A person arriving from search may never see your homepage. Each important page should explain its subject and its place in the business. Imagine opening a brochure in the middle: would you know what service it describes and what to do next?
Give the page an outline
The title helps identify the page. The main heading tells readers its subject. Smaller headings divide the explanation into useful parts. A description summarizes the content for possible previews, although a search engine may choose different wording. Avoid promising a price or answer that the page does not contain. [Source 2]
Clear structure also helps people who use reading tools. A large, bold line is not automatically a heading in the page's structure. A table needs labels that explain its numbers. A form field needs a connected label, not just a faint hint that vanishes while typing.
Make links do useful work
A link should say where it goes. Compare Click here with See emergency repair hours. The second tells a reader what to expect. Link a guide to related service details only when that connection helps the reader's task. Important pages should have ordinary working links from useful parts of the site. [Source 10]
For images, provide a text alternative that carries their relevant information or function. A photo showing an accessible entrance needs a useful description. Pure decoration should not force a screen reader to announce meaningless noise. Captions and transcripts make other media useful to more people too.
Structured data is a label, not a disguise
Structured data is a machine-readable description attached to content. Think of a clear label on a shelf: product, author, business address or article date. The label must match the item. Valid format alone does not prove truthful facts, eligibility for a special result or actual appearance in search. [Source 7]
If two website tools publish conflicting prices, adding more markup will not resolve the conflict. First decide which record is correct. Then make the visible page and supported machine-readable descriptions agree.
Try the stranger test
Show a page to someone who does not know the business. Ask what it offers, whom it serves and what they would do next. Listen without explaining the page for them. Their uncertainty can reveal missing information a familiar owner no longer notices.
A good label helps someone understand real content. It cannot replace that content.