Paste your HTML or markdown and instantly see your H1-H6 hierarchy. Catch missing H1s, skipped levels, and empty headings. Free, no sign-up required.
Accepts raw HTML with h1-h6 tags, or markdown with # heading syntax.
More free tools to optimize every element of your pages.
Paste your content and check keyword density instantly. Optimize without over-stuffing.
Use Tool \u2192Analyze your content readability with Flesch Reading Ease and grade-level scores.
Use Tool \u2192Check if your page title fits Google SERP limits and preview how it looks in search results.
Use Tool \u2192Generate perfectly formatted title and meta description tags for any page.
Use Tool \u2192Build valid FAQ JSON-LD schema markup to unlock rich results in Google search.
Use Tool \u2192Create Open Graph and Twitter Card meta tags to control how your pages look when shared.
Use Tool \u2192Turn any title into a clean, SEO-friendly URL slug in seconds.
Use Tool \u2192Build a valid robots.txt file with custom rules for any crawler.
Use Tool \u2192Count words, characters, sentences, paragraphs, and get reading time estimates instantly.
Use Tool \u2192How It Works
No account needed, no sign-up required. Completely free. Paste your HTML or markdown and get a full heading hierarchy analysis in seconds.
Copy your full page HTML or markdown text and paste it into the input area. The tool works with both raw HTML using h1-h6 tags and markdown using # through ###### heading syntax.
The tool instantly extracts all headings, builds your heading tree, and checks for four common issues: missing H1, multiple H1 tags, skipped heading levels, and empty headings. No sign-up required.
See a visual tree of your heading hierarchy with any issues highlighted. Each issue includes a clear description of what is wrong and how to fix it. Status is Good (zero issues), Fair (1-2 issues), or Poor (3 or more issues).
The Rules
This free analyzer checks four structural rules on every analysis. Here is exactly what is checked and why each rule matters for your SEO.
Issue Scoring
0 issues = Good | 1-2 issues = Fair | 3+ issues = Poor
Checks: Missing H1, Multiple H1s, Skipped levels, Empty headings
The analyzer first extracts all heading tags from your HTML or markdown. It builds a sequential list of headings in the order they appear in your content, then runs four checks.
The missing H1 check counts how many H1 tags are present. Zero H1 tags triggers an issue. Multiple H1 tags trigger a separate issue. Either way, your page should have exactly one.
The skipped levels check walks through your heading list in order and compares each heading level to the previous one. If the next heading is more than one level deeper, a skipped level issue is flagged with the heading text so you can find it quickly.
Status is calculated from the total issue count. Zero issues earns Good. One or two issues earns Fair. Three or more earns Poor. Fix the issues in order of severity: missing H1 first, skipped levels second, empty headings last.
Heading SEO Rules
Use this reference when writing new content or auditing existing pages for heading structure issues.
| Rule | Importance | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| One H1 per page | Critical | Your H1 is the top-level topic signal. Multiple H1s confuse crawlers. Missing H1 wastes your most important heading tag. |
| Sequential hierarchy | High | Never skip levels. H1 to H3 without H2 breaks the document outline. Maintain H1 > H2 > H3 order. |
| Keyword in H1 | High | Your primary target keyword should appear in the H1. This is one of the strongest on-page ranking signals. |
| Keywords in H2 headings | Medium | Place secondary keywords and related terms in H2 headings. This expands topical coverage and helps rankings for related queries. |
| No empty headings | Medium | Empty heading tags are invisible to users but confuse screen readers and add junk signals to crawlers. |
| Descriptive heading text | Medium | Headings like "Section 1" add no SEO value. Write headings that describe the content and include relevant terms. |
Sources: Google Search Central, Moz On-Page SEO Guide, 2026.
Heading Structure by Content Type
Different page types call for different heading depths and patterns. Use these templates as a baseline for your content outlines.
| Content Type | H1 | H2 | H3 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blog post | 1 | 3-6 | 2-4 per H2 | H1 matches the post title. H2 defines each main section. H3 breaks down subsections within each H2. |
| Product page | 1 | 2-4 | 1-3 per H2 | H1 is the product name. H2 covers features, specs, reviews. H3 organizes detail within each section. |
| Landing page | 1 | 3-5 | Optional | H1 states the value proposition. H2 covers each benefit or feature. H3 adds supporting detail. |
| FAQ page | 1 | 1-3 | One per question | H1 names the FAQ topic. H2 groups questions by theme. H3 is each individual question. |
| Category page | 1 | 1-2 | Optional | H1 is the category name. H2 introduces subcategories or filters. Avoid over-structuring short pages. |
| Pillar content | 1 | 6-12 | 3-6 per H2 | Long-form content requires deep hierarchy. H2 covers major subtopics. H3 and H4 add granular sections. |
Benchmarks based on top-ranking pages and SEO content analysis, 2026.
What Kills Your Heading Strategy
These mistakes appear on millions of pages. Most are easy to fix once you know what to look for.
A page without an H1 is like a document without a title. Search engines use the H1 to understand what the entire page is about. Without it, you are leaving the most important heading signal completely unused. Every page needs exactly one H1.
H1 is the strongest single on-page keyword signalUsing two or more H1 tags dilutes your topical focus and confuses search engine crawlers about which heading defines the page. This often happens when page templates apply H1 styling to multiple sections for visual reasons. Use a single H1 and style other headings with CSS instead.
