What HTML means
Every website ultimately sends HTML to the browser. Clean, semantic HTML helps search engines and AI tools understand your content, and helps screen readers serve people with disabilities. Messy markup from bloated tools can hurt all three.
Why it matters for your website
HTML is the foundation every page is built on, and how well it is written affects SEO, accessibility and speed. Proper headings, links and labels help search engines and screen readers understand your content. Messy HTML can quietly hurt rankings and make your site harder to use.
Example
A florist's page uses one clear H1 for its main heading, H2s for each service and real labels on form fields, so both Google and screen reader users can follow it.
Tips
- Use one main H1 per page and logical H2 and H3 headings below it.
- Add descriptive alt text to meaningful images.
- Use real buttons and links instead of clickable divs.
Common mistakes
- Choosing heading tags for their size instead of their meaning.
- Putting important text inside images where it cannot be read or indexed.
Questions about HTML
What is HTML?
The markup language that structures web pages into headings, paragraphs, links, images and forms.
Do I need to know HTML to run a website?
No, most CMSs let you edit without code. Basic HTML knowledge still helps you fix formatting and spot SEO issues.
What is semantic HTML?
It means using tags that describe content, like header, nav, main and article, so browsers, search engines and assistive tools understand the page.
