Sections need headings

ZMD001

Each <section> should contain a heading (<h1>–<h6>) to identify and label it for users and tools.

✅ Good

<section>
  <h2>FAQ</h2>
  <p>Welcome to our FAQ…</p>
</section>

❌ Bad

<section>
  <p>Welcome to our FAQ…</p>
</section>

When: A <section> element does not contain any <h1>–<h6> heading

Warning: <section> missing heading

Solution: Add an <h1>–<h6> inside each section

Why it matters

Accessibility: Breaks screen-reader navigation and comprehension—users rely on headings to orient and skip between sections.

SEO: Search engines may struggle to identify section context, reducing content understandability.

In brief

  • Goal: Users understand how content is organized into named sections.
  • What to do: Where content is organized in sections, provide section headings.
  • Why: People with cognitive or visual disabilities can orient themselves; screen-reader users can jump between headings; keyboard users can skip to updated content.

Intent

Provide headings for every logical section so that the page’s organization is explicit. Headings act as ‘handles’ for navigation and comprehension.

Benefits

  • Blind users know when they move to a new section and what its purpose is.
  • People with learning disabilities grasp page structure more easily.
  • Keyboard users can jump focus between headings to find content quickly.
  • Dynamic pages remain navigable by heading even when content updates.

Techniques

  • G141: Organizing a page using headings (<h1>–<h6> outline).
  • H69: Providing heading elements at the beginning of each <section>.

HTML Semantics

A <section> is sectioning content whose purpose is grouping related elements under a title. Only use when no more specific element (article, nav, aside) applies—and always start it with a true heading element.

References

Tips & edge cases

  • Use true <h1>–<h6> elements, not styled <div>s or <span>s — assistive tech relies on semantic markup.
  • Maintain a logical heading hierarchy; avoid skipping levels (e.g. h2 → h4).
  • Keep headings concise and descriptive, like mini-summaries of each section.

See also