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H1, H2 and H3 tags

How and when to use them?

         

vicky

9:36 am on Jan 16, 2009 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



Hello friends,

I want to know how can i use h1, h2 and h3 tags to optimize the page. Also how many times can i use them for SEO purpose

g1smd

10:49 am on Jan 16, 2009 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member Top Contributors Of The Month



A heading sits above, and introduces one or more paragraphs, a list, table, or form.

The numbers define importance. There will be typically one main H1 heading, and several H2 sub-headings on a page. There may also be a number of H3 sub-sub-headings too.

There is no fixed number, and if you are thinking about "numbers" then you aren't really focussed on what headings are used for, and how they help visitors understand the page.

The W3C HTML Validator has a "Show Outline" option that will list all your headings as an indented bullet-point list. If that list does not look like a summary of the page, then you are abusing the heading tags.

Shaddows

10:51 am on Jan 16, 2009 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member Top Contributors Of The Month



Use them as per W3C spec. P1R no doubt has a handy link somewhere, as the resident standards evangalist.

Hx schemes should give your document structure, and ideally should be sequential.

One H1, often matching the title tag. As many H2s as you have major headings, with H3 and down as minor- then sub-headings.

The SEO benefit comes from the user- and IR-friendly nature of a well-stuctured page- NOT from the keyword-stuffing potential that I see some sites engage in.

jimbeetle

3:05 pm on Jan 16, 2009 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member Top Contributors Of The Month



As I come from the print world, same response, different perspective.

Keeping in mind that -- at its most basic -- HTML is simply a spec to translate print documents to the web, there really are no secrets when it comes to using the Hx elements. As I see it there are few differences between writing for print and writing for the web; it all boils down to well-structured, semantically correct documents. Basic journalism or business writing courses are good introductions to the use of heads and sub-heads.

Or, try an alternative that you might already have at your fingertips. Fire up MS Word or other full-fledged word processor and go into "Outline View." Play around with the promote and demote buttons as your structure your document. After an hour or so you will have completed your first self-taught lesson on the proper use of H elements.

phranque

5:13 pm on Jan 16, 2009 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Administrator 10+ Year Member Top Contributors Of The Month



you can use the h tags to provide an outline structure to your document.
i often use this tool to check the semantic structure of a document:
Semantic data extractor - QA @ W3C [w3.org]