- Free, no sign-up
- Up to 10 URLs or paste HTML
- Fixes, not just flags
Free Heading Structure Checker
See a page's H1 to H6 headings as an outline, find multiple H1s, skipped levels, empty and repeated headings, and fix them. Up to 10 URLs, or paste HTML.
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Shows the H1 to H6 outline, counts per level and a fix for every problem. We read the HTML the server sends, like a crawler's first pass.
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How to use it
Check a page's headings in three steps
Paste your URLs or HTML
Up to 10 URLs, one per line. For a staging site or a page behind a login, switch to Paste HTML and paste the page's source instead.
Click Check headings
We load each page the way a crawler does and read every H1 to H6 tag in its HTML, in page order.
Read the outline and the fix list
Each URL gets an outline with a level ruler, counts per level, where each heading sits (content, header, sidebar, footer) and a plain-English fix for every problem. Copy the outline, or download it as a CSV.
Built forBloggersWordPress usersContent writersSEO specialistsAccessibility checks
What it checks
Every check, and what a pass means
The result is a pass, a warning or a fail per check, with a one-line fix. No made-up score.
| Check | Pass | Flag |
|---|---|---|
| H1 count | Exactly one | None (fail) or more than one (warn), and where the extra one sits |
| Order | No jump of more than one level down | Skipped level, naming the heading |
| Empty headings | Every heading has text | Empty heading (warn) |
| Repeats | Every heading says something new | Duplicate text (warn) |
| Length and case | Under 70 characters, not ALL CAPS | Long or shouting (note) |
| H1 against the title tag | Same topic | Different wording with few shared words (note) |
| Keyword | In the H1 | Missing from the H1 (note), only when you give one |
Quick answer
What is a heading structure checker?
A heading structure checker reads a page's H1 to H6 tags and shows them as an outline, so you can see whether there is one H1, whether any level is skipped (H2 straight to H4), and whether any heading is empty or repeated. Google says the number of H1s does not change rankings, but a clean outline helps readers, screen-reader users and AI answer engines understand the page.
Common mistakes
The heading mistakes we see most
Most pages fail the same four ways. Each one maps to a flag in the result.
Two H1s from the theme
Many WordPress themes make the site name or logo an H1 on every page, so the post title becomes a second H1. The "header" tag in the Where column shows you which one. Change the logo to a div or a p in the theme settings.
Headings picked by size
Choosing H4 because it looks smaller turns a structure tag into a style tag, and the outline skips a level. Pick the level by position in the outline and change the size in CSS.
Bold text instead of headings
A bold paragraph looks like a heading but is not one: screen readers and Google do not see it in the outline. Use a real H2 or H3.
Headings added by JavaScript
We read the HTML the server sends, like Google's first pass. Headings that a script adds later will not show here, and may be indexed late.
Why it matters
Why heading structure matters
Headings are the page's table of contents. Google uses them to understand what each section is about, screen-reader users jump between them, and AI answer engines quote a section under a clear heading far more often than a wall of text.
Google's John Mueller has said a page can have as many H1s as it wants and still rank, so heading mistakes are not penalties. They are missed chances: a muddled outline is harder to read, harder to navigate and harder to cite.
Search snippets
Question headings with a short answer under them are what featured snippets and People also ask boxes are built from.
Screen readers
Most screen-reader users navigate a page by its headings. A skipped level feels like a missing section; an empty heading is announced as a blank.
AI answers
ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google's AI Overviews lift passages by section. A clear H2 with the answer right under it is the passage they pick.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How many H1 tags should a page have?
One is the clean habit and what most SEO tools expect. Google's John Mueller has said a page can have as many H1s as it wants and still rank, so a second H1 is a tidiness issue, not a penalty. Fix it when it is easy, such as a theme making the logo an H1.
Does heading structure affect SEO rankings?
Not directly. Google uses headings to understand what a section is about, and clean headings make it easier to win featured snippets and to be quoted by AI answer engines. A messy outline does not get a page de-ranked, but it makes the content harder to read and harder to cite.
Can I skip heading levels, like H2 to H4?
You can, and Google will not mind, but screen-reader users navigate by heading level and a jump feels like a missing section. Keep the order H1, H2, H3 and change the look with CSS, not the tag.
What is the difference between the title tag and the H1?
The title tag is what search results and browser tabs show; the H1 is the headline on the page. They should match in topic and may differ in wording: the title can be shorter and carry the brand name.
Why does my page show two H1s when I only wrote one?
Usually the theme. The site name, logo or a hero slogan is wrapped in an H1 in the template, on every page. Look at the Where column in the result: an H1 marked "header" is the one to change in the theme.
Does the tool see headings added by JavaScript?
No. It reads the HTML the server sends, the same as Google's first pass and most crawlers. If your headings only appear after a script runs, the result will show fewer headings than you see in the browser.
Does it check whole sites?
Up to 10 URLs per check. For every page of a site, run our free Website Audit: it crawls the site and lists the pages without an H1.
Is the heading structure checker free?
Yes, with no sign-up. You can check up to 10 URLs per request, or paste one page's HTML. A fair-use limit of 10 checks a minute keeps it fast for everyone.
Can I check a competitor's page?
Yes. Any public URL works. It is a quick way to see how a top-ranking page is organised before you write your own.
Do you store the URLs or HTML I paste?
No. A result is kept for a few minutes so repeat checks are fast, then it is gone.
Keep going
More free SEO tools
Headings are one part of on-page SEO. Check the rest here.
- Meta Tag Analyzer: the title tag and description next to your H1, with a Google preview.
- Word Counter & Keyword Density Checker: how often the keyword appears in the body.
- Free Website Audit: headings, titles, speed and links for a whole site.
- Schema Markup Validator: check the structured data behind rich results.
- Noindex Tag Checker: make sure the page is not blocked from Google's index.
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See your page the way a screen reader does
One H1, H2s that read like a table of contents, nothing skipped. Paste up to 10 URLs and fix the outline today. Free.