Headings on webpages and in documents help to organise the content that follows. Using proper heading tags is necessary for both accessibility and the overall structure of your content.

Why use proper headings?

Here are some important reasons why proper headings are better than text that is styled to look like a heading:

Provides a clear hierarchy for content

Using heading levels establish a clear hierarchy of information, making it easier for all users to understand the structure of your content. For example:

<h1> is typically used for the main title of the page.

<h2> is for major sections.

<h3> is for subsections, and so on.

This hierarchy helps users skim and locate the information they need quickly.

Improves accessibility for screen readers

Screen readers rely on semantic HTML to navigate through content. Proper headings (<h1> to <h6>) create a logical structure that screen readers can interpret, allowing users to quickly jump between sections.

If you only format text to look like a heading (e.g., making text bold or larger), screen readers won’t recognise it as a heading, which can make navigation difficult.

Best practices for headings

• Use a logical hierarchy: start with <h1> for the main title, followed by <h2> for major sections, <h3> for subsections and so on.
• Avoid skipping heading levels: for example, jumping from <h1> to <h3>
• Avoid using headings for their styling: don’t use heading tags just to style text, (for example, a <h3>for bold text that isn’t a subsection). Use CSS for styling instead.
• Ensure headings are descriptive: headings should be descriptive and meaningful so users can quickly understand the content of each section. For example, instead of a vague heading like “Section 1,” use something specific like “Benefits of Accessible Design.”
• Test with assistive technologies: use tools like screen readers to verify that headings are navigable and make sense in the context of the page.

Headings in documents

Applying proper headings in other types of digital content has the same benefits as described above.

Word documents

Word offers built-in heading styles that are easy to apply and create structured documents. Visit the Add a heading in a Word document page to learn more.

How to apply headings in Word:

1. Highlight the text you want to make a heading.
2. Go to the ‘Home’ tab on the ribbon.
3. In the ‘Styles’ section, choose a heading level (e.g., Heading 1, Heading 2, etc.).
4. You can customise the appearance of the headings (if needed) by right-clicking the style and selecting ‘Modify’.

Emails in Outlook

Outlook also has heading styles available.

How to apply headings in Outlook:

1. Compose a new email or reply to an existing one.
2. Highlight the text you want to format as a heading.
3. Go to the ‘Format Text’ tab in the ribbon.
4. Use the dropdown menu in the ‘Styles’ group to apply heading levels.

PowerPoint presentations

In PowerPoint, headings are typically used as slide titles and subtitles to organise content.

How to apply headings in PowerPoint:

1. Use the Title Slide layout for the main title of your presentation.
2. For additional slides, use the Title and Content layouts or other templates with designated title areas.
3. Avoid manually creating titles by adding text boxes – use the built-in title fields to maintain structure.