This factor counts the H2 headings on a page whose entire text is the exact query pattern — nothing more, nothing less. It returns a whole-heading match count for the H2 zone. A high count relates to position within a measured result set; it is a prioritization signal, not a lever that makes a page rank.
| Factor ID | RG-HDG-011 |
|---|---|
| Family | Headings |
| Measurement | Whole-heading match count |
| Measured zone | H2 text |
What it measures
RankGear counts the H2 headings that are made entirely from the exact-query pattern. A heading qualifies only when its full text is the query and nothing else — a section titled with the bare query, rather than a longer phrase that merely contains it. The result is a count across all H2s on the page, so a page can score zero, one, or several whole matches.
How RankGear measures it
RankGear applies a case-insensitive, both-end-anchored query pattern to each H2. Anchoring at both ends is what enforces the “whole heading” rule: the query must begin at the start of the H2 text and finish at its end, with nothing surrounding it. At each space in the query, the pattern allows an optional single-character separator, so a space in the original query can be satisfied by a space, a hyphen, or a comparable single punctuation character in the heading.
What RankGear looks for
Query: "running shoes"
Case-insensitive, anchored at BOTH ends,
one optional single-char separator at each space:
^running[-separator]?shoes$
<h2>Running Shoes</h2> → whole match
<h2>running-shoes</h2> → whole match (hyphen separator)
<h2>Best Running Shoes</h2> → no match (extra wording)| H2 heading text | Counts as a whole match? |
|---|---|
| Running Shoes | Yes — exact query, both ends anchored |
| running,shoes | Yes — punctuation satisfies the separator |
| Best Running Shoes for Trails | No — additional wording breaks the anchor |
| Shoes | No — not the whole query |
How to optimize it
Use a query-only H2 only when a major section of the page genuinely bears that exact label. Treat this as an observation about how your sections are named, not a target to chase: forcing bare-query headings onto sections that do not warrant them makes the page read worse without adding real relevance. Optimize the section itself — its content and purpose — and let the heading match only where the exact label is honest.
Important considerations
- Additional wording prevents a match — the anchors require the H2 to be the query and nothing more, so “Best Running Shoes” does not count.
- Repeated identical H2s are rarely useful; several copies of the same query heading add little for readers and can look manipulative.
- Punctuation may satisfy the separators — a hyphen or comma at a space position still resolves to a whole match.
- Optimize the section, not just its label; a matching heading over thin content does not represent genuine relevance.
- This is a correlation-based prioritization signal. A whole-heading match relates to position within a measured result set — it does not guarantee a ranking or, on its own, make a page rank.
Related factors
Part of the Factors reference · how RankGear measures · glossary.