One H1 per page, alwaysJumping from H1 directly to H3, or H2 to H4, breaks the document outline that both search engines and accessibility tools rely on. Screen readers navigate pages by heading level. Search engines use heading hierarchy to understand content organization. Always move one level at a time.
Maintain sequential H1 > H2 > H3 orderHeadings like "Introduction," "Overview," or "Section 2" are visible to crawlers but contribute nothing to keyword relevance. Every heading is an opportunity to include your target keyword or a related term. Rewrite generic headings to be descriptive and topically relevant.
Every heading should include a keyword or related termApplying H1 or H2 tags purely for font size or visual impact, rather than to define content hierarchy, corrupts your page outline. Use CSS classes and styled components to control font size and weight. Reserve heading tags for actual content structure and hierarchy.
Never use heading tags as styling shortcutsYour H1 and your meta title tag can be similar but do not need to be identical. The meta title is optimized for search result click-through. The H1 is optimized for on-page reading experience. A slight variation lets you target different keyword phrasings without duplication issues.
H1 and meta title can differ slightly for dual optimizationOptimize Your Heading Structure
These strategies help you use headings to drive both search visibility and reader engagement. All CommonNinja widgets are free to start.
Your H1 should include your exact target keyword in a natural, readable sentence or phrase. Search engines weight the H1 heavily for topical relevance. Place the keyword near the beginning of the H1 for maximum impact. Avoid stuffing multiple keywords into a single H1.
Plan your heading hierarchy before you write. Sketch out H1, H2, and H3 levels with target keywords before drafting content. This prevents structural problems and ensures every section has a clear purpose. A pre-planned outline produces cleaner heading hierarchies than headings added during editing.
FAQ accordions naturally use H3 headings for each question. Each question becomes a heading that search engines index, expanding your keyword coverage beyond your main headings. Accordion-organized FAQs also qualify for FAQ schema markup, which can generate rich results in Google.
Try Accordion widget →Tab widgets let you present separate content blocks, each with its own subheadings, under a single URL. This keeps your page heading hierarchy clean while expanding the depth of structured content available to both readers and search engines.
Try Tabs widget →HTML table headers are semantically meaningful to search engines. Comparison table widgets create structured, header-rich content that reinforces your page keywords in a format that also earns featured snippets for product comparison queries.
Try Comparison Tables widget →Dynamic content feed widgets add new H2 and H3-level content to your pages on a regular schedule. New heading-organized content gives search engines a reason to crawl your page more frequently and expands the keyword signals your page sends over time.
Try Feeds widget →Content migrations, design changes, and CMS updates often introduce heading regressions. An H1 can accidentally be deleted or duplicated during template changes. Run this free heading analyzer after every significant content edit or template update to catch issues before they affect rankings.
Single-page heading checks are useful, but site-wide audits reveal patterns. Use Screaming Frog or Google Search Console to identify pages with missing H1s or multiple H1s across your whole site. Fix the highest-traffic pages first for the fastest SEO impact.
SEO and Accessibility Glossary
Heading structure connects SEO, accessibility, and semantic HTML. Here is how the key concepts relate and when each matters most.
| Term | Definition | Format | When to Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Document Outline | The hierarchical structure of a web page formed by its heading tags. A correct document outline flows from H1 to H2 to H3 without skipping levels, creating a readable table of contents for both bots and screen readers. | H1 > H2 > H3 > H4 > H5 > H6 | Evaluating the structural integrity of any web page |
| Semantic HTML | HTML that uses tags according to their meaning, not just their visual appearance. Using H1-H6 for content hierarchy (not font sizing) is a core principle of semantic HTML. Search engines score pages higher for correct semantic structure. | Correct tag usage for meaning, not style | Writing or auditing any HTML page for SEO and accessibility |
| Heading Prominence | A measure of how early and how often a keyword appears in headings relative to the rest of the page. Keywords in H1 have the highest prominence. Keywords in H2-H3 have secondary prominence. | Heading level x keyword position | Evaluating keyword placement strategy across a page |
| Accessibility (WCAG) | Web Content Accessibility Guidelines require proper heading structure so screen readers can navigate pages by heading level. Skipped heading levels and multiple H1 tags violate WCAG 2.4.6, which mandates descriptive and hierarchical headings. | WCAG 2.4.6 Headings and Labels | Building accessible pages that also rank well in search |
| Featured Snippet | A highlighted search result that appears above organic listings, often pulled from a heading and the content immediately following it. Well-structured H2 and H3 headings that directly answer questions are strong featured snippet candidates. | Heading + following paragraph = snippet candidate | Targeting position zero in Google search results |
From the Blog
Dig deeper into heading optimization, document structure, and on-page SEO strategies that drive organic traffic.
In this article, we are going to discuss SEO, explain why it’s important to the success of a website, and suggest ways t...
Read article →In this article, we will look at some important SEO factors to consider when building a website, for the purpose of incr...
Read article →In this article, we discuss the importance of readability in SEO, highlighting its impact on search engine rankings, use...
Read article →In this article, we explore how SEO enhances Instagram visibility, focusing on optimizing profiles with keywords, strate...
Read article →In this article, we discuss image compression's benefits for web performance and SEO, highlighting faster load times and...
Read article →Drive more traffic to your Squarespace website with proven SEO strategies that increase visibility and improve search ra...
Read article →