The heading technique is one of the important elements in compiling SEO articles that are easy to understand and easy to crawl in SERP (Search Engine Results Pages). This heading consists of H1 to H6 in one article on the website, its use is to make it easier for readers to understand the article and as a marker for the title and sub-title in an article.
Heading tags or sub-headings are an important factor in website content creation and SEO optimization. In fact, the use of sub-headings in articles will provide many benefits, both from Google and users. Therefore, you need to understand what sub-headings are, what their function is, and their effect on SEO.
The existence of headings can be one of the distinguishing features of the structure of SEO articles with ordinary articles in general. The following will discuss the techniques in heading tags and how to use them!
What is a Heading Tag?
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| What is a Heading Tag? |
Heading tags are sub-headings that you can recognize by their prominent font style. In WordPress, sub-headings are divided into six levels. The top sub-heading is <h1> which is equivalent to the title. So, when writing an article, you should not use <h2> as a sub-heading.
While <h2> to <h6> are sub-headings that you can use to mark blocks in an article. If you are used to reading blog articles, you must be familiar with the style of dividing long text into several parts. Each part is separated by large and bold text, this is what is called a sub-heading.
A heading tag is an important element in Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) that is used to provide structure and hierarchy to text on a webpage. Heading tags also play an important role in organizing content and allowing readers and search engines to more easily understand the content on a webpage.
When you open a webpage, you may have seen larger and bolder texts at the top of the page. Well, that's what is called a "heading." Heading tags are divided into several levels, starting from H1 to H6, with H1 having the highest level of importance, and H6 the lowest.
An example of using this heading tag is as follows:
- <h1>This is Heading level 1</h1>
- <h2>This is Heading level 2</h2>
- <h3>This is Heading level 3</h3>
- <h4>This is Heading level 4</h4>
- <h5>This is Heading level 5</h5>
- <h6>This is Heading level 6</h6>
It is important to remember that proper use of heading tags also affects the SEO of your webpage. Search engines like Google, will use information from heading tags to determine the main topic of your webpage. Therefore, make sure you use heading tags wisely (don't overdo it or spam) and according to the content hierarchy.
What is the heading of an article in SEO?
Before we discuss how to create SEO friendly article titles, it is important to understand what exactly is meant by an SEO friendly article title. An SEO friendly article title is a title that is designed to attract readers and effectively optimize your content for search engines.
This title usually contains keywords that are relevant to the topic of the article and provides a clear picture of what will be discussed in the content.
What are types of headings?
1. H1 – Heading Level 1
Heading level 1, or H1, is the heading tag with the highest level of importance on a webpage. Its function is to mark the main title or main topic of an article content.
This H1 is similar to the title of a book in a book or functions as the main focal point on your webpage. The correct use of H1 helps audiences and search engines understand the main subject of a webpage.
2. H2 – Heading Level 2
Heading level 2, or H2, is used to mark important subtopics that are below H1. This H2 provides a deeper structure to the webpage.
For example:
If H1 is the main title about “Tourism in Indonesia,” then H2 can be used to mark subtopics such as “List of Beach Destinations in Bali.”
3. H3 – Heading Level 3
Heading level 3, or H3, is used to mark more specific subtopics below H2. H3 helps break down information into smaller, more focused chunks.
For example, on a page about “List of Beach Destinations in Bali,” you can use H3 to differentiate between “Kuta Beach” and “Sanur Beach.”
4. H4, H5, H6 – Heading Levels 4, 5, and 6
Heading levels 4, 5, and 6, namely H4, H5, and H6, are used to mark increasingly deeper subtopics in your content hierarchy. Their implementation can help organize more complex content and sort out more detailed information. The order is, H4 is below H3, then H5 is below H4, and finally H6 is below H5.
Based on experience, if an article already has heading tags up to heading 4, it is better to break the article into a new article. Because the content is already too long, detailed, and potentially uncomfortable to read. As a reference, most articles on Wikipedia itself only have headings as deep as level 3.
Why is SEO title important?
Article title in SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is a title that is written strategically to attract readers' attention and increase the visibility of the article in search engine results. This title usually contains keywords that are relevant to the topic of the article, and is structured in an interesting and informative way.
SEO titles serve to attract readers' attention so that they are interested in reading the article, and also help search engines (such as Google) to understand the main topic of the article.
SEO titles usually include keywords that are relevant to the topic of the article, so that search engines can identify the content effectively. Here are some reasons why an SEO friendly article title is important.
