• Headings of articles H1, H2, H3 in WordPress, as well as ways to display categories (the_content, the_excerpt and others). We create the correct h1 and subheading structure for WordPress header in the h1 plugin

    How are headings ranked on a WordPress site and why should there be just one top-level heading on each page? We'll look at how to check the number of H1 tags on a website and what to do to avoid duplicating them in the theme.

    How many headings with the H1 tag can there be on a WordPress page?

    The page template is structured using headings H1 to H6. As the number increases, the font size usually decreases, and the headings are nested 1 in 1. For WordPress sites, the H1 header is usually reserved for the page title, H2 is used for the table of contents of important page elements. Deeper levels - subheadings - are found in the body of articles to form the structure of the text and ease of reading.

    It is important that there is only one H1 heading on the page, as it focuses attention on the information that the site page is dedicated to. If for some reason the installed WordPress theme contains several headings marked with the H1 tag, search engines may consider this an attempt to over-optimize or spam and lower the site's ranking in search results.

    Notice how WordPress creates different levels of headings when you add a page or post.

    • In the post or page editing window, there is a dedicated field for writing the title (1). This is where the top level heading is located. It will be marked with an H1 tag directly on the post page or with an H2 tag if several post announcements are displayed on the main page. In the latter case, such a header is a link to a page with the full content of the post.
    • The text editor window includes the body of the article (2), which allows you to format the text using the toolbar (3). The use of a first-level heading is no longer required here; use levels H2–H6 to structure the article and avoid spam.

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    How to Check If H1s Are Duplicate in a WordPress Template

    To check the number of top-level headings, you need to open the page code and count the structures starting with the tag

    . Please note that this tag is paired, it is closed by the construction

    . Everything that is located between them belongs to the first level heading.

    Code verification is carried out in one of the following ways:

    • While on the desired page of the site, press the key combination CTRL + U. A code will open in which you need to find all the H1 tags. To make your search easier, use the combination CTRL + F.
    • Right-click anywhere on the page and select View Page Source. Next, search for H1 tags.
    • Hover over the title you want, right-click, and select Inspect Element. In the window that opens, the code for the specified page element will be highlighted.

    For example, an inspection of the title of a post on the main page of a site shows that it belongs to the second level H2 heading and contains a link to go to a new page.

    If there are several headings, you need to change some of them

    When going directly to the post page, the inspection of the same title already has the status of a first-level heading, indicated by the H1 tag. Review the page code - this should be the only header. If other H1 tags are detected, the code needs to be corrected. If the title is duplicated in the site template, it is necessary to replace the output of these elements with another tag in all places except the page title, for example, , adding similar styles to the CSS file. In this case, the appearance of the template will remain the same, but search engines will not consider the page over-optimized.

    How to fix duplicate headers in a WordPress theme and remove unnecessary ones

    In some templates, the site name along with the logo is often wrapped in H1 tags. This results in duplication of first-level headings, since the same tag will be wrapped in the title of the post or page.

    If you find such an error in the theme you are using, you need to go to the code editor in the WordPress admin and open the header.php template. Add a conditional construct like this to your template code:


    Code for placing a logo on the main page



    Code for placing the logo on other pages

    In this case, only on the main page the logo will appear inside the H1 tags; on all others it will no longer duplicate the top-level headings represented by the post titles.

    To change the header size, you need to specify the size in css styles

    Many modern WordPress templates allow you to change the size of the main text elements in the template settings. Just go to the admin panel to the section “Appearance” - “Themes” - “Customize” for the current template, and change the desired size of headings and texts. If this is not possible, you will have to find the font-size code related to the h1 header in the style.css file and set the desired size.

    On my top information projects, first a specialist in the topic draws up the structure of the article (headings and subheadings), and then the copywriters write the text based on them.

    Structure is actually very important if you care about quality. And to create a normal structure, you need to understand how h tags work.

    h1 is the main subheading in an article, usually placed above the text.

    The first heading should be visually larger than the other headings on the page.

    h2-h6 are small subheadings that are placed according to the nesting principle.

    What are headers even for?

