When and Why to Use Semantic Tags

A common question is why not just use div everywhere with class names like class="header" or class="footer". Technically, it would work visually, but you would lose several real benefits.

Semantic tags improve accessibility because screen readers can jump directly to the nav or main sections for visually impaired users.

They improve search engine ranking because search engines can better understand your page structure. They also make your code easier to read months later.

A good thumb rule is to reach for a semantic tag first, and only fall back to div or span when nothing semantic actually fits the purpose.