduce what the following section will contain. You will rarely see anything past an H4 tag but using an H5 or H6 tag is still fine so long as it is beneficial to the topic.
How Does a Heading Structure Affect SEO?
Heading structure affects SEO by providing users and search engine crawlers like Google a clear topical understanding for the pages on your site. Imagine reading a book without chapters, separations between characters, and everything was just one long paragraph. The experience from a user perspective would likely make you less inclined to finish that book. As for the search engine crawlers, while they can understand the content on your pages, it will require more work to understand the content.
A poor heading structure can increase bounce rate (users quickly leaving the page) and negatively impact your site’s authority, which can lead to lower positioning in organic search results.
Heading Structures And Keywords
Since header tags can help guide users and search engine crawlers, adding keywords that you want to target to them can help you specifically target those terms in dedicated sections. If you are a SaaS company who is targeting a specific demographic or niche, you can add a header tag that specifically states how your product or service can help that specific group.
For instance, if I was an internet provider and I wanted to target small businesses then I would want to talk about the service, the benefits, and other important information. If I were to perform keyword research and noticed that the keyword “Internet for small business” was a term that has good searches each month and is a term I want to target, I could include that term in the header tags. In the internet providers case, maybe I include a section that covers “Finding the Right Internet For Your Small Business”.
What Does A Proper Heading Structure Look Like?
A proper heading structure will vary depending on the page you are working on and your content marketing strategy. However, let’s go through an example to help you. Below you will find an example of what the heading structure could look like for a blog page.
H1: [Blog Title] What Makes Cheese Great?
H2: [Sub Topic 1] What Is Cheese?
H3: [Supporting Tag] Can You Make Cheese?
H3: [Supporting Tag] When Was Cheese First Made?
H2: [Sub Topic 2] Types of Cheese
H3: [Supporting Tag] Swiss
H3: [Supporting Tag] American
and so on.
Final Thoughts
Ultimately each page will look different but this is roughly what a heading structure can look like for a blog. For product pages, homepages, or other pages you will have to determine what pieces of information are most important for your user and search engine crawlers. With time, search engine crawlers and users will appreciate the extra effort to help them. Plus, having a solid heading structure is an important part of website development and having good digital marketing efforts in place.
David Buttrick is a writer who is passionate about helping people simplify their lives and reach personal goals. He blends practical insight with relatable storytelling. At SignalEdit.com, he shares lifestyle tips, productivity advice, and strategies for everyday growth.