    For those who are not very familiar with the topic, here is, in principle, a good video about the basics of composing subheadings h1-h6. If you don't consider yourself an expert, take a look:

    And to consolidate the material, a little weaker video:

    Headings are designed to highlight in one phrase or even a word the main essence, the idea of ​​the subsequent text. Usually a person turns his attention to them first, deciding whether to read the rest of the material. Headings are especially important in advertising texts and letters, and serve as the main tool for attracting the attention of the target audience.

    In code the tag looks like this:

    , where the letter h comes from the word “header”, which means “heading”. Each level is indicated by a corresponding number.

    H-tags through people's eyes

    Text divided into subheadings looks neater and is easier to read. The modern user has long learned to scan articles in just a few seconds and quickly draw conclusions about whether it is worth reading the entire text and whether it contains the useful information he is looking for. Headings catch the eye, highlighting the main thing and giving the user the opportunity to analyze the material.

    Tags h1, h2, h3, h4, h5, h6 allow you to create a kind of map for the reader, using which he can quickly navigate the text. And if these highlights manage to grab attention, then the person will linger on the page and will probably read the entire article. You can check the result using behavioral factors. If people stay on the page and take some actions, it means the SEO work was not done in vain.

    H-tags through the eyes of search engines

    Search robots collect information from them for semantic analysis. Heading levels h1, h2, h3 are of particular importance for bots. Their inconsistent or incorrect application can negatively affect the ranking of the page. If there are no h-tags in the HTML code at all, then the site will have difficulty promoting. Levels h4, h5, h6 are less significant.

    Hierarchy of H-tags

    The main rule in arranging headings is their hierarchy. It is not necessary that the tags follow each other in size, but it is unacceptable to use, for example, h3 in the text if you do not have the h2 meta anywhere, or use h6 without h5.

    This is what the hierarchy looks like with the correct nesting:

    What is an h1 tag?

    The h1 tag is the table of contents of the text (like the title of a book or the headline of a newspaper article).

    Each page should have one and only one h1 tag.

    In terms of attractiveness for the user, it is of primary importance. But for SEO promotion, .

    Title is also a title, but it is written not only for people, but also for robots. It is not displayed on the page itself, but only in the browser tab and in the snippet as an active link to the site. In fact, title is an alternative, but the main title for an HTML document. If it is missing, then the search engine takes h1 as a basis and uses it in the sickle.

    Why should h1 be different from Title?

    It is quite important to understand that h1 and Title are different headings. And accordingly, they must be skillfully combined. Here are the basics on this topic:

    Neglecting the rules for uniqueness and relevance of headings may result in the site falling under the filter. Recently, search engines have begun to pay special attention to the quality of content and its SEO settings. Duplicates, overspam, chaotic placement of headings, and their inconsistency with the content are punishable.

    Length requirements H1

    It is recommended to make H1 more concise than Title, not exceeding the number of characters more than 50. But it will not be a disaster if the title turns out to be longer, when it is not possible to squeeze the whole essence into the indicated number.

    Special plugins for WordPress allow you to analyze the correct filling of all metas directly in the editor.

    Rules for writing h1 correctly

    • Must be unique for the entire site and absolutely readable;
    • Doesn’t repeat the title tag, but doesn’t contradict it either;
    • You shouldn’t make it too long (you can make the title more voluminous);
    • Used only once per page;
    • Relevant to the text and reflects the semantic essence of the material;
    • Interesting and attractive to the user;
    • You cannot put a period at the end and it is recommended to use punctuation marks to a minimum.

    Applying Keys

    The main key phrases, first of all, should be contained in the title. But they should also be written in h1. In both cases it is better to do this at the very beginning. But it would be better if the keywords did not duplicate each other in these two tags. You need to use different word forms or diluted occurrences in h1 and direct occurrences in title.

    Some take all the keys on the page and use them to create an article structure. Please note right away that without cool PFs, such a scattering of keys in subheadings will be punished by the filter for overspam.

    Psychological Techniques for Writing an Attractive Headline

    The title should be catchy. Here is a video from Maxim Ilyakhov, a specialist in the field of media, rector of the School of Editors and creator of the Glavred service:

    Here are a couple more “tricks” that are used when writing headlines.

