Free H1 checker
Check that a page has exactly one H1, that it actually says what the page is about, and that the headings below it form a clean outline.
- Counts H1s and shows the text of each
- Flags an H1 that duplicates your title tag
- Catches headings that appear above the H1
- Finds skipped heading levels (h2 → h4)
- Every page checked — not one at a time
- The exact H1 to use, written for the page's target term
- Duplicate H1s across pages, which one page alone can't reveal
- Verification — we re-check the live page to confirm you shipped it
Learn more
Questions
How many H1 tags should a page have?
One. The H1 names what the page is about, and a page is about one thing. Two H1s ask a search engine to pick, and it may not pick the one you wanted. HTML5 technically permits multiple H1s inside sectioning elements, but in practice one H1 per page remains the clearest signal.
Does a missing H1 hurt rankings?
Not directly and not dramatically — Google can work out a page's topic from the title, the URL and the content. But an H1 is free, it's the most prominent statement of what a page covers, and it's what screen readers announce first. A page with no H1 is leaving an easy signal unspent.
Should the H1 match the title tag?
They shouldn't be identical. The title tag competes in a search result and can carry the brand; the H1 greets someone who has already clicked. Using the same string for both spends two chances to describe the page on one set of words.
What is a good H1 length?
Roughly 20 to 70 characters. Below that it's usually too vague to say what the page covers; above it, the main subject gets diluted. There's no penalty at either end — it's a readability and clarity guide, not a rule.
Why does heading order matter?
Headings form an outline. Jumping from an H2 to an H4 skips a level, which breaks that outline for screen readers and makes the page structure harder for a crawler to follow. This tool flags skipped levels alongside the H1 checks.