In accessibility, headings act like a book’s table of contents. They are tags (H1 through H6) that structure a page so people using screen readers can scan, jump, or listen to sections easily. Proper structure
Key Rules for Headings
- Use one <h1> per page.
- Do not skip levels (e.g., going from an <h2> straight to an <h4>).
- Use actual heading elements instead of bold text to make text look large.
- Nest sub-sections logically with H2 and H3
- Do not use bold heading for formatting alone. Using semantic headings instead of bold text is essential for accessibility. Assistive technologies such as screen readers ignore visual formatting like bold or font size.
Why Headings Matter
- Navigation: Screen readers pull up a list of headings to jump straight to where the reader would like to navigate.
- Clear Outline: Logical, hierarchical map.
- Reduced Effort: It can make reading less stressful, breaking up walls of text, making information easier to digest for all readers, including people with visual disabilities.
Below is an example of proper hierarchy about our solar system.
<h1>The Solar System
<h2> Inner Planets
<h3> Mercury
<h4> Surface Features of Mercury
<h3> Venus
<h4> The Hottest Planet
<h2> Outer Planets
<h3> Jupiter
<h4> The Great Red Spot
<h3> Saturn
<h4> The Gas Giant
Accessibility Evaluation
If you would like to ensure your heading hierarchy are correct you can use the Accessibility Evaluation. This option is only available in the Book-Building Tool.
- Click on Accessibility Evaluation on the left side of the screen.
- Click on the button Start Evaluation.
- There is instructional information on the first step.
- Click "Next" to start the evaluation.
There are four other sections you can review that have additional recommendations for making your ebook more accessible to your current and future readers. Click Next until you reach the Headings step to check the headings.
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