In today's digital landscape, online visibility can make or break a business. Search engine optimization (SEO) is paramount and at the heart of every SEO strategy lies the simple H1 tag. So, what is an H1 Tag?
While often overlooked, H1 tags are a critical element in on-page SEO. Many sites have H1 Tags that are too long, too short, and/or are just not the right fits for their page. Nail the H1 and your search rankings will only improve.
Thruways is committed to helping eCommerce store owners grow revenue. Optimizing H1 Tags is just one of many ways that the Thruways platform can be of benefit to new and existing Shopify businesses.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll delve deep into the world of H1 tags, uncovering their importance and providing you with actionable insights to help you outrank the competition. We’ll also provide a deep understanding as to how Thruways will help grow your conversion rate by improving interfaces such as your H1 tag.
Understanding the Significance of H1 Tags
What is an H1 Tag?
H1 tags are short for "Header 1" tags. More specifically, H1 Tags are HTML elements that denote the main heading or title of a webpage. They are typically the first and largest text you see on a page and carry significant weight in terms of SEO.
As noted by SEOptimer, “H1 tags are crucial to improve the organic presence of a website. Search engines use H1 tags to understand the primary topic of the page.”
In other words, when search engines crawl a webpage, they use the H1 tags to understand the primary topic or theme of the content. H1 tags are crucial to improve the organic presence of a website. Search engines use H1 tags to understand the primary topic of the page. Properly optimized H1 tags can lead to higher search engine rankings and improved organic traffic. If you’re an eCommerce store selling cosmetics, your H1 tag should probably contain the word “cosmetics” or a close synonym. If your eCommerce store in selling beverages, then “thirsty” might be a smart word to include in your H1 tag.
In short, H1 Tags are your introduction to the visitor. They are the first impression you will make on both the eyes of humans as well as search engines. H1 Tags can be short and simple but their impact is mighty.
Why is an H1 Tag Important for SEO?
As noted above, H1 tags are very important for SEO Strategy. In fact, H1 Tags can figure in several components of SEO including:
- Keyword Relevance: Including relevant keywords in your H1 tags signals to search engines what your content is about. This helps match your page with user search queries. Going back to the cosmetics example above, “cosmetics” and “store” would likely be strong keywords. “Beauty products” and “eCommerce” might be good choices as well.
- User Experience: H1 tags provide clarity and structure to your content, making it easier for readers to navigate and understand your webpage. The average internet-user in the US visits 130 web pages a day. If they’ve come to your site expecting to buy cosmetics, your site should have an H1 which includes the word “cosmetics.” If not, they may quickly move on to another site that does.
- SEO Ranking: Search engines use H1 tags as a ranking factor. A well-optimized H1 tag can significantly boost your page's ranking potential. While using keywords anywhere on your page can help boost SEO rankings, they take on extra significance in the H1 tag. If you want to rank high for “CBD,” be sure to include the word in your H1 tag.
How H1 Tags help drive revenue for your eCommerce Website
For every eCommerce store owner, revenue will always be the #1 priority. H1 tags help drive revenue in multiple ways.
First, as discussed above, H1 tags help boost SEO rankings and thereby bring more potential customers to your webpage. Put astutely by Ahrefs, ‘your H1 is effectively telling Google “here’s what my page is about.’ So the H1 tag is key for drawing more sneakers shoppers to your Shopify sportswear store. Or more candy shoppers to your eCommerce confectionary store. And it stands to reason that reaching more of your target audience will undoubtedly lead to increased revenue.
Second, H1 tags help optimize site UX. H1 tags help make your site more readable and user-friendly. As a result, new eCommerce store visitors are more likely to convert into purchasing customers. H1 tags also improve accessibility for those who use screen readers. As Semrush notes, “Hundreds of millions live with vision impairment and use screen readers to browse the web. In a study by WebAIM, screen users were asked how they preferred to find information on webpages. And 67.5% of respondents favored navigating the headings.” So the accessibility provided by H1 tags is not merely an act of benevolence, it’s also a solid business move.
In short, H1 tags are not merely good style practices. Utilizing them properly will lead to sustained business growth.
Best Practices for Optimizing H1 Tags
Use a Single H1 Tag
For each webpage, there should be one, and only one, H1 tag.
This tag should encapsulate the main topic or theme of your content. Many suggest that the H1 tag be no more than 60 characters long.
Don’t worry about trying to squeeze everything into a H1 tag. Subsequent headings (H2, H3, etc.) can be used to organize and structure your content. The most important thing is that H1 tag is done right. If so, the table will be set for what follows.
Incorporate Keywords Naturally in Your H1 Tag
Select a primary keyword or keyphrase relevant to your content and include it in your H1 tag. Ensure that it flows naturally and enhances the readability of your heading.
If your eCommerce store specializes in sporting goods, then words like “athlete” and “athletic” might be natural keywords for your H1 tag. Your H1 tag might be something like “We Cater To The Athlete In You.” Alternatively, “Bringing Out The Good Sport In You,” might be another compelling H1 tag.
On the other hand, don’t force words that may sound relevant but make your content less readable. Over-optimization for search engines at the expense of user experience can be counterproductive.
Keep Your H1 Tag Concise and Descriptive
Your H1 tag should be concise and descriptive. And it should summarize the content's main point.
Be sure to avoid overly lengthy headings that may confuse readers or dilute your keyword relevance.
Remember, as we said above the average Internet-user visits 130 pages a day and most of them will be quick visits. With a quick and clear H1 tag, you can improve the odds of a site-visitor staying long enough to convert into a customer.
In the wise words of Cicero, “Brevity is a great charm of eloquence.”
Maintain Consistency
Maintain a consistent structure throughout your website.
Use H1 tags for main headings, H2 tags for sub-headings, H3 tags for secondary sub-headings, etc.
This benefit of consistency is two-fold:
First, it helps search engines to view your site properly and therefore boosts SEO.
Secondly, it makes your site more readable which will help keep the attention of site visitors and boost your store’s conversion rate.
In short, take extra care to preserve a consistent format in your H1 (and H2 and H3) tags. It will improve both your conversion rates and SEO rankings.
H1 Tags: How Thruways Can Help
Thruways is designed to help eCommerce businesses increase revenue and make better, smarter marketing decisions. Our recommendation engine provides eCommerce businesses with actionable insights that drive revenue and improve conversion rate. H1 tags optimization is just one of the many features that the Thruways’ recommendation engine offers to eCommerce store owners.
Launching an eCommerce store on platforms like Shopify is easy. Thruways helps you run a successful eCommerce store.
Conclusion
When it comes to SEO strategy, every detail matters. This includes H1 tag creation and optimization.
By understanding the significance of H1 tags and following best practices for optimization, your eCommerce store can gain a competitive edge and rise to the top of Google's search results.
Remember that SEO is an ongoing process, so stay committed to refining your strategy and maintaining your rankings.
With a well-optimized H1 tag and a robust SEO plan, you'll be well on your way to surpassing your competition and sustained revenue growth.
About Thruways: Thruways is a SaaS platform that helps eCommerce businesses drive revenue by democratizing access to smart data and augmenting their decision-making flows using augmented intelligence.
