How to use semantic HTML5 elements for page structure?
Jul 12, 2025 am 01:20 AMSemantic HTML5 elements can improve accessibility and SEO effects. The specific key points are as follows: 1.
The use of semantic HTML5 elements is actually not just to make the code look more "professional", it can help browsers, search engines and auxiliary devices better understand page structure. If used correctly, it can improve accessibility and SEO effects.

Let’s talk about a few key points based on common structural needs.
1. Use <header></header>
and <footer></footer>
correctly
These two tags are not only available at the top and bottom of the page, they can also appear in articles or modules. For example:

<header></header>
usually includes website logos, navigation bars, etc.;<header></header>
can place titles, author information, etc.;<header> <h1>My Blog</h1> <nav>...</nav> </header> <article> <header> <h2>Article Title</h2> <p>Author: Xiao Ming</p> </header> <!-- Article content--> </article>
<footer>
Similarly, it can be used as a whole page or nested in <article>
or <section>
.
2. Use <nav>
to wrap the main navigation area
Not all links are suitable for placement in <nav>
. This tag is more suitable for the main menu structures such as global navigation and sidebar navigation.

Common practices:
<ul><nav>
tag;<ul>
to organize link items;<nav>
as well;<nav> <ul> <li><a href="/">Home</a></li> <li><a href="/about">About</a></li> </ul> </nav>
In this way, the screen reader will recognize it as a navigation area, which will facilitate users to jump quickly.
3. Use <main>
and <aside>
to distinguish between primary and secondary content
The main content of the entire page should be wrapped in the <main>
tag, and a page generally has only one <main>
. It is used in conjunction with <aside>
to let the browser know which is the main content and which is auxiliary information (such as sidebar advertisements, related recommendations).
Example structure:
<main> <article> <h2>Article Title</h2> <p>Body content...</p> </article> </main> <aside> <h3>Recommended reading</h3> <ul> <li><a href="#">Other Articles1</a></li> </ul> </aside>
Notice:
<ul><main>
;<aside>
should be related to the main content but not required; 4. Use <section>
and <article>
to divide content blocks
Many people tend to confuse these two labels. Simply put:
<ul><article>
is an independent content block, such as a blog post or a comment;<section>
is a topic-related block, such as the introduction part and functional modules on the page;For example:
<section> <h2>About Us</h2> <p>We are a team dedicated to front-end development. </p> </section> <article> <h2>Latest News</h2> <p>We released a new version this week. </p> </article>
If you are not sure which one to use, you can ask yourself: Can this paragraph be taken out separately and reused? If you can, it might be <article>
.
Basically that's it. The use of semantic tags is not complicated, but they are easily overlooked. Rational use of <header></header>
, <footer></footer>
, <nav>
, <main>
, <aside>
, <section>
and <article>
can make the page structure clear and easy to maintain, and can also improve barrier-free experience and SEO performance.
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