H1 and H2 tags tell Google what your page is about
Your H1 tag is the main heading on any page, and your H2 tags are the subheadings that break up content beneath it. Google uses these tags to understand the topic and structure of your page, which directly affects whether your site appears when someone searches for mortgage brokers in your area.
Consider a broker whose homepage H1 reads "Welcome to Our Website". That heading tells Google nothing about what the business does or where it operates. A visitor searching for "mortgage broker Parramatta" won't find that page because the heading doesn't contain the relevant terms. The same broker could use "Mortgage Broker in Parramatta - Home Loans & Refinancing" as their H1, and immediately Google knows the service, the location, and the main offerings. The difference in search visibility is measurable within weeks.
The H2 tags that follow should support the main topic. If your H1 announces you're a mortgage broker, your H2 tags might cover "First Home Buyer Loans", "Refinancing Your Home Loan", and "Investment Property Finance". Each H2 introduces a section of content that explains one aspect of your service. This structure helps Google index your page properly and helps visitors scan quickly to find what they need.
How heading structure affects whether visitors convert
A visitor decides whether to stay on your page within seconds. If your headings don't clearly signal that you can help with their specific problem, they leave. That departure tells Google your page wasn't relevant, which over time affects your ranking.
In our experience, brokers often write headings for themselves rather than for their visitors. An H2 like "Our Approach" sounds professional but tells a visitor nothing. An H2 like "How We Compare 30+ Lenders to Find Your Best Rate" is specific and immediately relevant to someone comparing brokers. The second version keeps people on the page longer, which improves both conversion rates and SEO for mortgage brokers.
Headings also break up text visually. A page with one H1 and then 800 words of unbroken paragraphs is hard to read and impossible to scan. Visitors leave before they reach your call to action. Using H2 tags every 150 to 250 words creates natural breathing points and makes it easy for someone to jump to the section that matters most to them.
One H1 per page, multiple H2 tags to organise content
Every page should have exactly one H1 tag. This is the title of the page and should contain the main keyword you want that page to rank for. Using multiple H1 tags confuses the hierarchy and dilutes the signal you're sending to Google.
H2 tags can appear multiple times and should divide the content into logical sections. If you're writing a blog article about first home buyer grants, your H1 might be "First Home Buyer Grants in NSW - What You Need to Know". Your H2 tags could then cover "Who Qualifies for the First Home Owner Grant", "How Much You Can Receive", and "How to Apply for the Grant". Each H2 introduces a section that answers one part of the broader question.
Brokers sometimes use H2 tags for visual emphasis rather than structural purpose, bolding a sentence or making it larger without considering whether it belongs in the content hierarchy. This creates confusion for screen readers and for Google's crawlers. If a sentence isn't introducing a new section, it shouldn't be tagged as a heading.
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Writing headings that match search intent
Search intent is what someone is trying to achieve when they type a query into Google. If someone searches "how to refinance my home loan", they want a guide or explanation. If they search "mortgage broker near me", they want contact details and credibility signals. Your headings should reflect the intent behind the search terms you're targeting.
A service page targeting local searches should use an H1 like "Mortgage Broker in Gosford - Local Home Loan Experts". The H2 tags on that page might include "Why Choose a Local Mortgage Broker", "Our Service Area Across the Central Coast", and "Book a Free Appointment". Each heading aligns with what someone searching for a local broker wants to know. A blog article targeting informational searches needs different headings. An H1 like "How Long Does Home Loan Approval Take?" works well because it matches the exact question people type into Google. The H2 tags then answer sub-questions like "What Affects Approval Timeframes" and "How to Speed Up Your Application".
This approach requires thinking about your content from the perspective of the person searching, not from the perspective of the service you want to promote. It's why mortgage broker website design built with search intent in mind consistently outperforms template sites that prioritise visual appeal over structure.
Common mistakes that weaken heading structure
The most frequent mistake is using vague or generic headings. "About Us", "Our Services", and "Get in Touch" are default headings that appear on thousands of websites. They don't differentiate your business and they don't help Google understand what makes your page relevant to a search query. Replacing "Our Services" with "Home Loans, Refinancing & Investment Property Finance" immediately improves clarity for both visitors and search engines.
