First Header on Page (H1 Header)Page Title

The H1 header is the primary and largest title on any webpage. Every page must include one, and only one, H1 header to clearly indicate the main topic. This header is crucial for conveying the page's content and can naturally include relevant keywords to support SEO. However, it should avoid keyword stuffing, use sentence case, and exclude unnecessary punctuation. When using abbreviations in the H1 header, be sure to spell them out in the first paragraph that follows.

 

Best practices

• Only use a single H1 header per page.

• Use the main heading to convey page content.

• Write keywords naturally within the H1 header without overusing them.

• Avoid keyword stuffing.

• Use sentence case.

• Avoid unnecessary punctuation.

• Spell out any abbreviations in the first paragraph after the header.

• For task-based headings, begin with the base form of the verb (without endings like -s, -ing, or -ed).

Example

H1 header: Welcome to the Admissions page for the Paul L. Foster School of Medicine

 

Notes

The page title and the H1 header are different elements that serve distinct purposes. Although they can be identical, doing so may be a missed opportunity. Making the H1 header more descriptive and aligned with sub-headers can improve the structure of the content and enhance its appeal to both users and search engines.