H2 usage on #1 ranking pages by vertical
| Vertical | #1 pages | No H2 % | Median H2s | 10+ H2s % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apparel | 141 | 28.4% | 1 | 22.0% |
| Auto parts | 145 | 24.1% | 3 | 13.8% |
| Baby | 187 | 26.7% | 3 | 15.0% |
| Beauty | 171 | 19.3% | 4 | 25.7% |
| Dental and medical | 200 | 14.5% | 3.0 | 14.5% |
| DIY | 145 | 33.8% | 2 | 11.7% |
| Education | 201 | 17.9% | 4 | 7.0% |
| Electronics | 129 | 18.6% | 2 | 14.0% |
| Finance | 151 | 15.2% | 4 | 15.9% |
| Fitness | 154 | 26.0% | 4.0 | 21.4% |
| Gaming | 173 | 24.9% | 2 | 9.2% |
| Gardening | 155 | 24.5% | 3 | 17.4% |
| Health | 195 | 14.9% | 4 | 24.1% |
| Home | 168 | 29.2% | 2.0 | 23.2% |
| Home services | 160 | 16.9% | 4.0 | 15.6% |
| Insurance | 182 | 19.8% | 4.0 | 12.1% |
| Jewelry | 197 | 28.4% | 2 | 14.7% |
| Kitchen | 163 | 18.4% | 3 | 12.3% |
| Legal | 205 | 14.1% | 5 | 20.5% |
| Marketing | 151 | 21.9% | 3 | 14.6% |
| Outdoor | 160 | 25.0% | 2.0 | 11.2% |
| Parenting | 110 | 20.0% | 4.0 | 11.8% |
| Pets | 184 | 22.3% | 4.0 | 21.7% |
| Real estate | 142 | 10.6% | 4.0 | 24.6% |
| Recipes | 146 | 13.7% | 6.0 | 22.6% |
| Restaurants | 113 | 18.6% | 3 | 20.4% |
| SaaS comparisons | 259 | 7.7% | 4 | 15.1% |
| Software | 238 | 12.2% | 5.0 | 25.6% |
| Supplements | 181 | 16.0% | 4 | 18.2% |
| Travel | 161 | 23.6% | 4 | 16.8% |
Source: PageSpeed Matters, Oct 2026. #1 pages with 150+ parsed words; 110 to 259 pages per vertical.
Summary
H2 headings are standard advice for SEO content: break the page into sections, label each one, and make it easy to scan. We checked how closely the pages that rank #1 on Google actually follow that advice.
Most do, but not all. 19.8% of 5,067 #1-ranking pages have no H2 heading, and the median #1 page has 4. Pages in positions 2 to 5 look almost identical, so H2 count does not set the top result apart. Page length and topic explain far more of the difference.
What we measured
We looked at the top 5 Google US results for 10,019 keywords in October 2026. Of 49,855 pages, 29,776 were readable.
The headline base is 5,067 #1-ranking pages with 150 or more parsed words, so very thin pages are left out. For each page we counted H2 headings in the parsed content.
Two limits apply. Our heading detection can miss some heading levels, so a few pages counted as having no H2 may use styled headings instead. And the vertical figures rest on 110 to 259 #1 pages each, so small differences between verticals should not be over-read.
One in five #1 pages has no H2
19.8% of 5,067 #1-ranking pages with 150+ parsed words have no H2 heading. The median #1 page has 4 H2s.
Positions 2 to 5 look the same. 19.2% of those pages have no H2, and their median is also 4, across 18,657 pages. So H2 count does not separate #1 from the rest of the top five. Pages rank first with and without H2s, and the typical page in either group uses a handful of them.
19.8%
Share of 5,067 #1-ranking pages with 150+ parsed words that have no H2 heading.
Short pages are the ones without H2s
Length explains most of the pattern. 36.0% of #1 pages with 150 to 499 parsed words have no H2, and their median is 1 (1,562 pages). Among #1 pages over 2,000 words, only 7.5% have no H2, and the median is 8 (976 pages).
That makes sense. A short product page, tool or answer page often has nothing to split into sections. A long guide almost always does, and its H2s act as the outline readers use to find their place.
Some verticals skip H2s far more often
Among #1 pages, no-H2 pages are most common in DIY (33.8%), home (29.2%), apparel (28.4%) and jewelry (28.4%). They are least common in SaaS comparison (7.7%), real estate (10.6%) and software (12.2%).
The split likely follows the type of page that wins in each vertical. Shopping verticals like apparel, jewelry and home often rank product and category pages, which tend to be short and lightly structured. Software and SaaS comparison results are more often long articles and reviews, which need sections.
Median H2 counts tell the same story. Recipes have the highest median at 6 H2s per #1 page, likely because recipe pages split ingredients, steps and tips into their own sections. Legal and software follow at 5, and apparel has the lowest at 1. The full table above lists every vertical, including the share of #1 pages with 10 or more H2s.
What this means for your site
There is no H2 count that wins rankings. #1 pages and the rest of the top five use H2s at the same rate, so the data gives no reason to add headings for their own sake.
Use H2s where they help readers. On long guides and comparisons, give each main section a clear H2 so the page can be scanned and so search engines can see its structure. On short product or answer pages, it is fine to have none. If your pages use styled text in place of real headings, switch to proper H2 tags so the structure is in the HTML.
Sources
- PageSpeed Matters analysis of Google US top 5 results for 10,019 keywords, October 2026
- MDN Web Docs, the HTML section heading elements: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTML/Element/Heading_Elements
Embed this research
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<p style="font:14px/1.5 system-ui,sans-serif">Source: <a href="https://www.pagespeedmatters.com/resources/data-studies/h2-usage-statistics">H2 Usage on #1 Results: 19.8% Have None - PageSpeed Matters</a></p>
Frequently asked questions
Do top-ranking pages use H2 headings?
Most do. 19.8% of 5,067 #1-ranking pages have no H2, and the median #1 page has 4. Pages in positions 2 to 5 are almost the same, with 19.2% having no H2 and a median of 4.
How many H2s should a page have?
It depends on length. #1 pages with 150 to 499 parsed words have a median of 1 H2, while #1 pages over 2,000 words have a median of 8. Use as many as the content has real sections.
Can a page rank #1 without an H2?
Yes. 19.8% of #1-ranking pages in our sample have no H2, rising to 36.0% among #1 pages with 150 to 499 parsed words.
Which industries use the fewest H2 headings?
Among #1 pages, no-H2 pages are most common in DIY (33.8%), home (29.2%), apparel (28.4%) and jewelry (28.4%). Apparel has the lowest median, at 1 H2 per #1 page.
Good heading structure is quick to fix in templates and content, and it makes long pages easier to scan for readers and search engines alike. Need help with this? See our on-page SEO services.