What are Header Tags and How to Add Them in WordPress?
Blogging is crucial for successful content marketing. Today, when we basically live online, millions of blogs are published each day. The enormous content volume makes it hard to keep track of everything that appears in our feed. For this reason, it’s essential to prepare each article for combat in the competitive, Google ranking arena. No matter what blog niche you cover, you need to make sure your content is not only original and informative but also optimized for search engines. Before you write your first blog post, make sure you know how to structure your post to rank well and get noticed on Google.
Header tags are one of the most important tools for successful SEO. This is why the best SEO tips always emphasize the importance of header tags optimization. If you want to understand the header tags and how they work, let’s start from the very beginning.
Each article has its structure. Depending on the importance, some parts of the text are highlighted with bold fonts, some paragraphs are placed in colorful boxes, while other parts are underlined. Something similar applies to headings. When we want to separate headings and subheadings on a page, we use different heading tags. Heading tags allow you to mark your headings based on their importance. The values of headings vary from H1 to H6. Let’s see what each of them represents and what they’re used for.
H1 Tags
H1 tags mark the title of your post. They are the most important segment in the hierarchy of your page or post. Thus, they are positioned at the top of your page, before the rest of your content. In an ideal scenario, they sum up the essence of your text and include your keyword. For this reason, you should use the H1 tag only once in a particular post. It should visually stand out and grab the attention right away. Plus, it will give a signal to search engines of what it represents.
H2 Tags
H2 is like a skeleton of your text. H2 tags mark the crucial points of your paragraphs and separate sections. Thanks to them, the reader will be able to easily find the information they need and go through your content in logical order. So, if H1 sums up the essence of your text, H2 subheadings mark the shorter chapters dedicated to a particular subject. H2 also plays an important role in SEO. However, they work the best when you use semantic keywords and synonyms that are related to the main keyword used in your H1.
H3 Tags
When you write longer texts, you need to make sure your reader will move through your content easily. H3 tags will help you segment your text so that readers can identify crucial parts of the article with ease. Basically, H3 tags are the subsections in which you can analyze the conclusions made in the H2 in detail. Most often they are used in lists of tips or best practices, where each tip is marked with another H3 tag.
H4 Tags and Beyond
As we go further, the importance of information shared in our text declaims. However, when you want to keep your content at the highest level of quality, don’t forget to mark pieces of text that dive deep into the subject. In other words, when you want to further explain points made in H3 sections, you should opt for H4, H5, or H6 tags. These header tags are often used in formatting lists or bullet points in the hierarchical order of your content.
Better Text Structure
Text organization can truly change the way we consume content. Multiple paragraphs, headers, and bold words can make the reading more enjoyable. H1 tag serves as an indicator of what people can expect in the rest of the text. Thus, it’s like a guiding sign for someone who wants to know what to expect in your text right from the beginning. In combination with H2 tags, it will provide insight into what comes next.
Information Accessibility
Headers, especially H1, give the exact information about the content they summarize. This is crucial when the reader doesn’t have a lot of time and wants to find particular information fast. Headers work as some sort of shortcut that leads to a specific part of your text. Since more and more people consume information via mobiles, having a clear H1 is essential.
Better SEO Results
When you use your keyword in your H1, search engine bots will mark it as user-friendly. Thus, your page will rank better. If you are not sure how to optimize your header tags for search engines, keep reading.
Include Keywords in Header Tags
Google pays special attention to header tags. However, this doesn’t mean that keyword stuffing is a way to go. On the contrary, you should avoid unnecessary keywords, especially in your headings. Have in mind that your text is created for your readers in the first place, not for search engines. So, include your keywords naturally, but not at all cost. Our general advice is to use keywords in H1, but don’t repeat it in other header tags. Instead, go with keyword variations and synonyms in H2, H3, or H4.
Optimize for Featured Snippets
To make the most of your header tags, you need to optimize them for featured snippets. Do this by optimizing your header tag for a long-tail voice search keyword and use smaller headings to organize different list items.
Write Interesting Headings
Content that appears in the H1 tag is the first thing readers will see once they start reading your text. So, always write your headers with the user in mind. Take your time and write original, intriguing headers that will encourage people to keep reading. An ideal header tag will boost reader’s curiosity and get them excited about what comes up next.
One H1 Per Page
When everything is equally important, nothing is important. So, use H1 tags only once on a single page. This is beneficial for both SEO and users who want to easily detect certain information.
Now that we’ve covered some basic SEO rules for header tags, let’s go one step further and explain how to incorporate headings into the structure of your page. If you are not sure how to organize your heading tags, there is only one, essential rule you should follow: hierarchy is crucial. In other words, you should start with H1 (in text title) and continue down to H2, H3, H4, etc. In case you write long texts you may need headers throughout H6 – the key is to promote clarity and let people easily consume your content. Consider your header tags as guiding signs that aim to lead your readers through the structure of your article in a logical order. The good news is there are many SEO plugins that can help you improve the quality of your header tags.
Let’s Wrap It Up
Header tags allow you to organize your content in logical, hierarchical order. As a result, your readers will be able to find certain information faster and easier. Also, search engines will recognize if your page is user-friendly, optimized to rank well on Google. So, don’t take your header tags too lightly. Always take some time to organize them so your content can keep the attention from title to conclusion.
We hope this article was helpful. If you liked it, feel free to check out some of these articles as well!