What it looks like
<h1>Local SEO for Dentists</h1>
Why the H1 matters
- Readers use it to check that they are on the right page.
- Search engines treat it as a strong signal of the page’s topic, and Google sometimes uses the H1 as the title of the search result.
- Screen reader users often jump to the H1 to find where the main content starts.
How to write a good H1
- Describe the page’s main topic clearly, with the main keyword where it fits naturally.
- Keep it close in meaning to the title tag. The wording can differ: the title tag is written to earn the click in search results, the H1 for people already on the page.
- Keep it fairly short, with the most important words first.
- Give every page a unique H1.
How many H1s should a page have?
One is best practice. Google has said that more than one H1 won’t hurt your rankings, but a single clear H1 makes the structure easier to follow for readers and assistive technology. Use H2 to H6 for the sections below it, in order; see heading tags.
Common mistakes
- No H1 at all, or the logo or a tagline marked up as the H1
- The same H1 on many pages
- An H1 that doesn’t match what the page is actually about
- Using an H1 just to make text big; use CSS for styling