The headings (headers) help both users and search engines to read and understand the texts that make up a web. They act as pointers for readers and make it easier for people to understand what a post or page is about.
Headings are one of prime SEO elements to be focussed for a better rankings on Google Search engine. At Grown Up Digital, the Best SEO company in Hyderabad, we leverage the Headings to their best to derive the better SEO results.
Headings also define which parts of your content are important and show how each of them is interconnected.
Next, we give you some tips on how to think and use headings to improve the content of your website.
Page Contents
WHY USE HEADINGS IN YOUR CONTENT?
Headings are pointers that guide readers through an article. Once you have your content ready, it is important that you make sure that your headings are informative for the reader.
The main focus of headings should be on the content, and the main purpose of headings should be to make the text easier to read and understand.
USE HEADINGS TO IMPROVE SEO
Although in a generic way, headings are not a factor by itself that specifically affects SEO, although it is a component that, well worked, can give us better results.
In headings, we have an opportunity to use the keyword (or its synonyms) prominently, so that it’s really clear what the page is about. But it is important not to overdo it. It shouldn’t feel unnatural or strange, and if it does, it’s probably because you’re trying too hard, or over-optimizing.
So with headings, you should always put the user first. Use them to add structure and cues to your content, and to describe what each section is about.
HOW HEADINGS WORK IN WORDPRESS
When editing an article in WordPress, you will generally see different “levels” of headings in the text editor, from “Heading 1” to “Heading 6”. These are ordered by size, and by importance. In this way, Heading 2 would be more important than 5. This is where the proper usage of headings can contribute to that page’s SEO improevement.
At the code level, these are converted to HTML header tags; from <h1>to <h6>. Therefore, when we talk about how to structure headings and content well, we talk about “H1” tags, “H2” tags, etc. We refer to the underlying HTML code.
HEADINGS IN SEO: 4 THINGS TO REMEMBER
First of all, you are limited to using an H1 header on each page:
1. The H1header should be the name / title of the page or post.
2. You can think of your H1 as the name of a book. On a category page, your H1 would be the name of that category. On a product page, it should be the name of the product.
3. Then, as you write your content, you can use the H2 and H3 headings to introduce different sections. Think of H2 titles like chapters in a book. Those individual sections can also use more specific headings (h3 tags, then H4 tags, etc.) to introduce subsections.
4. It’s rare that most content is “deep” enough that you need to use H4 tags and more, unless you’re writing a lot of time or really technical content.
AN EXAMPLE OF A SEO HEADER STRUCTURE
Let’s say we have a blog post about ballet shoes. We have chosen “ballet shoes” as our keyword, and we have written an article on all the reasons we like ballet shoes.
Without headings, there is a risk that we will end up writing a really long and confusing piece that is difficult to understand.
But if we structure things logically using headings, we not only make it easier to read, we also help focus our writing.
Below is the structure of that post:
H1: Ballet shoes are awesome
H2: Why do we think ballet shoes are awesome?
H3: We don’t sell them in pink!
H3: They are good for more than just dancing
H3: They are not as expensive as you think
H2: Where should you buy your ballet shoes?
H3: Top 10 Ballet Shoe Websites.
H3: Our favorite local dance shops.
This is a good example of how your headings should be structured in a medium length article. For a shorter article, you should use fewer (or more general, high-level) headings.
HEADINGS IN WORDPRESS THEMES
Almost all topics will automatically use your article name in an H1 tag. This is useful because it means that you don’t need to repeat the name of the post within your content.
However, some themes use labels incorrectly: they use labels in an illogical order (for example, an H4 and then an H2), or they use labels out of order in sidebars, headings, and footers. This can cause accessibility issues, as the order of your headings might not make sense.
Users, search engines, and assistive technologies generally look at the entire page, not just its content area.
If you have a custom theme, you can fix it by adjusting your HTML code. If you are using a standard theme, you may need to contact the developers.
In any case, we recommend that you review the headings each time you mount a new page or post structure so that it follows these rules that we have discussed.
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