When to keep or remove AI-suggested subheadings

What a subheading needs to do

A subheading is a promise about what follows. It should help readers decide whether a section answers their question, and it should give the section a clear place in the article’s argument or instructions. Microsoft’s writing guidance describes headings as both an outline and a way to help readers scan, and advises using a second-level heading when a long section contains at least two distinct topics. It also cautions against consecutive headings with no text between them. ([Microsoft Style Guide: Headings](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/style-guide/scannable-content/headings))

That function matters because some readers scan instead of reading every line. Nielsen Norman Group describes a “layer-cake” scanning pattern in which readers look across visually prominent headings, then read the relevant text underneath. That only works when headings stand out and accurately summarize their sections. ([Nielsen Norman Group: The Layer-Cake Pattern of Scanning Content on the Web](https://www.nngroup.com/articles/layer-cake-pattern-scanning/))

Headings also convey structure to people navigating with assistive technology. W3C’s Web Accessibility Initiative explains that headings communicate the organization of a page and can help screen-reader users move between sections. A heading that merely looks prominent but isn’t marked up as a heading may not provide the same structural cue; check that the publishing format uses the appropriate heading styles. ([W3C WAI: Headings](https://www.w3.org/WAI/tutorials/page-structure/headings/))

A four-way test for each AI suggestion

Read the section itself, then decide what to do with its heading. The test is editorial, not a scoring formula: a heading does not earn a place simply by containing a target phrase or matching a standard outline.

Review the outline: state the reader’s task

In one sentence, say what a reader came to do. For example: “Choose a suitable bike lock for a short commute.” This gives you a reference point for judging whether a suggested section helps finish that task. A heading can be relevant to the broad topic and still be a detour from the actual task.

Google’s guidance for creating helpful, people-first content asks creators to assess whether the main heading summarizes the content and whether the page provides substantial, useful information. That supports reviewing headings in the context of the page’s purpose, rather than treating a plausible-looking outline as proof that every suggested section belongs. ([Google Search Central: Creating Helpful, Reliable, People-First Content](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/creating-helpful-content))

Review the outline: match promise to evidence

For each heading, finish the sentence: “A reader who opens this section will learn ___.” Then look for the specific explanation, evidence, action, or distinction that fulfills that promise. If you can only write a broad phrase such as “more about the topic,” the section may need a clearer job—or may not need to stand alone.

Be alert to mismatches. A heading like “How to maintain a bike lock” promises instructions. A paragraph that only says maintenance is important does not deliver them. Either provide the necessary steps, narrow the heading to match the paragraph, or remove the unsupported promise.

Review the outline: compare neighboring sections

Read the headings in order without the body copy. Do they tell a coherent story or sequence? Look for two sections that answer the same question, a sudden topic change, or a heading whose meaning only becomes clear after reading its section. Then check the text to confirm whether the outline is genuinely unclear or whether the heading alone needs editing.

Microsoft recommends making headings specific and putting the key idea early; it also advises keeping headings concise and choosing words that reflect what customers need to know. Use that as a practical edit: name the decision, action, condition, or answer that distinguishes each section, without stuffing in every related term. ([Microsoft Style Guide: Headings](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/style-guide/scannable-content/headings))

Review the outline: check heading hierarchy

Use the heading levels to express the relationship between sections: a main section heading introduces a major topic, and a lower-level heading belongs under it. Don’t choose a level just for its visual size; confirm the content-management system or document styles will expose the intended structure to assistive technology. W3C’s tutorial explains that a logical heading structure helps communicate how page content is organized. ([W3C WAI: Page Structure—Headings](https://www.w3.org/WAI/tutorials/page-structure/headings/))

Short sections, FAQs, and other edge cases

A short section is not automatically a bad section. Keep it if it answers a meaningful question that readers need to locate separately—for example, a safety exception or a comparison that changes the recommendation. If it consists of one sentence repeating the prior section, fold that sentence into the prior section instead of adding a heading to give it visual weight.

FAQ headings deserve the same test. Keep a question when it answers a distinct, likely reader concern that the main article has not already handled. Remove duplicate questions whose answers would simply restate existing sections. Don’t add FAQs merely because an AI outline includes them; the added section should improve the article for a person trying to complete the task.

A heading does not have to be phrased as a question. Use a question when readers are likely to recognize and scan for that question; use a direct statement or task phrase when it makes the section’s purpose clearer. Keep parallel headings at the same level reasonably consistent in style, while giving each one a distinct meaning.

A final review before publishing

Do a quick read in three passes: read only the headings to test the outline; read each section after its heading to check the promise; then inspect the actual heading styles in the rendered page or document. Keep, revise, merge, or remove each suggestion based on what the reader needs and what the section delivers.

Search guidance can inform clarity, but it does not establish a required number of subheadings or guarantee a search result. Google’s SEO Starter Guide describes SEO as helping search engines understand content and helping people find and assess pages; it also says there are no secrets that automatically put a site first. Treat subheadings as part of clear, useful page organization—not a ranking checklist. ([Google Search Central: SEO Starter Guide](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/seo-starter-guide))

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