Headings (content structure)
What are headings?
Headings communicate the organization of the content on the page. They are like a table of contents.
What is content structure?
Content structure is the practice of using headings to organize information on a web page so that it is sensible and accessible. Structuring page content is a critical best practice that governments must be aware of for content design and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance.
Learn more about content structure.
Why headings are important
- Screen reader users can jump from heading to heading with a single keystroke. They can also access the heading structure and text in a dialogue box for an overview of the page.
- People with low vision often rely on larger visual headings to understand the topics and subtopics on a web page before zooming in to read the smaller paragraph text.
- Headings also help people with cognitive and learning or reading disabilities by helping them understand and focus on the topics within a page.
What to look for
- Does the page have any headings?
- Does the page start with an H1?
- Is there only one H1 on the page?
- Are any heading levels skipped? Use the headings in correct order (h2 > h3 > h4) to create hierarchy (each of these can be used multiple times on a page – ideally no more than three per page).
- Does the heading text reflect the content that follows?
- Do the headings represent the structure of the content, particularly nested content?