Why Headings Matter

Effectively using headings matters because headings improve the readability of content for all users, and is particularly important for users of text-to-speech or screen reading software. Benefits of providing a detailed heading structure include:

• Visual indications of sections in a document for readers to "skim" through the sections.
• Users of screen reading software may quickly examine all available sections using assistive technologies.
• Users of text-to-speech or screen reading software can use headings as starting positions to quickly read through or navigate content.
• Additional functionality within some applications, such as the ability to create links to sections within a document in Word, are enabled by the use of headings.