UX Writing for Digital Services - Headings

Headings make content easy to scan. They are also used by people who use screen readers to navigate and understand how content is structured.

Define headings with the <h1> to <h6> heading tags and use them in sequential order.

Use the <h1> heading for the main heading or title. Use only one <h1> per page. Follow it with <h2> then <h3> and so on. You do not need to use every available heading tag on a page. Try to avoid going beyond H4. Too many headings can lead to visual clutter and can make content harder to scan.

Headings should be concise. Try not to use more than 5 words.

Text beneath the main heading (subheading text) should be as short as possible. Every extra line at the top of the screen pushes form fields and buttons further down the screen.

Do not use the same page heading across multiple pages.