Correct Heading Hierarchy

TL;DR

Your content is hard to extract and summarize because the structure is unclear. Add a concise top summary, fix heading hierarchy, and use structured formats like lists and tables for key information. Use Oversearch AI Page Optimizer to rescan and confirm extractability improves.

Why this matters

Clear structure improves extractability. LLMs and search systems prefer content that is easy to summarize, quote, and verify.

Where this shows up in Oversearch

In Oversearch, open AI Page Optimizer and run a scan for the affected page. Then open Benchmark Breakdown to see evidence, and use the View guide link to jump back here when needed.

Is it bad to have multiple H1 tags?

Having multiple H1 tags is technically valid HTML5 but confuses crawlers and AI systems about which heading represents the page’s primary topic.

Google has said multiple H1s do not cause penalties, but they dilute the topic signal. AI extraction tools use the H1 as the primary topic indicator — multiple H1s force them to guess which one matters.

• Use exactly one H1 per page representing the primary topic.
• All other headings should be H2 or lower.
• Check your CMS template — some themes add H1 to both the logo and the page title.
• Use DevTools to search for all H1 elements on the page.

If you use Oversearch, open AI Page Optimizer → Benchmark Breakdown to check heading hierarchy.

What’s the correct H1/H2/H3 structure?

One H1 for the page title, H2 for major sections, H3 for subsections within those H2s. Never skip levels (e.g., H1 → H3 without an H2).

A correct hierarchy helps both screen readers and crawlers navigate the page structure. It also helps AI systems understand the relationship between sections.

• H1: Page title (one per page).
• H2: Major sections (e.g., “How to fix,” “Common causes”).
• H3: Subsections within an H2 (e.g., specific steps or examples).
• H4-H6: Rarely needed; use only for deep nesting.
• Do not use headings for visual styling — use CSS instead.

If you use Oversearch, open AI Page Optimizer → Benchmark Breakdown to verify heading hierarchy.

How do I fix heading hierarchy in my CMS/theme?

Edit your theme template to ensure only the page title uses H1, then check your content editor is not inserting extra H1s.

Common issues: the site logo is an H1, the widget title is an H1, or the WYSIWYG editor lets authors pick any heading level including H1.

• Check your theme template for hardcoded H1 tags (logo, site title).
• Configure your WYSIWYG editor to start at H2 for in-content headings.
• In WordPress, check sidebar widgets that may use H1 for titles.
• Use a heading outline tool (browser extension) to visualize the hierarchy.

If you use Oversearch, open AI Page Optimizer → Benchmark Breakdown to confirm.

Do headings affect featured snippets or AI extraction?

Yes. Search engines use headings to identify section topics and extract answers. AI systems use headings to navigate pages and locate relevant content.

A question phrased as an H2 heading with a clear answer in the following paragraph is the ideal format for featured snippet extraction and AI citation.

• Question-style H2s directly match search queries.
• Clear heading → answer patterns improve extraction accuracy.
• Consistent hierarchy helps systems understand section boundaries.
• Broken hierarchy can cause systems to merge or skip sections.

If you use Oversearch, open AI Page Optimizer → Benchmark Breakdown to check heading and extraction signals.

Common root causes

• Multiple H1s or inconsistent heading hierarchy.
• Long, unstructured paragraphs with no scannable sections.
• Key definitions missing or scattered.
• Visual/UI elements contain key info without textual explanation nearby.

How to detect

• In Oversearch AI Page Optimizer, open the scan for this URL and review the Benchmark Breakdown evidence.
• Verify the signal outside Oversearch with at least one method: fetch the HTML with curl -L, check response headers, or use a crawler/URL inspection.
• Confirm you’re testing the exact canonical URL (final URL after redirects), not a variant.

How to fix

Check your current heading structure (see: What’s the correct H1/H2/H3 structure?) and fix any issues in your CMS or theme (see: How do I fix heading hierarchy in my CMS/theme?). Then follow the steps below.

1. Place TL;DR immediately after the H1.
2. Use a single H1 and a clean H2/H3 hierarchy (one topic per section).
3. Convert long paragraphs into short blocks + lists + tables.
4. Add definitions for key terms near first mention.
5. Add relevant schema where appropriate (Article, FAQ only for real Q&A).
6. Run an Oversearch AI Page Optimizer scan to confirm structure/extractability improvements.

Verify the fix

• Run an Oversearch AI Page Optimizer scan for the same URL and confirm the benchmark is now passing.
• Confirm the page is 200 OK and the primary content is present in initial HTML.
• Validate with an external tool (crawler, URL inspection, Lighthouse) to avoid false positives.

Prevention

• Standardize templates so headings and TL;DR are consistent across pages.
• Use a content linter to prevent heading hierarchy regressions.
• Prefer scannable formats for key info (lists/tables).

FAQ

Does having multiple H1 tags cause a Google penalty?

No direct penalty, but multiple H1s dilute the topic signal and confuse AI extraction tools about which heading is the primary topic. Use exactly one H1 per page. When in doubt, search your page source for all H1 tags and consolidate to one.

Should H2s contain keywords?

Yes, when natural. H2s are strong relevance signals. Include the target keyword or close variants when they fit naturally as section labels. Do not force keywords into headings. When in doubt, phrase H2s as questions users actually search for.

Can I skip heading levels (e.g., H1 to H3)?

You should not. Skipping levels breaks the document outline and confuses screen readers and crawlers. Always nest headings properly: H1 → H2 → H3. When in doubt, think of headings as a nested outline where each level is a child of the level above.

How do I check my page’s heading hierarchy?

Use a browser extension like HeadingsMap, or run Lighthouse accessibility audit which flags skipped heading levels. You can also check in DevTools by searching for h1, h2, h3 tags. When in doubt, install a heading outline extension and verify the structure is clean.

Do heading tags affect voice search and AI answers?

Yes. Voice assistants and AI systems use headings to identify sections that answer specific questions. Well-labeled headings make it easier for these systems to extract the right answer. When in doubt, phrase headings as the questions your audience asks.

How can I verify the heading hierarchy fix?

Use a heading outline tool or DevTools to confirm one H1, proper nesting of H2-H3, and no skipped levels. When in doubt, run an Oversearch AI Page Optimizer scan to check the heading hierarchy benchmark.