Table of contents might be three of the most boring words on the planet.
But…
Adding a table of contents like this:
Can give you a significant SEO and human advantage!
Why You Need A Table Of Contents
Since adding them across my network, I’ve seen a big increase in:
- Search engine traffic
- Click through rates
- Dwell time
The first 2 benefits come from the table of contents impact on Google’s SERPs.
When you add a table of contents like this you also add clickable links to your results.
Like this:
This has two incredible effects:
- Google sees this as a better user experience
- Users have the option to click through to the most relevant section
The increased click-through rate from users also provides a boost to your rankings.
Not bad for a “boring” table of contents right?
The final benefit is that they help to create a hook for your readers.
If you create teasing subheadings, you can entice your readers to read long before they ever scroll.
Adding A Table Of Contents To Your Page
Want to know the best part?
Creating your table of contents is free.
All you need to do is download a WordPress plugin like Table Of Contents Plus…
…then install it!
Once installed, it will do most of the heavy lifting for you automatically if you want:
Or you can place your table of contents manually using the [toc] shortcode. I tend to place it before the first H2-
Final Thoughts…
This is a simple easy step that has a big impact on your site.
Next:
Let’s make sure your content is properly optimized to perform in search…