Headings that say what the page is

Most residents do not read a page. They look at its title, run their eye down the headings and stop at the one that matches what they need. If the headings do not say what is under them, the reader gives up and calls.

This lesson is about two things: the page title and the section headings.

The page title names the task

A good page title names what a resident can do or learn on the page, in their words:

• "Trash and recycling pickup" beats "Solid Waste Division."
• "Get a building permit" beats "Permits and Inspections."
• "Pay a parking ticket" beats "Parking Enforcement."

The department name still matters. Put it in the breadcrumb, the contact block or the first paragraph. The title belongs to the task.

The title is also what shows in search results and browser tabs. WCAG 2.1 asks that every page have a title that describes its topic or purpose (Success Criterion 2.4.2). A tab that reads "Home | Services | Page" helps nobody.

Section headings say what is under them

Inside the page, headings work like signs in a building. Each one should tell the reader what they will find if they stop there.

Weak headings could sit above anything:

• Overview
• Information
• Details
• Additional resources

Strong headings name their content:

• Who needs a permit
• What it costs
• How to apply
• How long it takes
• Who to call

WCAG 2.1 Success Criterion 2.4.6 says headings and labels describe their topic or purpose. The Department of Justice's 2024 Title II rule adopts WCAG 2.1, Level AA for state and local government websites, so this is a requirement as well as good writing.

Questions make good headings

When residents arrive with a question, a heading can be the question itself:

• "Do I need a permit for a fence?"
• "When is the next leaf pickup?"
• "Can I pay online?"

Write the question the way a resident would say it, and answer it in the first sentence under the heading. Avoid questions nobody asks, such as "What is the Planning Commission?" at the top of a page people visit to find a meeting date.

Keep the order a resident needs

Put sections in the order the reader will use them. For most service pages that is:

1. Who it is for
2. What it costs
3. How to do it
4. When and how long it takes
5. Who to contact

Put the history and the legal background last. They matter to some readers, but nobody needs them before the fee.

Use the editor's heading styles

A heading only works for screen reader users if it is a real heading, made with the editor's Heading 2 or Heading 3 style. Bold text in a larger size looks like a heading but is read as ordinary text. Accessible Content Basics covers this in its first lesson.