Headings show readers, search engines and screen readers how a page is organised. The title of a page or post is H1. The main sections below that are H2 headings and the subsections within each section are H3 headings. When used in this order, headings make a page easier to read and understand for search engines. If used for their visual size, however, they have the opposite effect.
What are headings used for in SEO and accessibility?
Search engines read the headings of a page to determine its subject matter and organisation before reading the paragraphs. A page with a clear title and a few H2 headings that accurately name the sections is easier to index than a page of unbroken text. Headings are important for search engine understanding of a page, but they do not automatically improve its ranking.
Visitors who use a screen reader navigate by headings. They jump from heading to heading to find the section they want, in the same way that a sighted reader scans a page. Without headings, they have to listen to the text of the entire page.
Which heading level goes where?
Every page or post has one H1 heading, which is the title. In WordPress, the title field is the H1, so you do not need to add one to the content.
Use H2 for the main sections of the page and H3 for subsections within an H2 section. A post titled ‘Supporting trans youth in your organisation’ could be structured like this:
- Understanding gender identity (H2)
- Terminology (H3)
- How to be supportive (H3)
- Where to refer young people for help (H2)
Do not skip a level. Having an H3 directly under the title with no H2 above it confuses both readers and search engines. Do not choose a heading level based on how big or small it looks. If a heading looks too large on your website, change the style of that heading, not the level.
How to add a heading in the WordPress block editor
- Click at the end of the paragraph above where you want the heading to go, then press Enter to start a new block.
- Click the plus icon and select ‘Heading’.
- Type the heading text.
- A new heading is H2 by default. To change this, click on the H2 icon in the toolbar above the block and select H3.
To view the headings on an existing page, click the ‘Document Overview’ icon (three horizontal lines) in the top left corner of the editor and open the ‘Outline’ tab. This lists every heading on the page with its level and highlights any that are out of order.