HTML Long-Form Article Markup: Main, Sections, Figures, and Footnotes

Long-form articles need a clear hierarchy, not one giant wall of text. Separate major topics into sections, and place figures near the text they explain.

What You Need to Know

Use main for the page's primary content and article for the independent story. Footnote links should use matching IDs and understandable return navigation when appropriate.

The goal is not to collect as many tags as possible. Pick the element that best describes what the content really is.

Example: See It in Action

Here is a simple example to experiment with. Type it, save the file, and check what the browser displays.

This is a short HTML fragment. To try it as a webpage, put it inside the body element of a complete HTML document.

<main>
    <article>
        <h1>How Bees Help Gardens</h1>
        <section>
            <h2>Pollination</h2>
            <p>Bees move pollen.</p>
        </section>
        <figure><img src="images/bee.jpg" alt="Bee on a flower">
            <figcaption>A garden visitor</figcaption>
        </figure>
    </article>
</main>

Let’s Understand the Example

• Main identifies the central content of the page; it should not be duplicated as separate visible main landmarks.
• Article marks a piece that could make sense on its own, such as a news post or recipe.
• An h1 introduces the main subject of the page. Use the heading level for structure rather than font size.
• Src tells the browser where to find an image or other embedded resource.
• Alt supplies a text alternative for an image. Empty alt is appropriate for purely decorative images.

An image appears only if its file path is correct. If it is informative, its alt text should share the same useful meaning; if it is decoration, empty alt text is often right.

What Should You See?

The page should display “How Bees Help Gardens” as a heading, followed by its related content. Change the heading text and refresh the browser to see the result.

Read only the headings, from top to bottom. Do they tell a sensible story? If not, move sections or choose levels that match the content.

Try It Yourself

1. Add a footnote reference that jumps to a note at the end.
2. Save your changes, open or refresh the page, and compare the result with the original example.
3. Tell a friend what your change did. If you are not sure, undo it, refresh the page, and compare.

Common Beginner Mistakes

• Placing captions far away from their images or using only decorative spacing between topics.
• Avoid picking tags just for their default bold, italic or spaced appearance. Use CSS for presentation.

Key Takeaways

• Long-form articles need a clear hierarchy, not one giant wall of text.
• Main identifies the central content of the page; it should not be duplicated as separate visible main landmarks.
• Use main for the page's primary content and article for the independent story. Footnote links should use matching IDs and understandable return navigation when appropriate.