Use heading levels to describe the structure of a page, then use typography controls to choose their appearance. A large font alone does not make a paragraph a heading, and choosing a heading level only for its size can make the page difficult to navigate with assistive technology.
IN THIS ARTICLE
01 Plan the outline
The page or post title is commonly rendered as the main heading by the theme. Main sections in the content can then use level two headings, with level three headings for subsections. Check your actual template rather than adding another main heading automatically. A short page may need only a few sections.
02 Apply meaningful levels
- Open the content editor and select the text that introduces a section.
- Use a Heading block and choose the level that matches its place in the outline.
- Write a concise heading that describes the section's content. Avoid empty headings used only to create space.
- Repeat for genuine subsections without skipping levels merely to get a preferred font size.
- Open Document Overview and review the Outline. Read the headings without the paragraphs and check whether the page's organisation still makes sense.
03 Example: organise a launch guide by heading level
Assume the theme already displays this page's title as its main heading. Build the content outline below with Heading blocks, then use Document Overview to check the sequence.
| Level | Example heading | Role in the page |
|---|---|---|
| H1 from the template | Launch your WordPress website | The page title. Do not automatically insert it again in the content. |
| H2 | Prepare your domain | A main section. |
| H2 | Set up WordPress | The next main section. |
| H3 | Create the administrator account | A subsection of Set up WordPress. |
| H3 | Check the homepage | Another subsection of the same section. |
| H2 | Verify the launch | A return to the main section level. |
Expected result: the headings make sense when read alone. Adjust appearance through typography controls without changing this hierarchy merely to make one heading smaller.
Should I change a heading level just to change its size?
Adjust the heading block's supported typography or use the theme's global styles to make headings visually consistent. If the desired size is unavailable, review the theme's design settings rather than substituting an unrelated heading level. Keep adequate contrast against the background and allow long headings to wrap.
04 Verify in the published template
Preview the public page and inspect the title, content headings and any sidebar headings together. Repeated headings in a Query Loop or template can affect the full page outline. Test at a narrow width and with browser zoom so text remains readable.
If a visual title is missing from the outline, it may be an ordinary paragraph or decorative image. Replace it with appropriate text where practical. Conversely, do not turn every bold sentence into a heading. Good structure reflects the relationship between ideas, not the number of styles you want on the page.