This factor counts how many of a page’s headings (H1 through H6) consist entirely of the target query — the whole heading is the query, nothing added. It is a count, not a target: more whole-match headings can track with position inside a measured result set, but padding a page with repeated exact-match headings does not make it rank.
| Factor ID | RG-HDG-010 |
|---|---|
| Family | Headings |
| Measurement | Whole-heading match count |
| Measured zone | H1 through H6 text |
What it measures
This factor counts headings at any level — H1 through H6 — whose entire text matches the exact-query pattern. A heading qualifies only when its full text is the query itself; a heading that carries the query alongside other words is not a whole match and does not add to the count.
How RankGear measures it
RankGear applies a case-insensitive, both-end-anchored query pattern to every H1–H6 on the page. Anchoring at both ends is what makes it a whole-heading test: the heading text must begin and end with the query, with nothing before or after it. The pattern allows an optional character wherever the query has a space, so minor spacing variants still register. Each heading that satisfies the pattern adds one to the total.
What RankGear looks for
Query: "wide plank flooring"
Whole match (counts):
<h1>Wide Plank Flooring</h1> (case-insensitive)
<h3>wide plank flooring</h3>
Not a whole match (extra words — does not count):
<h2>Best Wide Plank Flooring</h2>
<h2>Wide Plank Flooring Guide</h2>
Pattern (conceptual): ^wide plank flooring$ case-insensitive, anchored both ends,
optional character permitted at each space| If the page has… | What the count means |
|---|---|
| 0 whole-match headings | No heading is the exact query on its own; every heading adds or omits words. |
| 1 whole-match heading | One section is labelled with the exact query and nothing else. |
| Several whole-match headings | The exact query is repeated as a standalone label across levels — often repetition rather than added value. |
How to optimize it
Read this as an observation, not a target. Use an exact standalone heading only when the query is genuinely the best label for that section. Do not add exact-match headings to lift the count: repetition can inflate the score without helping a reader, and the extra descriptive words that usually serve users better will prevent a whole match. Let the count follow good headings rather than shaping headings to the count.
Important considerations
- It aggregates all heading levels — a whole-match H1 and a whole-match H5 each count once toward the same total.
- Extra words prevent a whole match — a heading that contains the query but adds any word before or after it does not count.
- Repetition can inflate the score — repeating the exact query as a heading raises the number without adding meaning.
- No universal target applies — there is no ideal count; read it against a specific measured result set.
- Correlation is not causation — a higher whole-match count relates to position within a measured result set; it is a prioritization signal, not something that makes a page rank.
Related factors
Part of the Factors reference · how RankGear measures · glossary.