Heading Structure

Headings are navigation for screen reader users and cognitive signposts for everyone. A clear heading structure is the difference between content people can find and content people abandon.

Why This Matters

Screen reader users navigate by headings — they press a key to jump between headings the way sighted users scan a page visually. If your heading structure is broken, screen reader users are lost in a wall of undifferentiated text.

For people with cognitive disabilities, headings are the primary way they understand what content a page contains and where to find what they need.

Rules