The H Tags

For automotive websites the <h> tags are important. The lack of other content on most dealer website pages leaves few opportunities to emphasize keywords. Some argue that search engines don’t really use H tags. H Tags can provide search engines with an outline of what is important on your web page. Do you really believe that search engines would not use that information when it is provided? More importantly, do you think Google’s going to tell anyone what they use and don’t use?

Usage: <h1> would be the top category, re. “Ford Dealer”, <h2> would be the next, re. “San Francisco Ford”, <h3>Ford F150, and so on.

Surprisingly many vendors don’t even have H tags in their pages.  Those that do, waste the SEO potential by emphasizing nonsense like <h1>hours and directions</h1>.  No one searches for hours and directions!

<h> Tag best practices are: 1) update your H tags, 2) use popular search terms, 3) do not use multiple H1 tags. Use h2 and h3 tags liberally as sub-headings to the H1, 4) use local keywords if possible, 5) don’t use non-keywords…

…I can’t emphasize that strongly enough – avoid emphasizing non-search terms like <h1>models</h1>.  It is better not to have H Tags that confuse search engines with non-keywords. If its not a relevant keyword, don’t put it in an H Tag.