B4 — Chapter 2 - Structure

Criterion B4: Clearly Defined Sections — guide + checklist

PART 1 - Fundamentals Chapter 2 - Structure Keyword : sections clairement délimitées

This is typically the kind of detail that prevents conflicting signals.

Criterion B4 — Clearly Defined Sections is part of our SEO checklist (335 criteria). Here, you have a practical method to check and fix it — with a concrete example.

What exactly this criterion covers

This is typically the kind of detail that prevents conflicting signals.

B4 — Clearly Defined Sections (Chapter 2 - Structure): Distinct content blocks with subtitles, facilitates scanning and AI extraction.

Why it matters (SEO + UX)

Why it matters: it is a safeguard against duplicate content and cannibalization. When poorly applied, common issues include ambiguity (wrong query associated), duplication between pages, or loss of performance on CTR.

On high-volume generated sites, this criterion also serves as a safeguard: a stable rule prevents 1,000 errors at once.

How to check (step by step)

Approach: tool-assisted test (validator / performance). Recommended tool: View Source.

  1. Open the source code and locate the concerned element (tag/structure).
  2. Check the hierarchy and consistency with H1 + introduction.
  3. Run a crawl to detect pages violating the criterion.

Tip: first isolate 10 representative URLs (top pages + generated pages) before scaling the correction.

How to fix properly

Strategy: apply a rule, then check neighboring pages.

  • Rewrite the outline: clear H1, H2 = sub-questions, H3 = details.
  • Add a differentiating element (scope, method, example) to avoid duplication.
  • Check consistency with intent (information / comparison / action).

Then: re-crawl 50–200 URLs, then monitor Search Console over 7–14 days (impressions/CTR/indexing).

Concrete example (illustrative)

Example (illustrative):

  • Context: FAQ page for an auto garage in Tunis
  • Before: generic H1 + sections without hierarchy (incoherent H2/H3).
  • After: intent-oriented H1 + H2 by sub-questions (case: FAQ page — auto garage).
  • Note: Goal: make the outline scannable and aligned with intent.

Checklist to tick

  • [ ] Hierarchical Hn
  • [ ] Titles respected
  • [ ] Summary/scannability
  • [ ] Sections aligned with intent
  • [ ] Avoid repetitions
FAQ

Frequently asked questions — B4

What is the most common mistake on 'Clearly Defined Sections'?

Applying an automatic pattern that is too generic (same logic on all pages) without adding a differentiating element.

Which tool is the fastest for large-scale checking?

For this type of criterion, a crawl (e.g. Screaming Frog) plus targeted verification in View Source is generally the fastest combo.

How to prevent this from happening on 10K generated pages?

Freeze an auto-generation rule (title/structure/schema/URLs) plus add automatic control (crawl or test) before production import.

Ready to go from theory to action?

Validate this criterion with an audit, then deepen the method in the Academy.

Audit with the tool → Learn in the Academy →