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Thread: Query regarding heading hierarchy

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From: Sumit Patel
Date: Sat, Aug 24 2024 11:12PM
Subject: Query regarding heading hierarchy
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Hai all,

I'm writing to seek your advice on a website heading hierarchy issue I'm
encountering. I have a specific section on my website as the first section
that provides company information. This section is located in the middle of
the page and is currently marked as a Heading 1 (H1). However, from a
content perspective, this section is not the primary focus of the page. The
main content, which is about the actual page topic, is located on the left
side of the page as the second section and is marked as a Heading 2 (H2).
Visually, the Heading 1 for the company information is larger than the
Heading 2 for the main content. I'm unsure if the correct approach would be
to switch the Heading levels, making the main content Heading 1 and the
company information Heading 2. Or should I maintain the current hierarchy?
I'd appreciate your guidance on this matter.
Thank you for your time and expertise.
Regards,
Sumit.

From: Dean.Vasile
Date: Sun, Aug 25 2024 2:51AM
Subject: Re: Query regarding heading hierarchy
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Have you tried navigating the page strictly by keyboard
or using the screen reader? If you do that and you press H and the heading one comes up the first time then the heading hierarchy is correct
I do not test the website visually because I cannot see it I go by the heading structure, not sure if this helps but that’s my two cents
Dean Vasile


617-799-1162

> On Aug 25, 2024, at 1:12 AM, Sumit Patel < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:
>
> Hai all,
>
> I'm writing to seek your advice on a website heading hierarchy issue I'm
> encountering. I have a specific section on my website as the first section
> that provides company information. This section is located in the middle of
> the page and is currently marked as a Heading 1 (H1). However, from a
> content perspective, this section is not the primary focus of the page. The
> main content, which is about the actual page topic, is located on the left
> side of the page as the second section and is marked as a Heading 2 (H2).
> Visually, the Heading 1 for the company information is larger than the
> Heading 2 for the main content. I'm unsure if the correct approach would be
> to switch the Heading levels, making the main content Heading 1 and the
> company information Heading 2. Or should I maintain the current hierarchy?
> I'd appreciate your guidance on this matter.
> Thank you for your time and expertise.
> Regards,
> Sumit.
> > > >

From: Sumit Patel
Date: Sun, Aug 25 2024 4:21AM
Subject: Re: Query regarding heading hierarchy
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While the first heading is indeed a Heading 1, it's a general section about
the website itself, which is likely common across all pages. The subsequent
section, which directly relates to the specific page content and can be
considered the main focus, is currently marked as a Heading 2.

On Sun, 25 Aug 2024 at 14:27, = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = <
= EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:

> Have you tried navigating the page strictly by keyboard
> or using the screen reader? If you do that and you press H and the
> heading one comes up the first time then the heading hierarchy is correct
> I do not test the website visually because I cannot see it I go by the
> heading structure, not sure if this helps but that’s my two cents
> Dean Vasile
>
>
> 617-799-1162
>
> > On Aug 25, 2024, at 1:12 AM, Sumit Patel < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
> wrote:
> >
> > Hai all,
> >
> > I'm writing to seek your advice on a website heading hierarchy issue I'm
> > encountering. I have a specific section on my website as the first
> section
> > that provides company information. This section is located in the middle
> of
> > the page and is currently marked as a Heading 1 (H1). However, from a
> > content perspective, this section is not the primary focus of the page.
> The
> > main content, which is about the actual page topic, is located on the
> left
> > side of the page as the second section and is marked as a Heading 2 (H2).
> > Visually, the Heading 1 for the company information is larger than the
> > Heading 2 for the main content. I'm unsure if the correct approach would
> be
> > to switch the Heading levels, making the main content Heading 1 and the
> > company information Heading 2. Or should I maintain the current
> hierarchy?
> > I'd appreciate your guidance on this matter.
> > Thank you for your time and expertise.
> > Regards,
> > Sumit.
> > > > > > > > > > > > >

From: Dean.Vasile
Date: Sun, Aug 25 2024 5:33AM
Subject: Re: Query regarding heading hierarchy
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Personally, if that’s the homepage and that is the heading one for the homepage as long as it is not the return to home link, that I have seen a number of times and I keep dinging companies for doing that
if you go to a different page and that area is still there, it Shouldn’t be the heading one
For subsequent pages the page content should be the h1.
I don’t think I would fail that issue
Dean Vasile


617-799-1162

> On Aug 25, 2024, at 6:22 AM, Sumit Patel < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:
>
> While the first heading is indeed a Heading 1, it's a general section about
> the website itself, which is likely common across all pages. The subsequent
> section, which directly relates to the specific page content and can be
> considered the main focus, is currently marked as a Heading 2.
>
>> On Sun, 25 Aug 2024 at 14:27, = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = <
>> = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:
>>
>> Have you tried navigating the page strictly by keyboard
>> or using the screen reader? If you do that and you press H and the
>> heading one comes up the first time then the heading hierarchy is correct
>> I do not test the website visually because I cannot see it I go by the
>> heading structure, not sure if this helps but that’s my two cents
>> Dean Vasile
>>
>>
>> 617-799-1162
>>
>>> On Aug 25, 2024, at 1:12 AM, Sumit Patel < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
>> wrote:
>>>
>>> Hai all,
>>>
>>> I'm writing to seek your advice on a website heading hierarchy issue I'm
>>> encountering. I have a specific section on my website as the first
>> section
>>> that provides company information. This section is located in the middle
>> of
>>> the page and is currently marked as a Heading 1 (H1). However, from a
>>> content perspective, this section is not the primary focus of the page.
>> The
>>> main content, which is about the actual page topic, is located on the
>> left
>>> side of the page as the second section and is marked as a Heading 2 (H2).
>>> Visually, the Heading 1 for the company information is larger than the
>>> Heading 2 for the main content. I'm unsure if the correct approach would
>> be
>>> to switch the Heading levels, making the main content Heading 1 and the
>>> company information Heading 2. Or should I maintain the current
>> hierarchy?
>>> I'd appreciate your guidance on this matter.
>>> Thank you for your time and expertise.
>>> Regards,
>>> Sumit.
>>> >>> >>> >>> >> >> >> >> >>
> > > >

From: Barry
Date: Mon, Aug 26 2024 1:36AM
Subject: Re: Query regarding heading hierarchy
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Hi Sumit.

There's no specific WCAG to say that you must start with a h1, but for clarity, have the topic of the page as the h1. So, I'd suggest that you should swap them around.

Cheers

Barry