Need to know how to add a table of contents in WordPress? Here are two methods that are easy to implement.
The ideal length of a blog post for thesearch engine optimization (SEO) is approximately 2 words, which is equivalent to four pages of text. It should be kept in mind, however, that 43% of readers say they just browse blog posts.
Providing a table of contents is therefore a great way to help readers navigate your articles and stop them from going anywhere other than your WordPress website in seconds.
Compared to website builders, WordPress allows users to extend the functionality of a website more freely using plugins. This article will cover the steps to add tables of contents to your WordPress website both manually and using a WordPress Plugin. We have also listed five WordPress plugins table of contents that you can use.
But before we start, if you have never installed WordPress, find out How to Install a WordPress Blog in 7 Steps et How to search, install and activate a WordPress theme on your blog
Then back to why we are here.
Why Add a Table of Contents to WordPress?
A table of contents helps readers navigate to relevant sections of a WordPress post, which can improve its readability, especially for long content.
Adding a table of contents also improves search engine optimization. For example, it can reduce the rebound rate of your website because users can easily navigate to the sections that meet their search intent.
Also, tables of contents can help make your web pages more attractive on search engine results pages. Providing a table of contents helps Google automatically generate jump links to different sections of your article.
How to Create a WordPress Table of Contents Manually
- Log in to your WordPress dashboard and navigate to the article you want to add a table of contents to.
- Add a block Title for each section you want to include in the table of contents.
Skip this step if the titles are already there – you can tell by the different font sizes between the titles and the body text.
- Next, place the pointer over a header and write an HTML anchor for it under Section Advanced. Note that the anchor text must be without spaces.
Repeat this step for all headers and make sure each anchor name is different.
- Add a block List on a section of the page where you want to insert the table of contents. Next, insert all table of contents headings consecutively.
- With your pointer, highlight an entry in the list, then click the icon Link in the toolbar.
- Type the targeted HTML anchor of the title using a hashtag in the popup, then press enter.
- Repeat steps five and six for all entries in the list so that they are each internally linked to the targeted sections.
In this section, we saw how to create a table of contents using the Gutenberg block editor WordPress.
This method does not offer much flexibility, but it is a good alternative for those who want to avoid installing too many WordPress plugins.
Note that the above tutorial does not work if you use other page builders, in which case consider using a WordPress Plugin to create a table of contents.
How to add a table of contents with a WordPress plugin
Manually creating a table of contents can be time-consuming for long articles with many titles. Fortunately, a WordPress Plugin can help facilitate this process.
For example, we will show the steps to create a table of contents using the WordPress plugin Easy table of contents :
- Install and activate the plugin.
- Access to Settings -> Table of contents on the WordPress dashboard.
- Under General -> Auto insert, select the post types on which you want the plugin to automatically add tables of contents. Here we have selected Articles.
In the same section, you can also configure the position of the table, the title tags and the number of titles to display.
- Next, customize the width and alignment of the table of contents in the section Appearence. It is also possible to change the font size, table theme and table of contents colors.
- Access the advanced configuration settings to define the conditions for displaying the table of contents. For example, only selecting headings H1, H2, and H3 will exclude headings H4 and below from the table of contents.
- Push the button Save Changes.
This free tool automatically generates the table of contents when publishing. However, we recommend previewing the table of contents before publishing to ensure there are no configuration errors.
And now we are going to introduce you to the best WordPress plugins who do this job well.
Top 5 WordPress Table of Contents Plugins
Many WordPress plugins SEO already offers a table of contents creation tool. However, if you prefer to use a dedicated WordPress table of contents plugin, here are our five recommendations.
1. Easy table of contents
Easy Table of Contents is one of the most downloaded WordPress table of contents plugins. It helps users easily create a table of contents without the need to modify any HTML code.
All you have to do is configure the plugin settings as shown above, and the table of contents will automatically appear on your article. There is no premium version of this plugin, so all of its features and tools are accessible free of charge.
2. Table of Contents More
This WordPress plugin is a suitable option if you are running a more complex website with multi-page posts.
Inspired by Wikipedia's toC format, the developer of Table of Contents Plus allows users to index and display tables of contents in the sidebar of their posts.
The features of this plugin are also available free of charge.
3. SimpleTOC – Table of Contents Block
If you are an avid Gutenberg user, consider using this plugin to create tables of contents. It offers native Gutenberg styling options right from the sidebar widget settings.
Notably, this plugin has many language options and is compatible with non-Latin texts like Arabic and Japanese, which makes it convenient for users who run multilingual or non-English websites.
You can integrate all of these features into your WordPress dashboard at no additional cost.
4. LuckyWP Table of Contents
LuckyWP is compatible with several WordPress page builder plugins. Users can customize the look of their TOCs by adjusting the width, hover colors, and font size. It even has an option for a floating table of contents.
This WordPress plugin provides SEO-friendly features and a User experience fluid, and all the tools are available free of charge.
5. Ultimate Blocks
Ultimate Blocks is a multifunctional WordPress plugin that offers 47 block types for the WordPress Gutenberg editor, including the table of contents block. All blocks are free and compatible with WordPress version 5.0 and above.
This plugin is a handy option if you have long articles with different types of content. For example, it's perfect for bloggers or marketers who want to create call-to-action blocks and testimonial blocks in addition to a table of contents block.
Adding a table of contents is a great way to reduce bounce rates and improve the overall SEO of WordPress websites.
Fortunately, adding one to your WordPress posts is relatively simple. As we have seen in this article, users can create tables of contents manually or using a plugin.
To help you get started, we've also reviewed our top five table of contents plugin picks. If you are a WordPress beginner, we recommend opt for Easy Table of Contents because it is free and easy to use.
Other recommended resources
We also invite you to consult the resources below to go further in the grip and control of your website and blog.
- How to Update WordPress Without Breaking Your Website
- How to Use WordPress Tags Correctly
- How to upload SVGs to WordPress: 2 methods
- How to Create a Simple Gutenberg Block WordPress Plugin
- How to Understand the WordPress Dashboard
Conclusion
That's it for this tutorial that shows you how to add a table of contents in WordPress. If you have any concerns or suggestions, please let us know within Comments.
However, you will also be able to consult our resources, if you need more elements to carry out your projects of creation of Internet sites, by consulting our guide on the WordPress blog creation or the one on Divi: the best WordPress theme of all time.
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