1. Increase Search Engine Ranking
An SEO friendly article title helps search engines understand your content and rank it higher in search results. When you use relevant keywords in your title, search engines are more likely to show your article to users searching for that topic.
2. Attract Readers
A catchy and intriguing title will make readers want to read more. A creative, informative, or challenging title can make readers curious and help increase the number of clicks on your article.
3. Increase Clicks and Readership
An interesting article title that optimizes relevant keywords can increase the number of clicks and readers of your content. When the article title meets the needs and interests of readers, they are more likely to click and read the content.
Why are headings important for SEO?
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| Why are headings important for SEO? |
A compelling website title is crucial to SEO success in the vast online world. Your website title plays a vital role in attracting visitors and improving your ranking in search engine results pages (SERPs). Understanding the importance of website titles is key to optimizing your web presence and attracting more visitors.
Your website title is a user’s first impression of your site in search engine results. It tells them what content they can expect and entices them to click through to your website. A well-designed website title can have a significant impact on your SEO by attracting organic visitors.
Website titles aren’t just random phrases; they hold great power in determining your site’s visibility in SERPs. Search engines use website titles as a ranking factor, considering them as an indicator of the relevance of the content on a web page. By optimizing your website titles, you can increase your chances of ranking higher and attracting targeted visitors to your site.
Website titles go beyond aesthetics; they serve as concise summaries that give users an idea of what they’ll find on your web page. By designing compelling website titles, you can effectively communicate with search engines and users, improving user experience and increasing engagement.
How to Optimize Heading Tags in SEO?
Optimizing heading tags is an important step in creating web content that is interesting and easy to understand by audiences and search engines. Here are some ways to optimize the use of heading tags that you can apply:
1. Choosing the Right Heading Type
Consider your content hierarchy carefully. Use H1 only for the main title of your content. Use H2 for important subtopics, H3 for sub-topics, and so on up to H6. Make sure each heading tag reflects the content hierarchy correctly and properly, don't confuse the audience.
2. Make Sure to Use H1 Only Once
Although Google says it's okay to use H1 more than once, it's still not considered best practice in SEO.
Why?
The H1 heading tag is the largest and boldest among other heading tags, readers also consider H1 to be the title. So, using H1 more than once will make the visual appearance of your content messy and allow for a bad User Experience (UX).
3. Enter Keywords
When choosing words or phrases for heading tags, try to include keywords that are relevant to the topic of the content you are creating.
Why is that?
Because including keywords will help your SEO activities and help readers understand the content in depth.
4. Make Each Heading Interesting
Heading tags should be made interesting to the audience. Use strong, descriptive, or mysterious words that make the audience want to keep reading.
For example, instead of using "Tips for Cooking Beef Rendang" you can use "5 Secrets to Cooking Delicious Beef Rendang That Are Rarely Known."
5. Use Easy-to-Understand Words
In addition to being interesting, make sure the heading tags you create are easy to understand. Avoid using words that are too technical or abstract. Use clear and simple language so that all readers can understand easily without having to bother looking for the meaning.
6. Write Content Consistently
Make sure the content in each heading tag matches what is written or promised by the heading tag. Readers will be disappointed if the content is not connected at all to the heading tag that you have written, especially just to chase keyword density.
Remember, user experience is also part of SEO.
7. Use Different Visuals
Apart from different font sizes, you can also use other visual styles such as choosing certain colors, letter thickness, to the application of capital letters to make the heading tag look more prominent. Don't forget to make sure the style appears consistently throughout your website.
8. Make Sure Heading Tags Are Responsive
Make sure the heading tag still looks good, fits, and is easy to read on various devices, including smartphones and tablets. Responsive design is one of the important factors in providing a good user experience.
9. Analyze and Update
Regularly, check and update the heading tags you have created if necessary. Make sure the content remains relevant to the latest developments and trends.
Conclusion
In the world of content marketing and search engine optimization, article titles play a very important role. By implementing the 8 tips and ways to create SEO friendly article titles that have been explained above, you can increase the visibility, ranking, and appeal of your content.
Focus on the main keyword, create an interesting and relevant title, use numbers or figures, pay attention to the optimal sentence length, avoid duplicate titles, use exclamations at the end of the title, try to place the main keyword at the beginning of the title, and choose the right words.
By paying attention to these tips, you can optimize your article title to match the latest SEO practices and attract your audience. Remember that a good title is the key to grabbing readers' attention and getting the desired results in your content marketing efforts.