    Solving the problem

    Remember that a person is always looking not for information or goods, but, first of all, for a solution to his problems, wants, needs. Address exactly the intended problem of the target audience

    An example of a good headline: “Is your hair falling out? Stop your hair loss in a week."
    An example of a bad headline: “Can hair loss be stopped?”

    In the first case, we clearly identify the problem and offer a specific solution. In the second case, the problem is indirectly affected and the options for solving it are blurred.

    Intrigue

    An example of a good headline: “We reveal the secret of the most effective recipe for hair loss.”
    An example of a bad headline: “The best recipe for hair loss.”

    Reception "exam"

    A sentence written in this form challenges the reader, inviting him to test himself.

    An example of a good headline: “Are you sure you are fighting hair loss correctly?”
    An example of a bad headline: “Do you know everything about hair loss.”

    Of course, these are not all the methods that help influence a person’s perception and attract his interest. Read books on marketing to learn more if you are interested in this topic. By the way, the title can also be “tempting”. Moreover, most likely it is he who is highlighted in the search results. You can check its display after the page is indexed.

    Why are subheadings h2-h6 needed?

    Tags from h2 to h6 are located in the body of the article itself, structurally dividing it into thematic paragraphs, and in the code of the HTML document, highlighting its significant elements. They are also identified by search robots for semantic analysis of the page.

    They are needed to hierarchically designate everything important and worth the user’s attention on the page. This structure helps a person quickly navigate the information and evaluate its compliance with their needs.

    h2 – focuses the attention of users and search engines on the main content of the article. Shows the most significant things in the text.

    h3 is a subparagraph for information going under H2, revealing it even deeper.

    h4, h5, h6 – are defined as nested subheadings (reveal in detail the essence of H2 or H3) and are used in the text, as highlighting small points and significant words, as well as in the menu, sidebar and other components of the web document.

    All h-tags must be within 50 characters in length.

    How to correctly write subheadings h2-h6

    • It is impossible for the smallest subheading to be present without the larger one. That is, if the text contains an h4 meta tag, then it must be preceded by h2 and h3.
    • The higher the level of the heading, the larger the font should be. In WordPress, the default settings are usually set so that tags are automatically formatted correctly.
    • All h-tags must correspond to the content of the content and reflect the essence of the information.
    • It is unacceptable to use h1-h6 as anchors or active links.
    • You cannot write other tags inside the h tag.
    • Only text and punctuation are allowed in h-tags.
    • Subheadings should not contain keyword spam. It is best to use keywords in title, h1, h2, and in smaller ones, such as h3, h5, h6, focus on a detailed discussion of the topic.

    If the page layout contains the title and the main heading H1, but the text of the article itself is not too large and does not contain subheadings, this is not an error. There are quite a few pages in the TOP where the content is almost a continuous strip, perhaps divided into paragraphs. You can get into a leading position without “witchcraft” over text markup, placing more emphasis on. WordPress sites are easily indexed by search engines. But still, the use of these tags not only makes the task easier, but also makes the content easier and more pleasant for visual perception.

    How to fill h-tags in WordPress

    h1 is usually filled in the field above the text in the post:

    To make subheadings h2-h6, you need to select the required element and, hovering the cursor over the “headings” tab, select the one you need by clicking on it. Do the same for each of the subheadings, including them in the desired format.

    There is an even simpler way - you can type the text in Word using the necessary markups and simply copy-paste the article into the WordPress editor. Headings selected in Word will automatically appear in the required sizes. If necessary, you can correct them using the WordPress CMS editor tools.

    View 11 answers - 1 to 11 (11 in total)

      We should probably start by reducing the size of the image used in the title. What header image size does the theme recommend?

      P.S. Personally, I don’t see anything bad or ugly on either a computer or a smartphone. It looks like you're just fixated on nonsense.

      Thank you for your answer! Reducing the size of the image does not lead to anything, its quality simply deteriorates in the end (it is stretched to the same width). Maybe I got stuck, I’m just not used to this design, I wanted to understand how to change it

      I may not have expressed myself quite correctly. Do not resize, but crop the image - make it smaller in height with the same width.

