The H1 Tag: One or Many? Best Practices for On-Page SEO
The H1 debate has been running for years. HTML5 technically allows multiple H1s inside sectioning elements, but what does that mean for SEO in practice?
The conservative view
Most SEOs still recommend a single H1 per page. It keeps the signal unambiguous: this is the primary topic. If you have multiple H1s, you dilute that signal.
The modern view
Google has stated multiple times that multiple H1s are fine if the structure is logical. The key word is logical. A page with five H1s because the CMS defaults to H1 for every widget is not logical.
What the data shows
In practice, top-ranking pages overwhelmingly use a single H1. Correlation is not causation, but the pattern is hard to ignore. A single H1 correlates with clearer topical focus.
Our recommendation
Use one H1 for the main topic. Use H2s for subtopics. If you are using HTML5 sectioning, make sure the outline still makes sense when read linearly. Test it with a tool if you are unsure.