Description: Search engines have grown smart enough to find subheading in a content despite their being no heading tags. Does this mean heading tags are no longer important? For this article, we sit down with Gaurav Heera and discuss the same.
Are Heading Tags Still Optimal for SEO Quality? Gaurav Explains
There is a general agreement amongst marketers regarding the dynamic nature of marketing. New techniques and tweaks keep changing the way marketers go about their work.
As an example, look at how much Google SEO has evolved. In the beginning, Google used to rank websites based on Page Rank, an algorithm which ranked websites in search based on the number of backlinks they had. In this system, marketers gamed their websites to have a lot of backlinks through shady techniques like social media bookmarking, PR link building, and directory submission.
Google has evolved a lot since then and added a slew of other factors to its ranking algorithm. These changes have again forced marketers to change track and work towards increasing presence on search engines.
One of the key features in on-page SEO is the optimal use of heading tags. Any SEO master guide would drive home the point that good use of heading tags helps a lot in getting better search rankings on Google.
Off-late, search engines have begun automatically identifying subheadings in content. Does this mean heading tags are no longer relevant. We discuss the same with Gaurav Heera, a leading SEO expert.
- So, Gaurav, do you think heading tags are still relevant?
One trait I find common in the marketing field is that people love jumping to conclusions. Yes, search engines have become smarter at finding subheadings. I would even go so far as to say that search engines no longer value heading tags any more than normal formatted content.
Still, heading tags are very relevant. In terms of simple accessibility and content layout, there is nothing better an SEO can do than following a good heading tag pattern.
- How do you make up your mind regarding these changes which keep happening in SEO?
I stay in touch with all changes Google keeps making to its algorithm. Whenever Google makes an update to its algorithm, the general digital marketing community takes over a month to become aware of this change. I, on the other hand, try to remain in touch with these changes at all times and position them by websites and marketing campaigns accordingly. If you want to stay in this space for a long time, you must be following all updates which are brought to the platform you depend on.
- Do you think there is too much hue and cry in the SEO community whenever a new update comes around?
Sometimes it may seem excessive. You have to understand that we are talking about the livehood of people here. Many SEOs have families to sustain and their knowledge of the field is the reason why they’re earning a given amount of money. Anything that drastically changes and challenges their work is bound to make them sit up and take notice. There is nothing strange or unfounded about it.
In Conclusion
The various technicalities of SEO keep evolving. Things which are important one day can become obsolete the following week. Heading tags may seem to be going down the same route. Is there any point adding heading tags anymore. In this interview with Gaurav Heera, we discussed the importance of heading tags in maintaining SEO optimality.
About Gaurav – One of the most highly regarded marketing entrepreneurs and gurus, Gaurav is a leading voice in the marketing field. He currently heads work at DelhiCourses.in, an institute he founded back in 2008.