How to Use H1, H2, H3 & H4 Heading Tags on WordPress Blog

Heading Tags:  Header Tags are the second most important on-page SEO factor that you can use to get a better SERP (Search Engine Results Page ). As we know Google changes its Search Algorithm generally up to 500-600 times each year. Most of these changes are minor, every few months Google rolls out a Major Algorithm change that affects the Search Engine Ranking of your Websites and Blogs. WordPress, #1 Free Blogging Software is already SEO friendly but as Google’s Search Algorithm is now changing dozens of times in a month, you can not neglect any SEO factor. H1, H2, H3, H4, H5, and H6 are the Header Tags that can be used on any website or Blog, even also on WordPress Blogs. Webmasters and Bloggers know these Tags with different names, such as HTML Header Tags, Head Tags, Heading Tags, SEO Header Tags, etc. There are lots of SEO Factors for WordPress that can affect your Blog Ranking, As you know, If Content is the King then SEO is the Queen and Header Tags are the second Most Important SEO factor.

What are H1, H2, H3, H4, H5 & H6 Tags?

The header tags (H1, H2, H3 and so on) represent the beginning of a new section or area of a page's content and alert search engine spiders of the relevancy of the content that follows the heading tag. It’s always a good idea to have great headlines on a site that may or may not use a keyword phrase, whether it’s wrapped in H-whatever tags is of no consequence to your rankings. In short, These elements represent the Headings for their sections.

HTML Heading Tags

Header Tags have a rank given by the number in their name. The H1 element is said to have the highest rank, the h6 element has the lowest rank, and two elements with the same name have equal rank.

Many search engines also pay special attention to what you have inside your header tags. For example, the most important headline on your page should be inside the <H1> tag, the second most important under the <H2>, and so on.

How to Use Header Tags on WordPress?

You can use Header Tags on a WordPress Blog on the basis of their rank. It means The Most Important Heading probably the ‘Article Title’ should go between H1 Tags, Second Most Important Heading should go between H2 Tags and so no.

If you are using these Header Tags (H1, H2, H3, H4, H5, and H6) on your WordPress Blog in a proper way no doubt you will get maximum SEO benefits. According to me for a WordPress blog, the most recommended way to deal with these Tags is as,

There is no restriction on How many numbers of times these tags can be used on a single page except H1 Tags, Although some webmasters say You may also use H1 tags for unlimited Times, I personally don’t believe in this as Google has been stated that you should use H1 Tags only 1 time on a single page or post.

H1, H2, and H3 these three Tags are the most important Header Tags that’s why I am saying to use these within your Articles. H1 & H2 headers are among the more heavily weighed elements of on-page content. If leveraged properly, H1 & H2 headers can be very effective in helping to shape search engines' perception of the content of your page. It’s always a good idea to have great headlines on a site that may or may not use a keyword phrase, with H2 and H3 Tags.

Example: If you are trying to optimize your Page for the phrase “get iPhone” then you’ll want to ensure your <H1> headline has that keyword inside it.

What are the Differences Among Header Tags?

A very common question that hit everyone’s mind is What are the differences among H1, H2, H3, H4, H5, and H6 Heading Tags. A very simple answer is, There are no differences among these except their ranking on SERPs. Search Engines Like Google Always gives more importance to H1 Tags, Followed by H2, H3 and so on.

This Ensure that The Keywords or Phrases coming between H Tags has more importance than The Words/Sentences Placed between P Tags (Paragraph Tags).

Using Header Tags on Page.

Example: For example, I am using ‘WordPress Template’ as a phrase on my Article, and I have placed this between H1 Tags, then b/w H2 Tags, and then b/w Paragraph Tags. It means this Single Phrase will appear 3 times within my Post. But the Search Engine will give more importance to the Phrase Coming b/w H1 Tags as compare to H2 and other Tags.

Google’s View on Heading Tags

Google has been started on its Search Engine Optimization Starter Guide, They also seem H1 s Most Important and H6 as least Important Heading Tags.

Google’s SEO Guide says, Heading Tags are an important Website Component for catching the User’s eye, so be careful how you use them!

Where to Use Heading Tags within Article?

Although I have been mentioned above that Phrase Comes between H1, H2,….H6 tags have more importance than normal texts. But this means not that you should use them anywhere. Always use Header/ Heading Tags where it makes sense. Using too many Heading Tags on a single page can make it hard for your readers to determine where one topic ends and another begins.

As we know Heading Tags typically make Text contented in them larger than normal text, that’s why you should use them as it’s cue your readers that this text is important. Remember always try to write for a man not for a machine.

Tips for Using HTML Header Tags for Better SEO

• Use your target keyword in Heading Tags. This will make the page look focused on a single keyword and gain importance in the Search Engine’s eyes. But don’t do Keyword Stuffing.
• Try to use a target keyword in H2 and H3 tags instead of using is H1 tags.
• Use “keyword” as an H1 tag and “keyword”+ “some other word” as H2 and H3 tags. Let's assume your keyword is “Header Tags”. Use “Header tags” in H1, “Header tags Secrets” in H2, and “Header tags Secrets Unveiled” in H3.

If you are intelligent (which I am 100% sure you are), you must have understood by now that none of the aforementioned strategies work well. If you want to do “Better SEO” with the header tags follow the rules set by Google and other Search Engines (mentioned above) and use them optimally.