On far too many websites, there is a big bold line of text at the top of the page saying something like “Welcome to our website.” That line of text is usually a Heading 1 (H1) tag and there should be one on every page. For sites with H1’s like that they are missing out on a couple of great opportunities.

Those H1 tags are important for both users and search engines alike. When a user reads that heading, it is their first indication for what that page and site are about. For search engines, the H1’s help to define the keywords for that page and help in the engine’s ranking of the page and site.

Instead of filing those headings with a useless line like “Welcome to our site” you should include some good keywords for that page. A heading like “Green Bay’s Leader in Carpet Cleaning” would have a much greater impact on users and the search engines than a generic “Welcome” message.

When you are writing a heading for a web page, it should read and sound like normal conversation and in common language. If it doesn’t sound like something you would say to a friend in person, there is a good chance that neither your users or the search engines will respond very positively to it.

Updating your pages main headings is one of the easiest things you can work on to help improve your search engine ranking and your users interaction and retention. It may take a little time and some research, but the rewards can be bountiful.