Why Should You Care About Semantic HTML?

Semantics are the meaning of words, or phrases, in a language. In HTML, which is a language, elements have their own semantic meaning too. In fact, you can think of your HTML document like you would a text document. And much like a text document, you might have headings, images, bold text, and other formatting. The semantic meaning of an element refers to what special information that element conveys. The semantic meaning of a `p` element, for example, is a paragraph of text: ```html <p> Let me tell you about my fantastic holiday in Paris. I saw the impressive Eiffel Tower up close! </p> ``` Most elements have semantic meaning. The `div` element is one of the very few that does not. But why is this important? First and foremost, using proper semantic HTML will ensure the best experience for users with assistive technology like screen readers. But also, semantic HTML can improve your search rankings. This is referred to as search engine optimization, or SEO. Finally, using correct semantic elements can improve your development experience. Rather than having to sift through a bunch of `div`s to find your navigation bar, you can edit the `nav` element directly and know what you're changing. Throughout this section, you will learn more about these topics, how to use semantic elements, and why semantic HTML is so important.