Number of Heading Tags counts every H1 through H6 element RankGear finds in a page’s rendered body and returns the combined total. It is a raw structural count — more headings are not inherently better, and the number says nothing about hierarchy, relevance, or whether a heading is even visible.
| Factor ID | RG-HDG-032 |
|---|---|
| Family | Headings |
| Measurement | Count |
| Measured zone | Rendered, script-free page body |
What it measures
This factor counts all recognized H1 through H6 elements on the page. It reflects how much formal heading structure a page uses, regardless of heading level or wording. It is a measure of quantity only — it does not judge whether the headings are well organized or well written.
How RankGear measures it
RankGear parses the rendered body for heading elements at levels H1, H2, H3, H4, H5, and H6, then returns their combined count. Styled text that merely looks like a heading — large or bold text that is not a semantic heading element — does not count.
What RankGear looks for
<h1>...</h1>
<h2>...</h2>
<h3>...</h3>
<h4>...</h4>
<h5>...</h5>
<h6>...</h6>
<!-- counted: the six semantic heading elements above -->
<!-- not counted: <p class="heading"> or <span style="font-size:2em"> -->How to optimize it
Create headings where they help readers understand the page’s hierarchy. Use one clear primary topic, divide major sections logically, and nest supporting subsections beneath their parent topics. Add headings to improve navigation and comprehension — not merely to hit a number. Treat this count as an observation about page structure, not a target to raise.
Important considerations
- The factor does not test hierarchy, relevance, uniqueness, or visual visibility — only the count.
- More headings are not inherently better.
- Page length and format strongly influence what a reasonable count looks like.
- Review the individual heading-level and heading-text factors before changing structure.
- This count relates to position within a measured result set; it is a prioritization signal, not a cause of ranking, and no specific number guarantees a result.
Related factors
Part of the Factors reference · how RankGear measures · glossary.