      Doesn't the theme suggest cropping the image to the recommended dimensions when setting the header image?

      Image height 225 pixels
      Set in styles:
      .inner-header-image (
      position: relative;
      height: 225px;
      background-size: cover;
      background-repeat: no-repeat;
      background-position: 50%;
      }

      Override this parameter in additional theme styles and everything should work.

      I installed the Corporate Blue theme on my test site http://wp5.j807534.z9496.spectrum.myjino.ru I came to the final conclusion that you were doing nonsense. The theme looks great with this “big” header image on all devices. Don't break the subject. You can't do better. You're just used to the old designs with narrow banners in the header.

      2Spectrum_Admin (@perdyllo)
      When you click on the specified link, Chrome displays:

      Beware of malware!
      The site wp5.j807534.z9496.spectrum.myjino.ru can install malware on your computer that steals or deletes personal information (for example, photos, passwords, messages and bank card details).
      Automatically send information about potential security issues to Google. Privacy Policy

    The structure of a WordPress article is predetermined by the rules of search engines and accordingly affects the promotion of your article in search results. When starting to write a new article, you must not only think about its topic and purpose, but also arrange its contents into a certain structure. The structure of articles and the use of h1 tags in a WordPress blog will be discussed in this article. Let's start by looking at the basic elements of web pages.

    Basic elements of a web page

    When you write your next article, you must understand that on the Internet your text is a set of certain characters, encoded, surrounded by certain HTML markup elements (tags). Since tags for search engines have a priority hierarchy, the text structure of the article should be built in accordance with this hierarchy.

    Article titles

    The structure of a WordPress article should begin with the main element of the web page - the title. The title of the article is reflected in the search results and is displayed in the most prominent place (at the top) when opening the page. In addition, the title of the article is a link to your blog when reflected in Internet search results. The title of the article must be framed with a tag title.

    WordPress Article Structure – H1 Tag

    The second most important element of a web page is the page title framed in a tag h1. This is a required web page tag. Moreover, it is important to note that this tag should be the only one within an open web page (not the entire blog). Several h1 tags “irritate” search engines and sooner or later they will throw this page out of search.

    Tags H2-H6

    As you can see in the text there is one element h1, and all the rest are arranged in a clear tree structure.

    WordPress article structure: how to build it

    The structure of a WordPress article can be structured in two ways.

    • First. Writing an article in HTML requires not only knowledge of the language, but also serious practice.
    • Second option, more simple. Form the structure of WP articles in its visual editor. I'll show you how it's done.
    1. Go to Console → Entries → Add Entry.
    2. Any visual editor that is installed on your WordPress blog has a button : Paragraph.
    3. Using this button, a WordPress article structure is formed that is “pleasing” to search engines.

    But this editing relates only to the content of the article and does not in any way affect the title of the article. Framing the article title in title and h1 tags is defined in WordPress theme templates. And since templates are created by people, their mistakes have to be corrected manually.

    What could be wrong with WordPress templates in relation to title and h1 tags? Let's look at this in more detail.

    Title and h1 tags in WordPress templates

    Many WordPress templates do not use the h1 tag at all.

    By the way: You can check whether your article titles are framed with h1 tags as follows. Open any of your WP blog posts. Right-click on the page and open “Page Source”. With the code open, press Ctrl + F (this is a search on the page) and look for h1. Depending on whether there is an h1 tag that relates specifically to the content of the post or not, your next steps will depend.

    And here's one more note. I know a lot of WP blogs that work without h1 tags in their templates. At the same time, they have excellent search results. To this I will say only one thing. Search engines love the h1 tag. It is the basis of all article markup. And this undoubtedly has a positive effect on the ranking of a WP blog. So it's up to you to decide whether to use h1 in your WP blog or not. One thing is important here. You should not overdo it with h1 tags. There should be one h1 tag per page.

    How to Insert an H1 Tag in a WordPress Blog Template

    Before I tell you how to insert an h1 tag into a WordPress blog template, I’ll focus on WP theme files. are typed up for each topic separately.

