Heading Structure

The hierarchical organization of headings (H1 through H6 in HTML) used to define the logical structure and sections of a document or web page. Proper heading structure is one of the most critical accessibility features for screen reader users, who rely on headings to skim content, understand document organization, and jump directly to sections of interest — much as sighted users visually scan a page. Headings must be used in a logical descending order (H1 for the main title, H2 for major sections, H3 for subsections, etc.) and should reflect the actual content hierarchy rather than being chosen for visual styling. Surveys consistently show heading navigation is the preferred browsing strategy for the majority of screen reader users worldwide.