There are numerous on-site search engine optimisation techniques touted across the Web, but none as important and as overlooked as the header tag. Controversial in its effect, the header tag has been the source of much debate in the online search engine marketing world. Some SEO gurus have lauded its use while others have questioned the efficacy of this on site practice. Although the debate continues to rage, it is safe to say that utilising the tag will not have any negative effects on a web site's search engine ranking. Safe in this knowledge, here are some of the ways in which header tags could possibly be used to improve organic search engine rankings.

Header tags are basically HTML formatting resources that allow content in a webpage to be made organisable. Headings perform an important function for human visitors, who tend to skim through large text documents, by presenting a clear and concise overview of the content present in the paragraph that follows it. They also help maintain a logical document structure and when utilised efficiently, can make a page thoroughly readable and understandable. In addition to an improvement in stylistic elements of a web page, heading tags have an important SEO function; they allow search engines to index both the structure and content of a web page effectively.

It is vital that the header tags reinforce the keywords of a web page. Rather than date and time information, the header tag should be formed around the content within the page or the category that the page falls into. Also, avoid using the tag <h1> more than once in a page. You can however employ multiple <h2> and <h3> tags, incorporating a range of keywords. The <h1> tag should use only the most pertinent keywords. The <h1> tag is the most important HTML tag after the <title> tag. It serves as an important indicator to search engine spiders - providing them with the essential keywords for reference and thus directing them to these phrases which can be indeed for efficient searches.

SEO can help improve organic search engine rankings with both on site and off site techniques. It is crucial that an SEO company understands the relationship that search engines have with the HTML code on a page. Apart from the SEO opportunity, utilising header tags is good web design practice.