Repair workflow
- Identify the page’s one primary purpose.
- Use an H1 for that purpose and H2/H3 levels for nested sections.
- Remove empty or decorative heading elements.
- Use main and article landmarks where they match the content.
Issue library · 6 structure checks
Heading and semantic page structure issues
Make the page’s main topic, heading hierarchy, and semantic landmarks easy to understand.
Direct answer
Use one clear main topic, a logical heading hierarchy, and semantic landmarks that identify the primary content. Structure should describe relationships, not imitate visual sizing.
Why this area matters
Clear structure helps readers scan, assistive technology navigate, and search systems identify the page’s main sections and purpose.
Verification checklist
- Read the heading outline without the page styling.
- Confirm heading levels reflect nesting.
- Navigate landmarks and headings with a keyboard or accessibility inspector.
Exact findings explained
Missing or multiple H1 headings
The page lacks a clear primary heading or presents several competing H1s.
What to do
Use one visible H1 for the main page purpose unless the document structure genuinely supports otherwise.
How to verify
Inspect the rendered outline and confirm the H1 matches the page intent.
Skipped heading levels
A heading jumps more than one level, which can obscure section nesting.
What to do
Choose heading levels from the content hierarchy instead of visual appearance.
How to verify
Read the H1–H6 outline and confirm every child section has a logical parent.
Repeated heading labels
Repeated labels can make distinct sections look identical in an outline.
What to do
Rename headings so each section communicates its specific job.
How to verify
Search the rendered outline for repeated labels and confirm repetition is intentional.
Empty heading elements
A heading exists without a readable label.
What to do
Remove decorative empty headings or add the section’s real label.
How to verify
Inspect the DOM and accessibility tree for unnamed headings.
Missing main landmark
The document does not identify its primary content region with a main element.
What to do
Wrap the unique page content in one main landmark.
How to verify
Confirm exactly one visible main region contains the primary content.
Long-form content lacks an article landmark
Substantial standalone content may benefit from being identified as an article.
What to do
Use article only when the content is independently meaningful, not as a generic styling wrapper.
How to verify
Confirm the article boundary excludes unrelated site navigation and footer content.