Headings that help someone find their place

By Gyata Tabiri · Revised October 30, 2026

Headings are part of how a person finds their place. I want the words to describe what follows and the outline to explain how the sections relate, even when the visual design changes.

Write the outline first

Choose a main title and meaningful section titles, then place supporting headings beneath the section they belong to. One clear main heading is a useful convention for this site. Do not choose a level simply because its default font size looks convenient.

Make the words specific

“The challenge” may work in a short case study, but a long guide can need a more descriptive title. Read the headings without the paragraphs. Can someone identify the subject and find the section likely to answer their question?

Separate the outline from the typography

CSS can make a heading larger or smaller without changing its rank. That allows the document structure to remain coherent while the design responds to screen size. Check that visual prominence still helps the reader understand the relationships.

Review without inventing a ranking story

Headings support organization and navigation. Their quality should be judged through the content and the task, rather than an unsupported claim that one heading change caused a traffic result. Inspect the rendered outline and test navigation as part of the whole page.

A useful outline also makes review easier across disciplines. Content, design, and development can discuss the same organization before spending time adjusting the appearance of a section that does not yet have a clear job.

Case-study structure · Discuss a role or project

Reference: W3C heading guidance.