Situation-Based Question
You’re helping a local home improvement company launch its new website. The project manager, who’s a bit new to SEO, asks you, “We have a lot of content on different topics, like roofing, plumbing, and remodeling. How should I structure the header tags on our homepage to make sure search engines and customers can easily understand what we’re offering?”
Exact Answer
You should structure header tags hierarchically: use one H1 tag for the main topic, H2 tags for major sections, and H3 tags for subsections within those major sections. This helps organize content for both search engines and users.
Explanation
Header tags (H1, H2, H3) are important for organizing your content and giving both search engines and users a clear roadmap. Here’s how you can structure them:
- H1 – The Main Topic of the Page:
- The H1 tag should clearly state the main topic or purpose of the page. It’s the most important heading because it tells both users and search engines what the page is about.
- On your homepage, for example, you might use “Your Trusted Home Improvement Experts” as the H1. This immediately communicates the main theme of the page—your services as a home improvement company.
- H2 – Major Sections of Your Content:
- H2 tags are used for the main sections within your content. Think of them as the key categories that support the main topic (H1).
- For this home improvement company, you might use H2 tags like:
- “Our Services”
- “Why Choose Us”
- “Customer Testimonials”
- H3 – Subsections within Each H2:
- H3 tags break down each major section (H2) into smaller, more specific topics. They are used to give more detail or dive deeper into a particular subcategory.
- Under the “Our Services” H2, you could have H3 tags like:
- “Roofing Solutions”
- “Plumbing Services”
- “Remodeling and Renovations”
- Why This Structure Works:
- For SEO: Search engines use header tags to understand the content hierarchy of your page. By following a clear structure, you’re helping search engines crawl and index your page correctly, improving your chances of ranking higher.
- For User Experience: Users benefit from this structure because it makes your content easier to scan. They can quickly jump to the section that interests them, improving engagement and reducing bounce rates.
Example
Here’s how you might structure the home improvement website’s homepage:
- H1: “Your Trusted Home Improvement Experts”
- H2: “Our Services”
- H3: “Roofing Solutions”
- H3: “Plumbing Services”
- H3: “Remodeling and Renovations”
- H2: “Why Choose Us”
- H3: “Experienced Professionals”
- H3: “Quality Guaranteed”
- H2: “Customer Testimonials”
- H3: “What Our Clients Are Saying”
This structure ensures that the page is easy to navigate and helps both users and search engines understand the content quickly.