free consultation
In this article, we will show the advantages of using a table of contents in blog posts, show how to implement a table of contents based on manual implementation and with the help of plugins. I will talk about the advantages of using table of contents in Wordpress in terms of SEO and usability. It is worth taking into account not only the appropriate content architecture to make the web pages readable, but also to use numerous conveniences when reading them. One of them is precisely the table of contents that takes the user to a specific place through a link leading after an anchor placed in the content of the article.
Table of Contents :
The table of contents is, first of all, a better organization of the entry and a quick overview for the user, whether the article contains keywords and topics that interest him. Using the table of contents, the user can skip the theoretical part and go straight to the topics of interest. Thus, from a usability point of view, it saves time searching for relevant information that the author may have covered in the post.
Did you know that :
NNGroup conducted a study , which shows that users read about 20-28% of the content of blog posts ?
Order a Wordpress care package
You may also be interested in:
That is, how to easily add a table of contents in Wordpress in the Gutenberg editor?
To implement the table of contents, we have two methods at our disposal : manually create anchors and table of contents in the form of ul li list from the gutenberg editor or use the plugin. We recommend creating the table of contents yourself because we have full control over the content of the anchors. This solution is the best choice if you pay a lot of attention to SEO.
1) Add an anchor to the locations to which it should carry the table of contents
To do this, click on the header that you want to move the table of contents and on the right in the advanced field enter the anchor content. Note that you can use the text of the header here or enrich the anchor additionally with a keyword.
2) We create a table of contents
After entering the anchor, we move to the beginning of our post and create a list that will direct the user to the previously prepared anchors. If possible, the table of contents should be placed at the top of the post under the main H1 heading or under the introductory section.
3) Create linking of each table of contents item
After selecting the content, i.e.: the given table of contents item, select the linking icon from the context menu. Enter the previously assigned anchor by preceding it with a # sign.
Given the nature of blog posts and their type, we usually create blog content in such a way as to exhaust the topic. Rarely are short posts under 1000 characters. In terms of SEO, the longer the text, the more topics covered around the main key phrase for the article.
Article length and readability
A longer article also means better opportunities for SEO optimization of the post by using more h2-h3 headings, images and content that builds value. In the case of a how-to, industry-specific post, a table of contents will not only improve usability and show what we're writing about, but also enrich internal linking in the post itself with naturally added keyword phrases in the anchors after which we take the user to the relevant H2 headings of our post.
Anchors and keywords
In the event that when creating a table of contents you take care of key phrases and coverage in the anchors of the subject matter of the site, e.g.: use complementary or dependent keywords you will also improve the optimization of the article itself.
Table of contents and keywords
A table of contents is also a great way to add more key phrases in the form of questions or infinitives, that is: phrases exactly what you need to get in Google search with the entry you are creating.
By implementing an on-page table of contents in Google search results, your entry has a chance to receive additional linking just by the anchors next to your site address.
See also:
In case you have a lot of posts, you are running a blog and new posts are constantly coming in, you may consider using a plugin that will automatically generate a table of contents for your post.
A plugin that has very large configuration capabilities. Thanks to it, you can freely decide on the type of posts that should be automatically equipped with a table of contents.
Configuration capabilities of the plug-in
The plugin has the ability to set sticks or floats behind the user in the form of placement and integration of the table of contents in the sidebar next to the main content.
Visual customization of the table of contents is also possible when implementing it with the plugin. In the settings of the plugin you will set the bullet styles, the size of the table of contents window, the size and type of font, and choose the color scheme of the text, background, hovering link.
Below are examples and very successful implementations of tables of contents in terms of UX and SEO. Note that the table of contents contains a description and shortens the topic of the article. Technically, anchors include key phrases naturally placed which further improves linking after the post itself.
In addition to the table of contents, the portal additionally includes a sidebar visible when scrolling through an entry continuously updates the user's location
In this case, the portal uses an extensive table of contents with a hierarchy of individual paragraphs.
In the case of the solutions used on semrush.com, we have a very useful approach to implementing the table of contents. It is placed on the left sidebar of the post and follows the user by changing the anchor highlights while reading the post.
Another interesting improvement often used on the blog is the period of reading time and (which semrush.com also has) the implementation of a horizontal bar showing how much content is still ahead while reading.
As we have shown with longer posts, we increase the chance of the user finding relevant information, improving usability. Another advantage is the improvement of SEO and the possibility of adding naturally more key phrases. The ideal option for implementing a table of contents on a website is to implement it in the form of a widget in the sidebar, which follows the user by showing where the user is currently in the article. A table of contents has its own advantages especially considering that 1/3 of users are interested in reading the entire post.
Digital Agency Hauerpower
Copyrights 2010-2022
