Every web page has a main title, usually big at the top. That's the H1: the most important heading on the page. For Google, it's a strong signal for understanding what the page is about.
Why only one H1 per page?
The H1 is meant to say 'this is about X'. If you have several H1s, you're giving Google mixed signals: what is this page really about? Google gets confused, and your rankings suffer.
Compare it to a book: every chapter has one title. If a chapter had three different titles, nobody would know what it's about anymore.
What should it contain?
A good H1 includes:
- The main keyword the page is about
- A concrete benefit or USP for the reader
- Short and punchy: 5 to 10 words
Examples:
- Bakery homepage: "Fresh bread and pastries in Utrecht, every morning at 7:00"
- SEO service page: "SEO for local business owners in Arnhem"
- Blog article: "What is HSTS and why does your site need it?"
What often goes wrong?
- No H1 (zero): no main signal, so Google has to guess
- Multiple H1s: your designer or theme decided every section deserves an H1. Wrong. Only the main title is an H1.
- An H1 with just the company name: "Jansen Bakery" says nothing about what you do
- An H1 stuffed with keywords: "Baker Utrecht, Bread Utrecht, Pastries Utrecht" reads unnaturally and Google penalizes it
How do you check your H1s?
Right-click on your page, click 'view page source', press Ctrl+F and search for <h1. Count how many matches you get. One = good. Zero or more than one = fix it.
Alternative: use a browser extension such as 'SEO META in 1 CLICK', which shows you the H1(s) right away without digging into the code.
You'll find more practical on-page tips in our on-page SEO checklist.