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Free heading structure checker
Paste HTML to see your H1 to H6 outline and catch structure problems instantly.
Tip: open your page, press Ctrl+U (View source), select all and paste here. Headings added later by JavaScript only appear if you copy the rendered HTML from your browser's developer tools.
Result
0H1 tags
0Headings
0Issues
Heading outline
The free heading structure checker runs in your browser, needs no sign-up and never sends what you type anywhere.
Quick answer
This heading structure checker reads pasted HTML and draws the H1 to H6 outline of the page. It flags a missing H1, several H1s, skipped levels such as H2 to H4, empty and very long headings. Good practice is one descriptive H1, then H2s for main sections and H3s inside them, in order.
What is a heading structure checker?
A heading structure checker is a tool that extracts every H1 to H6 element from a page in document order and shows them as an indented outline. It compares each heading level with the one before it, so a jump of more than one level down is flagged as a skip.
How do you use the Heading Structure Checker?
- Open your page, view the source (Ctrl+U) and copy all of the HTML.
- Paste it into the box; the outline updates as you type.
- Check the H1 count and the issues summary.
- Read the outline from top to bottom; red labels show skips and empty headings.
- Fix the headings in your CMS, then paste the new HTML to confirm.
Is it bad to have more than one H1?
No, Google does not document any penalty for using more than one H1, and its guidance focuses on headings that clearly describe each section. One clear H1 is still the best practice for users and screen readers, because it states the main topic of the page at a glance.
Do skipped heading levels hurt SEO?
Skipping from H2 to H4 does not cause a ranking penalty, but it makes the outline harder to follow. Assistive technology users navigate by headings, and the W3C advises nesting headings by rank without skipping. See the W3C headings tutorial.
Do headings help Google understand a page?
Yes. Headings break content into topics, which helps readers scan and helps search engines understand what each section covers. Use them to describe content honestly, not to stuff keywords, and keep them in a logical order.
Quick reference
| Check | Rule of thumb | Severity |
|---|---|---|
| H1 count | Exactly one descriptive H1 per page | Warning if 0 or more than 1 |
| First heading | Main content usually starts with the H1 | Warning |
| Skipped levels | Go down one level at a time (H2 then H3) | Warning |
| Empty headings | Every heading needs visible text | Error |
| Long headings | Under about 70 characters | Advice |
Worked example
Example
Example: the sample kitchen guide has 10 headings and one H1. The checker finds 1 skip (H2 straight to H4 under "What affects the price") and 1 empty H2, so it reports 2 issues. Changing both H4s to H3 and deleting the empty H2 leaves 0 issues across 9 headings.
Frequently asked questions
What does a heading structure checker look for?
It lists every H1 to H6 tag in order and checks for a missing H1, several H1s, skipped levels, empty headings and very long headings. These are the most common outline problems that make pages harder to scan for people and assistive technology.
Should my H1 match my title tag?
They should cover the same topic but do not need to be identical. The title tag is written for search results and may include the brand, while the H1 is written for people already on the page. Google can also use the H1 when it builds title links.
Can I use headings for styling text?
You should not. Headings define document structure, so using an H3 just to make text bold or large creates a confusing outline. Use CSS classes for visual styling and keep heading tags for real section titles.
Why does my outline differ from what I see on the page?
The tool reads the HTML you paste. Headings in menus, sidebars and footers count too, and headings injected by JavaScript are missing from page source. Copy the rendered HTML from your browser developer tools to see what users actually get.
How many H2 tags should a page have?
There is no fixed number. Use one H2 for each main section, which for a typical 1,500 word article is often 4 to 8. Use H3s for subsections inside an H2 rather than creating many flat H2s.
Does this tool upload my HTML?
No. The HTML is parsed in your browser with the built in DOMParser, which does not run scripts or load images. Nothing is sent to a server or stored.
Sources
Facts checked against these official pages. Read how I check facts in my editorial policy.
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