HTML header tags are used within web design and SEO to organize/explain a web page’s structure within the code of that page. It gives the search engine indexing program (spider/crawler) a clearly
defined hierarchical layout of what the page is mainly about (via the <H1>) and sub sections (<H2>, – <H6>)follow the aforementioned with supporting information according to descending importance.
Special Note 1: Each web page should only have one <H1>. Think of it as the page’s title (however, do not confuse this with the Title Tag).
In laymen’s terms, think of header tags and their placement as a great guideline for structuring web pages in an outline format. At the top of the page, the main idea is mentioned and supporting areas (and their supporting areas) are specifically mentioned in a very clear and logical method. Since most people scan on the Internet, rather than read word for word, the style of content creation helps the user clearly understand what the author is trying convey, and simultaneously tells the search engine spiders the same thing in “technical speak.”
With this post, I am not going to delve into the technical supporting rules of header tag creation, but if you are interested in learning more, there is a wealth of information here.
About the Author: Rhett DeMille, the owner of PalmettoSoft, is a leading search engine optimization consultant located in the Charlotte NC and Charleston SC areas.