Another common issue is keyword stuffing. A broker might use an H1 like "Mortgage Broker Sydney | Best Mortgage Broker Sydney | Home Loans Sydney" in an attempt to rank for multiple terms. This reads poorly, damages credibility, and can trigger a penalty from Google. One clear, natural heading works better than a string of keywords.
Some brokers skip H2 tags entirely and use bold text or larger fonts instead. This creates a visual hierarchy but not a structural one. Google relies on HTML tags to understand content organisation, so if your headings aren't tagged correctly, you're not getting the SEO benefit. Similarly, jumping from an H1 to an H3 without an H2 in between disrupts the logical flow and can confuse indexing.
Optimising existing pages without starting from scratch
If your website is already live, you don't need to rebuild it to improve your heading structure. Start by reviewing your most important pages: homepage, main service pages, and your top-performing blog articles. Check whether each page has one clear H1 and whether that H1 contains the main keyword for the page.
Look at your H2 tags next. Do they describe what the section beneath them covers, or are they decorative? If an H2 doesn't introduce a distinct section of content, either remove the heading tag or rewrite the section so it does. For blog articles, aim for one H2 every 150 to 250 words, each answering a specific part of the broader topic.
Once the structure is in place, the content beneath each heading should deliver on the promise the heading makes. If your H2 says "How We Save Clients an Average of $3,000 Per Year", the section that follows needs to explain the process with a concrete example. Empty headings that aren't supported by useful content will increase bounce rates, which negatively affects lead generation and search ranking over time.
How heading structure supports local SEO
For brokers operating in a specific area, headings are an opportunity to reinforce location relevance. An H1 that includes your suburb or region tells Google where you operate and makes it more likely your site appears for local searches. This is particularly important for local SEO for mortgage brokers, where competition is often based on proximity.
Consider a broker based in Hobart. Their homepage H1 might read "Mortgage Broker in Hobart - Helping Tasmanians Secure Home Loans". Their H2 tags could include "Servicing Greater Hobart and Southern Tasmania" and "Local Knowledge of Hobart's Property Scene". These headings signal to Google that the business is relevant to someone searching for a mortgage broker in that area, and they reassure a visitor that the broker understands the local context.
Location-specific headings also work well in blog content. An article titled "First Home Buyer Tips for Melbourne" with H2 tags covering "Understanding Melbourne's Median Property Prices" and "First Home Buyer Grants Available in Victoria" will rank better for Melbourne-specific searches than a generic article about first home buyers. The location is embedded in the structure, not just mentioned once in passing.
If your website isn't currently optimised for headings and content structure, the gap between where you are now and where you could be is often larger than brokers expect. Well-structured pages don't just rank better - they convert better because visitors can quickly find the information they need and take the next step.
Call one of our team or book an appointment at a time that works for you. We'll review your current site structure, show you where the opportunities are, and build a plan that gets your content working harder without requiring you to become an SEO expert.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between an H1 and an H2 tag?
An H1 tag is the main heading on a page and should appear only once. It tells Google what the page is about. H2 tags are subheadings that divide the content into sections beneath the H1.
How many H2 tags should a page have?
There's no fixed number, but aim for one H2 every 150 to 250 words to break up content and improve readability. Each H2 should introduce a distinct section that supports the main topic in your H1.
Can I use multiple H1 tags on one page?
No. Every page should have exactly one H1 tag. Using multiple H1 tags confuses the content hierarchy and dilutes the SEO signal you're sending to Google.
Should I include keywords in my H1 and H2 tags?
Yes, but they should read naturally. Your H1 should contain the main keyword for the page, and your H2 tags should include related terms where they fit logically. Avoid keyword stuffing.
Do headings affect conversion rates as well as SEO?
Yes. Clear headings help visitors scan your page quickly and find the information they need, which keeps them on the page longer and increases the chance they'll submit an enquiry or call.
