Headings

Use headings to label sections of content throughout your website.

Properly structured headings will make your content easier to read and will improve the browsing experience for users of assistive technology. Descriptive headings with relevant keywords can also improve your search engine ranking.

Requirements

  • Reserve the heading 1 for the page title.
  • Keep headings brief yet descriptive.
  • Ensure headings contain keywords relevant to likely search terms.
  • Use sentence case (not title case or all caps)
  • Use headings hierarchically (do not skip from Heading 1 to Heading 3).
  • Never replace headings with graphics (JPG, PNG, SVG).
  • Do not use headings as a design element to make words or sentences more visible. Headings must be used to label and describe sub-sections of content, not to call attention to a phrase or sentence. This practice has a negative impact on accessibility and SEO.

Formatting

  • Keep headings left justified, unless the design element you are using offers centered text as an out-of-the-box option.
  • Use sentence case or title case. Don't use all caps unless the design element you are using automatically defaults to this display option.
  • Don't change color, fonts, or size by writing CSS or copying modified text from another program.

Further reading