What is The H1 Header Title Tag?
The H1 header title tag in HTML defines the primary heading of a webpage. It’s usually the most prominent text on the page—often styled to be larger and bolder than other content—and serves as the page’s title from both a visual and semantic perspective.
The <h1> header title tag is the second most important item on a webpage/site.
Actually it's the third, with the website name (url) being the most important. In the "old" days of search engines, exact match domains (EMD's) were critical. You (and the search engines) didn't want to be confused.
If you were looking for dog training, then dogtraining.com was the best.
In these days of sophisticated branding, Nike wins over redbasketballshoes.com. So the url, while important as a website name, is not as important as it used to be.
Subsequent webpages, such as websitename.com/pool-cleaning are still critical, so yes, the url is number 1, then it's the page title that's number 2.
I wrote about page titles and their importance to business seo here.
If the H1 header title tag does not help explain your website/page to a searcher, and to the SERPS, then you've just kissed goodbye a good proportion of potential revenue for your business.
As you can see from the image above, the title tags take on a heirarchy of importance. This has two aspects.
The first is from the SEO/search engine point of view, and the second is from a size point of view on the written page.
Taking the second aspect into consideration, the H1 tag usually has the biggest font size, and from H2 to H6, the font size gets smaller.
You generally either adjust this in your page builder when on each page, or if you use Thrive Themes like I do, you can set these from a "site wide" perspective, even setting different sizes for tablet and mobile phones.
Right now, you're looking at my paragragh font size for desktop which is 18px, while if you were on a tablet it would be 17px and on mobile 16px.
I can set that within my theme builder and never have to adjust it ever again unless for some reason on an actual page it looks strange.
For example, sometimes H1 and H2 headers can be too big to fit on the screen and so I adjust them down while I'm developing a specific page.
The H1 Title Tag For SEO
From the SEO perspective and what the SERPS do with the H1 tag, it's a whole different ball game.
The H1 tag needs to continue the process of telling the search engines what your site or page is about. It helps the SERPS confirm the nature and yopic of your page.
This is probably the second area where I see businesses make the most mistakes. In my last post, I said the first one was having a page title called home (yikes). The second one is that the H1 is non-descriptive or just plain confusing.
Look at the image below. This is the header section of a site called Testimonial.to.
Is there ANY confusion about what this site does for their customers? No...no there isn't. The website name is Testimonial, and then their H1 header title tag quite clearly describes what the site does. It helps businesses get testimonials from their customers. With ease.
Can't get much clearer than that.
But I've seen sites where the potential H1 would have been something like, Do You Want To Have Customers Talking About You?
Meh, it's sorta, kinda, closeish. But really it's not.
Why H1 Header Title Tags Matter
Search engines like Google use the <h1> tag as a strong signal to determine what your page is about (as we've already discussed).
Here's a few more reasons why they matter:.
They Affect Search Rankings
A well-structured heading that includes relevant keywords can improve your chances of ranking for those terms. While it’s not the only ranking factor, it contributes to overall SEO health and keyword targeting.
They Influence User Experience
Your <h1> is often the first thing visitors read. It sets expectations and helps users immediately understand whether the page contains what they’re looking for. A clear and compelling heading keeps users engaged and reduces bounce rates.
It Improves Accessibility
Screen readers and other assistive technologies use heading tags to help users navigate content. A correctly structured <h1> ensures that all visitors—including those with visual impairments—can understand the page's structure and topic.
They Keep People On The Page
Marketing is all about getting a person to read to the next line. Proper SEO using H1 to H6 tags help do this. Some people skim read, others read the whole thing, and some a combination of both. Good tags keep people on the page.
Need A Backlink To a Page With Good Titles?
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Best Practices for Using The Header Title Tag
The first item listed below is definitely the most crucial. I often see pages where there are more than one H1 tag. This is a no no. Do not do this.
Make sure you check your pages so that there is only one(1). Otherwise, you're confusing the SERPS.
Just A Few H1 Tag Examples
For a blog post titled “SEO Best Practices”:
<h1>SEO Best Practices: Tips for Improved Search Rankings</h1>
For a product category page selling running shoes:
<h1>Buy Running Shoes Online</h1>
For a service-based homepage:
<h1>Professional Landscaping Services in Melbourne</h1>
Final Thoughts About H1 Header Tags
The <h1> tag is more than just a visual title—it’s a strategic SEO tool. Used properly, it enhances search visibility, improves accessibility, and guides users through your content.
Whether you’re writing blog posts, building landing pages, or managing an e-commerce store, taking time to craft a meaningful <h1> is a simple but powerful way to strengthen your on-page SEO.
"It's also one of the most important factors that help you make money". Quote from me.