    You can edit template files directly on the server in the WP directory by connecting to it via FTP. Or easier, go to, then Console → Appearance → Editor. On the right side of the window that opens, all the template files for your WP theme will be visible.

    However, you need to edit template files correctly and safely in an editor like Notepad++. Copy the file you are editing, edit it in the editor and save a new copy, transfer it to the template.

    In this article we are interested in two files for editing:

    1. Main page file. Possibly index.php or loop.php
    2. File of a separate open article: Possibly single.php or loop-single.php.

    You need to edit the code so that the h1 tag is the only one on the open web page, and should frame the title of the open article.

    Correcting the h1 tag in a single post file

    To edit files, we use a text editor like Notepad++. We also have a copy of the site on hand in case of fatal errors.

    Go to Console → Appearance → Editor → File of a separately opened article. We are looking for the code that is responsible for displaying the header. Template piece:

    /* Part of the loop-single pattern

    >

    And change the h2 tags in it to h1 tags:

    What remains is the pure header code framed by h1 tags.

    • Search:or site-name or site-title.
    • If the h1 tag is inside a div, then simply remove it.
    • If h1 tags>

    Insert h1 tag on the main page of the WP blog

    On the main page of the blog, which reflects the latest articles, the situation is a little different. Since there are several headings on the main page, they need to be framed with h2 tags, not h1.

    1. To do this, open the file in the editor: index.php or loop.php;
    2. We are looking for a code that displays the names of articles on the main page;
    3. And change the h1 tag to the h2 tag. Don't forget to save.
    >

    " rel="bookmark">

    "alignleft")); ?>
    /* Home Page, Template: index.php or loop.php

    " rel="bookmark">

    /*change to

    " rel="bookmark">

    All. The structure of the WordPress article is built, and not a single plugin was used. however, with the template update, everything will have to be repeated again.

    Hi all!

    [Updated: I recently wrote a more recent tutorial about , be sure to check that out too].

    That is, in order to take the text into the h1 tag we need:

    1. Select the required text.
    2. Where formatting is set (see picture above), click on the drop-down list.
    3. Find the item “Heading 1”.

    The situation is similar with tags h2, h3, h4 and further:

    Correct WordPress headers for proper SEO optimization

    The h1 tag is usually used to set headings. That is, ideally, as I think, on the post page the h1 tag should appear only 1 time. I will say this: search engines give the greatest weight to words in the h1 tag, then in the h2 tag, then h3, etc. descending order. And since we set using keywords (I hope I’m right? That’s what you do, right?), then we simply have to give the title of the page or post an h1 tag (at least that’s what I do).

    How to find out whether the page title is in the h1 tag or not?

    As you can see, the title of the article is taken into the h1 tag (class=”title” is also specified there, do not pay attention to it). If you don’t have h1 here, I recommend changing it. To do this:

    That is, you just need to write at the beginning

    , and after

    .

    h2 tag

    I usually use the h2 tag 1-2 times in an article. Why? Because the more h2 selections, for example, then the less significance this tag for search engines. This is why you should not overuse tags.

    But note, the use of tags is not only useful for SEO optimization, but also improves readability for the LIVE reader. You don’t just “sniff” keywords, but do it beautifully. That is, dilute the keywords. Notice, for example, in this post that h2 appears in this place:

    As you can see, this title includes one of the key words of the lesson “WordPress Headers”(note that I also “shoved” this keyword here).

    h3 tag

    It makes sense to use the h3 tag under the h2 tag. It’s better not to put the text in title 3 if there is no h2 tag in the post. That is, it is advisable to follow a logical chain. For example, in this tutorial, the words “h1 tag”, “h2 tag” and “h3 tag” are taken from h3. Again, they are keywords. I hope you understand the principle...

    Tags h4, h5, h6

    The h4, h5, h6 tags are very rarely used, I usually don't use them at all. They can set some specific style properties. For example, the h4 tag will make all letters capitalize, the h5 tag will change the color of the text, outline it with a border, etc.

    To change these properties, just open the style.css file and, using the search, find there, for example, the phrase “h1”:

    And already there you change the properties by applying .

    Friends, do not forget to use WordPress headings in your posts, search engines will love you very much for this.

    See you soon!

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