Creating headings for SEO – how to do it right
Every copywriter should know how to add headings to their contents. This simple detail is of great importance in the clarity and ultimately ranking of the content. For this reason, we will discuss how to properly add headings for SEO so that the content can enjoy the full benefits of good headlines structure.
Hierarchy of headings
Headings follow a certain hierarchy. In other words, “all headings are important but some are more important than others.”
The most important heading is H1 because it is the title. Each subsequent level loses its strength, although it is still superior to a standard paragraph, which is the most numerous type of text used in an article.
- H1 is the foundation of the text – it tells you what the content is about.
- H2 are pillars that describe key issues related to the topic.
- H3 are smaller supports that expand on the content contained in H2.
- H4 describes in detail the information covered in H3 etc.
For an article about computer games, the correct hierarchy of headings is as follows:
H1: Do computer games teach? Analysis of scientific research
H2: Benefits of computer games
H3: Greater focus
H3: Improved reaction time
H3: Better orientation in the field
H2: Are all computer games the same?
H3: Types of positive computer games
H4: Tactical games
H5: More wars or planning? The decisive issue
H4: Economic games
H4: Musical games
H3: Types of negative computer games
H4: Action games
H5: The lack of a mini-map changes the game to a plus – improved orientation
H4: Fighting games
H4: RPG games
H2: Computer games – summary
The above example shows which fragments of the text are important and which are only secondary details in the topic at hand. This is the structure that makes reading easier by segregating information.
Adding headings and key phrases
Appropriate hierarchy not only increases the clarity of the text, but also provides an important signal to search engines. It tells the algorithms which phrases used in the text are particularly important.
We can use this in a very simple way.
Headings are a great place to place keywords that you want your article to rank for.
How many phrases should you add to headings?
The appropriate amount depends on the total length of the text. We recommend using keywords for H1 headings and most of the H2 headings, as well as half of the H3 headings.
In the example used, the main phrase “computer games” appears in 6 out of 17 headlines. We also include case-inflected forms because Google also interprets them.
Please remember that an excess of key phrases has the same negative impact as their deficiency. Text must be natural to be effective, and any attempt to manipulate ranking factors will only underestimate its potential.
How often should you add headings for SEO?
We again refer to the natural tone of the text, which is the basic determinant.
In practice, headers are added every 500-1000 characters including spaces.
Writing guidelines for YoastSEO recommend that you space your texts at a maximum of every 250-350 words (1250-2100 zzs).
This is because avoiding long blocks of text is important for readability and finding the information you need.
Summary
- Headings create a clear structure of the article and segmentation of content, making it easier to read and increasing positioning.
- Headings follow a hierarchy – subordinate content refers to the parent content.
- Placing keywords in your headlines is a good way to increase your visibility on Google.
- The more extensive the article, the more headings it needs to organize the information provided.
Leave a Reply