Google & SEO Basics

How to Use H1, H2 and H3 Heading Tags

H1, H2 and H3 heading tags help organize the content on your website into a clear hierarchy. They make a page easier for visitors to scan and help search engines understand how the different parts of the page relate to one another.

Your website may already have heading tags assigned to its text. When you change or add content, you can also adjust the heading level from within your website editor when needed.

The simple rule: use one clear H1 for the page's main topic, H2 headings for its major sections, and H3 headings for smaller topics that belong inside an H2 section. Ordinary explanations should remain paragraph text.

What H1, H2 and H3 mean

Main Page Topic

The H1 identifies the primary subject of the page. Keep it clear and specific so visitors immediately understand what the page is about.

Main Sections

H2 headings divide the page into its major topics, such as Services, About Our Process or Frequently Asked Questions.

Subsections

H3 headings organize smaller topics inside an H2 section. Use them when a main section needs to be broken into more specific subjects.

Step 1: Open the section you want to edit

Select the section and choose Edit

In your website editor, find the section containing the heading you want to change. Select that section and choose Edit from the section controls. This opens the section's editing options so you can work with its text.

Step 2: Choose the right SEO Tag

Once the section editor is open, select the heading text you want to change. The editor provides an SEO Tag control that lets you choose the appropriate heading level.

Highlight the heading text

Select the title or heading whose tag you want to review or change.

Open the SEO Tag dropdown

Use the SEO Tag control in the text-editing toolbar.

Select the appropriate heading level

Choose Heading 1, Heading 2 or Heading 3 according to the role that text plays in the page's content hierarchy.

Save your change

When the heading is set the way you want it, save the section so the updated setting is retained.

Choose a heading tag for structure—not simply for size. An H1 is not just “the biggest text,” and an H3 is not just “smaller text.” Each level describes how that heading fits into the information on the page.

A simple heading hierarchy example

Imagine a roofing company has a page explaining its services. A clear heading structure could look like this:

Example Page Structure

Residential Roofing Services The overall subject of the page.

Our Roofing Services A major section within the page.

Roof Repair A specific service discussed within that H2 section.

Text

Paragraph copy The normal sentences that explain the roof-repair service in more detail.

Heading tag best practices

Use one clear H1 for the main subject of the page.
Use H2 headings to introduce the page's major sections.
Use H3 headings only when an H2 section needs smaller subsections.
Keep normal explanations and descriptions as paragraph text.
Choose heading tags according to content structure rather than text size alone.
Write headings that clearly tell visitors what the following section is about.

Common heading mistakes to avoid

Making every large title an H1

A heading's visual size and its structural level are different things. Reserve the H1 for the main page topic.

Skipping levels unnecessarily

Keep the hierarchy logical. If a topic belongs directly under an H2, use an H3 rather than jumping between levels simply for appearance.

Turning full paragraphs into headings

Headings introduce subjects. Use normal paragraph text for the details that explain those subjects.

Repeating keywords unnaturally

Write headings for people first. Clear, useful descriptions are better than forcing the same search phrase into every heading.

Heading tag questions

Can I change a heading tag after my page has already been built?

Yes. For editable section text, open the section, select the heading text and use the SEO Tag control to choose the appropriate heading level.

Do I need an H3 on every page?

No. Use H3 headings only when a main H2 section contains smaller topics that benefit from their own subheadings.

Should I use an H1 just because I want larger text?

No. Choose the heading level according to the role the text plays in the page structure, not simply because you want the text to appear larger.

Do heading tags guarantee better Google rankings?

No. Heading tags help organize your content and make its structure clearer, but no individual heading setting can guarantee search rankings.

Keep learning about your website

Heading tags are one part of keeping your website organized and search-friendly. Explore more owner-friendly SEO guidance or return to the Website Help Center for additional editing tutorials.

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