Utilizing and optimizing header tags on your website pages is great for SEO as it can boost your website’s ranking and online visibility. Indeed, both Header 1 (H1) and Header 2 (H2) still have a large impact on search engine rankings, given that they help site visitors to parse content quite easily. This means they give websites better user engagement and lower bounce rates. This, in turn, contributes to improving the average visit time of your site or page, user experiences, and of course your search rankings. Below we’ll list the best SEO tips on H1 and H2 tags.
In general, header tags are critical for on-page SEO as they help search engines and users understand what your site or page content is about. Of all components in your site’s copy, your header tags are the most significant in search engines’ eyes, with your H1 being the most important. H1 and H2 tags also help support the overall theme of your website page. For that reason, it’s paramount to choose the content inside these headers carefully and utilize them with both long- and short-tail keywords. This will enable search engine crawlers to pick up on your H1 and H2 and recognize your most important keywords.
Here are some tips for using your header tags properly:
There is no need to stuff keywords in a single header or use multiple H1s in a single page. Header 1 tags, after all, refer to the title of a page or your content. So the norm is to have one heading/title per page except for very specific circumstances.
Note that Header 2s serve as subheadings. Having said that, search engines consider pages filled with H2 less useful and valuable. They will refrain from indexing them, which means they are not promoted via search engine results. It’s best to use H2 tags sparingly, such as one H2 per 250-350 words of text.
Each header tag should clearly “say” what each section following them is about. Users need to know where to search for relevant information when skimming through your content, and research has shown that only a mere 15% will read the whole thing. The same applies to search engines, which need to “understand” what you’re writing about so they can index your pages. In short, ensure that your H1 and H2s are useful and that they explain or provide guidance rather than being vague, clickbait, or leave users in the dark.
Your H1 should include the targeted keyword(s) that relates the most to your content and page title. To make a positive impact on SEO, you can place header tags with featured snippets. You can do this by optimizing your H1 for a long-tail voice search keyword. Then using smaller headings to outline various list items and answer the query using text or numbered/bulleted lists.
Your H1 should include the targeted keyword(s) that relates the most to your content and page title. To make a positive impact on SEO, you can place header tags with featured snippets. You can do this by optimizing your H1 for a long-tail voice search keyword. Then using smaller headings to outline various list items and answer the query using text or numbered/bulleted lists.
Consistency is key for user experiences. This includes your header tags, which should have the same title case format as the rest of your pages. It’s also worth noting that shorter headings (around 70 characters) make a bigger impact on SEO. Remember that your H1s and H2s are not your chance to emphasize a block of keyword-stuffed context for search engines.
Utilizing the power of properly structured and placed header tags can help boost your website’s SEO. And the good news is that it’s not as difficult as it may sound!
"Just recently, I was able to take a pretty competitive keyword from #12 (page 2), up to #5 on page 1 in 14 or 15 days."
