SEO benefits from headers throughout the article, not just the main header. Here’s how each type of header contributes to SEO:
1. Main Header (H1)
- The H1 is the primary title of the article and should include the main keyword you want to rank for.
- Search engines use the H1 to understand the overall topic of the page.
Example:
10 Organizational Hacks to Help with Productivity
2. Subheaders (H2, H3, H4)
- Subheaders structure the content, making it easier for readers and search engines to navigate.
- Using keywords or related phrases in subheaders (H2s, H3s) helps boost your chances of ranking for those terms.
- Search engines scan subheaders to understand the article’s hierarchy and the relevance of content to search queries.
Example of Subheaders for SEO:
- H2: Start with a Brain Dump to Clear Your Mind
- H2: Time Blocking: A Proven Productivity Hack
- H3: How to Set Up Time Blocks for Maximum Efficiency
Why Subheaders Matter for SEO
- Improved Readability: Clear subheaders break content into digestible chunks, keeping readers engaged.
- Keyword Optimization: Strategically placing keywords in subheaders reinforces the relevance of your content.
- Featured Snippets: Google often uses subheaders in its featured snippets, where structured answers are pulled from articles.
Best Practices
- Use one H1 per page.
- Use H2s for main sections, H3s for subsections, and H4s for finer details.
- Include targeted keywords and synonyms naturally within subheaders.
- Avoid keyword stuffing—ensure headers still make sense to readers.
By optimizing both the main header and subheaders, you create a user-friendly, search-engine-friendly article that ranks higher and attracts more readers.