RG-HDG-049 counts how many of a page’s H4, H5, and H6 headings consist entirely of a keyword variation from the run — the whole heading text, nothing added. It returns a single whole-number count across all three lower heading levels, and it reads best as an observation of how your heading tree lines up with the variation set, not a target to inflate.
| Factor ID | RG-HDG-049 |
|---|---|
| Family | Headings |
| Measurement | Whole-heading variation match count |
| Measured zone | H4, H5, and H6 text |
What it measures
This factor counts lower-level headings — H4, H5, and H6 — whose entire text is one of the run’s keyword variations. A heading only qualifies when its full text equals a variation; a variation buried inside a longer heading does not register. The result is one figure summed across all three levels.
How RankGear measures it
RankGear parses every H4, H5, and H6 heading on the page, applies the same case-insensitive, both-end-anchored variation expression to each heading’s text, and sums all matches into a single total. Because the expression is anchored at both the start and the end, only a heading equal to a variation counts — any extra word breaks the match.
What RankGear looks for
heading text (H4/H5/H6), case-insensitive, anchored both ends:
^(exact variation|another variation|third variation)$How to optimize it
Use variation-only lower headings sparingly — only where detailed content genuinely needs the subdivision and the variation phrase is descriptive enough to label that section honestly. Treat this count as an observation of how your existing heading structure happens to align with the variation set, not a number to drive up. Manufacturing bare-variation H4-H6 headings to raise the tally usually degrades the outline for readers.
Important considerations
- The total combines H4, H5, and H6 into one figure — the level of each matching heading is not distinguished.
- Any additional heading words prevent a match; the heading text must equal a variation exactly.
- Variation strings are unescaped in the compatibility regex, so regex metacharacters inside a variation are interpreted rather than matched literally.
- Avoid deep, artificial heading structures created only to host more variation headings.
- This is a prioritization signal that relates to position within a measured result set — it does not, on its own, make a page rank or guarantee a position.
Related factors
Part of the Factors reference · how RankGear measures · glossary.