What Is an H1 Tag?

The H1 is the big heading at the top of your page. Simple idea, frequently botched. People stuff three of them on one page or skip it entirely, then wonder why the page reads like a ransom note.

The short version

An H1 tag is the HTML element that marks the main heading of a page. It signals the primary topic to readers and search engines, and best practice is to use exactly one per page.

H1 versus title tag

They are not the same thing. The title tag is the headline shown in search results. The H1 is the heading shown on the page itself. They can be similar, but they serve different surfaces.

The rules

• One H1 per page

• Make it describe the actual content

• Include the primary keyword naturally

• Use H2s and H3s for everything below it

FAQ

Can I have more than one H1?

Modern HTML technically allows it, but for clarity and SEO it is cleaner to keep a single H1 and structure the rest with H2s and H3s.