H1 Tags and Heading Structure: Organize Content for Humans and Bots

Reading time: 5 minutes

TLDR

Use one H1 per page for your main title, then H2 for main sections, H3 for subsections, and so on. Don’t skip levels or use multiple H1s. It confuses Google about your page topic. Include keywords naturally and make headings descriptive. Benefits: helps readers scan content, helps Google understand structure, improves accessibility for screen readers, and creates anchor links for navigation. Scan checks for hierarchy issues like missing H1s or skipped levels.

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Headings (H1-H6) structure your content like a table of contents. They help readers scan and help Google understand your page hierarchy. Here’s how to use them correctly.

The Hierarchy

H1 - Page Title (only one per page)
  H2 - Main Section
    H3 - Subsection
      H4 - Sub-subsection
        H5 - Detail
          H6 - Fine detail

Think of it like a book:

• H1 = Book Title
• H2 = Chapter Titles
• H3 = Section Headings
• H4 = Subsection Headings

The Rules

Rule 1: One H1 Per Page

Wrong:

<h1>Welcome to Our Site</h1>
<h1>About Us</h1>
<h1>Contact</h1>

Multiple H1s confuse Google about the page topic.

Right:

<h1>Dallas Moving Company | Veterans Moving America</h1>
<h2>About Us</h2>
<h2>Our Services</h2>
<h2>Contact</h2>

One H1 = one main topic per page.

Rule 2: Don’t Skip Levels

Wrong:

<h1>Main Title</h1>
<h4>Subsection</h4>  <!-- Skipped H2 and H3 -->

Right:

<h1>Main Title</h1>
<h2>Section</h2>
<h3>Subsection</h3>

Go down one level at a time. You can jump up multiple levels (H4 → H2), but not down.

Rule 3: H1 Should Match (or Be Similar to) Title Tag

Title tag: <title>AI Visibility Testing | Surmado</title>

H1: <h1>AI Visibility Testing</h1>

Why: Google looks for consistency. If title says “AI Visibility Testing” but H1 says “Welcome!”, that’s confusing.

Example Structure

Blog post about SEO:

<h1>How to Get Found by ChatGPT in 2025</h1>

<h2>Why AI Search Matters</h2>
<p>Content about AI search...</p>

<h2>The 3-Step Strategy</h2>

  <h3>Step 1: Optimize Your Google Business Profile</h3>
  <p>Content about GBP...</p>

    <h4>Adding Q&A Entries</h4>
    <p>Details about Q&A...</p>

  <h3>Step 2: Create FAQ Pages</h3>
  <p>Content about FAQs...</p>

<h2>Measuring Success</h2>
<p>Content about metrics...</p>

Visual hierarchy:

H1: How to Get Found by ChatGPT in 2025
├─ H2: Why AI Search Matters
├─ H2: The 3-Step Strategy
│  ├─ H3: Step 1: Optimize Your Google Business Profile
│  │  └─ H4: Adding Q&A Entries
│  └─ H3: Step 2: Create FAQ Pages
└─ H2: Measuring Success

H1 Best Practices

Include Your Primary Keyword

Weak: <h1>Welcome to Our Homepage</h1>

• Generic
• No keyword
• Doesn’t describe page

Strong: <h1>Dallas Moving Company - Veteran Staffed</h1>

• Includes location keyword (Dallas)
• Includes service keyword (Moving Company)
• Includes differentiator (Veteran Staffed)

Keep It Under 70 Characters

Why: H1 often becomes the title shown in social shares and search results if you don’t have a separate title tag.

Good Length: “AI Visibility Testing for Small Businesses” (45 chars) Too Long: “The Complete Comprehensive Guide to Understanding How AI Visibility Testing Can Transform Your Small Business Marketing Strategy” (135 chars)

Make It Descriptive

Bad H1s:

• “Welcome!”
• “Home”
• “Introduction”
• “About”

Good H1s:

• “AI-Powered SEO Tools for Small Businesses”
• “15-Minute Visibility Reports That Drive Action”
• “The Deflation Company: Enterprise Tools at SMB Prices”

Common Mistakes

Mistake 1: Using Headings for Styling

Wrong:

<h1>Main Heading</h1>
<h5>This looks smaller so I'll use H5</h5>
<p>Regular text</p>

Don’t pick heading levels based on font size.

Right:

<h1>Main Heading</h1>
<h2>Subheading</h2>
<p class="small-text">Regular text styled with CSS</p>

Use CSS to control size, not heading tags.

Mistake 2: Logo as H1

Wrong:

<h1>
  <img src="logo.png" alt="Company Logo">
</h1>

Don’t waste your H1 on a logo image.

Right:

<div class="logo">
  <img src="logo.png" alt="Company Logo">
</div>
<h1>Main Page Heading</h1>

H1 should be text that describes the page content.

Mistake 3: Hidden H1

Wrong:

<h1 style="display:none;">Hidden Text for SEO</h1>

Google penalizes hidden text. Don’t try to game the system.

Right:

<h1>Visible Descriptive Heading</h1>

All headings should be visible to users.

H2-H6: Supporting Structure

H2: Major sections

• Use for primary topics on the page
• Typically 3-5 H2s per page
• Each H2 should answer a different question

H3: Subsections under H2

• Use for related subtopics
• Can have multiple H3s per H2

H4-H6: Rare, used for very detailed hierarchies

• Most pages don’t need these
• Use only if you have genuinely deep structure

Example usage:

<h1>Core Web Vitals Explained</h1>

<h2>What Are Core Web Vitals?</h2>
<p>Explanation...</p>

<h2>LCP: Largest Contentful Paint</h2>
<p>Overview...</p>

  <h3>How to Measure LCP</h3>
  <p>Measurement details...</p>

  <h3>How to Improve LCP</h3>
  <p>Improvement tips...</p>

<h2>CLS: Cumulative Layout Shift</h2>
<p>Overview...</p>

  <h3>How to Measure CLS</h3>
  <p>Measurement details...</p>

Accessibility Benefits

Screen readers use headings for navigation:

A blind user can:

1. Press a key to jump through headings
2. Get a list of all headings (table of contents)
3. Understand page structure without seeing it

Proper heading structure = accessible site

User presses H key in screen reader:
→ Jumps to next heading
→ Announces: "Heading level 2: What Are Core Web Vitals?"

Testing Your Heading Structure

Chrome Extension: HeadingsMap

1. Install “HeadingsMap” extension
2. Click icon on any page
3. See visual heading hierarchy
4. Spot missing levels or multiple H1s

Manual Check

View in browser:

• Right-click → Inspect
• Search for <h1, <h2, etc.
• Verify structure makes sense

Check for SEO issues:

• One H1 per page ✓
• H1 includes primary keyword ✓
• Logical hierarchy (no skipped levels) ✓
• H2s describe main sections ✓

Quick Wins

This week:

1. Check your homepage H1
2. Ensure it’s descriptive and includes your primary keyword
3. Verify only one H1 exists

This month:

1. Audit top 10 pages for heading structure
2. Add H2s to long content (>500 words)
3. Fix any skipped heading levels

Expected result:

• Better user experience (easier to scan)
• Improved accessibility
• Clearer content structure for Google

→ Related: Title Tags 101 | Content Strategy for AI-Readable Websites