Heading Hierarchy Quality

What this parameter measures

A clean, logical heading structure is what this parameter looks for. friendly4AI extracts the <h1> through <h6> tags in document order, then assesses three things: that there is exactly one H1, that heading levels are not skipped (for example H1 jumping straight to H3), and that at least two distinct levels are used. One detail worth knowing: it analyzes only the main content. Headings inside <nav>, <header>, <footer>, and <noscript> are stripped before analysis so that boilerplate headings do not distort the result.

Why it matters for AI-readiness

Headings are the outline AI systems follow to understand how a page is organized and what its primary topic is. A single, descriptive H1 tells answer engines the page's subject; an ordered H2/H3 nesting lets them map subtopics and pull the right passage for a given question. Multiple H1s, headings that appear before the main title, or skipped levels muddy that outline and make extraction less reliable — exactly the failure modes this parameter catches.

How we score it

Under the v4.4 methodology, this Content Structure parameter scores in three tiers against the main-content headings. A page passes (100) when it has exactly one H1, no skipped levels, and at least two heading levels in use. It fails (0) under the severe cases: no H1 at all, or a subordinate heading appearing before the first H1. Everything in between is a partial (50) — for example multiple H1s, a skipped level such as H1 to H3, or only one heading level used. The processor evaluates both the main-content scope (which drives the score) and the full DOM, reporting both in evidence so multiple-H1 or out-of-order issues are visible even when they sit in excluded regions. These bands match the published rubric.

How to fix common issues

• Use exactly one H1 for the page title and place it before any H2 or H3 in the main content.
• Avoid skipping levels — follow H1 with H2, and H2 with H3, rather than jumping straight to a deeper level.
• Use at least two heading levels so the page has real structure rather than a single flat list of headings.
• If a stray H1 lives in your header or hero, confirm it is the page title; duplicate H1s drop the score to partial.
• Re-scan after restructuring and check the issues and skipped_levels evidence fields are empty.