How to create Table of contents in WordPress without Plugin

How to create Table of contents in WordPress without Plugin

Are you a blogger or content creator wanting to improve your WordPress site’s readability and ease of navigation? A contents page is an essential element that can significantly influence.

This useful function enables your audience to navigate between various parts of your content effortlessly, enhancing user experience and boosting interaction.

Although many people use plugins for this feature, it is possible to generate a table of contents in WordPress without using a plugin.

In this article, I will guide you on how to add table of contents in WordPress without plugin Let’s jump right in!

What Is the Use of Table of Contents?

Before exploring the technical details of setting up a table of contents in WordPress, it is crucial to grasp the significance of this function.

A table of contents has multiple advantages for both content creators and their audiences.

  • Enhanced navigation: Lengthy content may be too much for readers to handle. A contents page helps them locate the specific information they need without delay.
  • Improved User Experience: Providing a straightforward guide to your content helps visitors to better access and interact with your material.
  • SEO advantages: An organized table of contents can assist search engines in comprehending the structure of your material, potentially improving your rankings.

Now that we’ve emphasized the importance of a table of contents, let’s discover how you can incorporate one on your WordPress site without using plugins.

Procedure for Creating a Table of Contents Manually

Step 1: Define Headings in Your Content

To create a table of contents, the first thing that needs to be done is to organize the content of the page and divide it by headings. This means, to guide the reader through the article use headings H2, H3, and the like to divide the text into sections.

These headings will act as the reference point when coming up with your table of contents.

After having defined the headings that you want to implement you will then have to insert the anchor links on the sections you want to link to. An anchor link is a link that will let the user on the page go directly to the desired position on the page.

To add an anchor link, replace the heading with an HTML anchor tag consisting of an ID that will be linked to the heading.

Step 3: Create the Table of Contents

It is now time to create the table of contents, having your headings and anchor links on the site.

This can be done manually which involves writing down the headings and relating them to the anchor points. This element can be positioned at the top part of your web page or in any standard sidebar section.

Step 4: Style Your Table of Contents (Optional)

If you are still not satisfied with the appearance of your table of contents, you can apply your own CSS styling to the S5 elements. This can concern changing the font and size, its color and positioning, as well as other features that can fit the overall look of your site.

Automating Your Table of Contents with JavaScript

However, using this manual way is okay when you are working with a small website or blog that has few pages, However, as the number of pages in your website increases, this system can sometimes prove to be tiresome as you Craft a Table of Contents in WordPress Without Using a Plugin

Guide on How to Create a Table of Contents in WordPress Step by Step

Once you’ve grasped the significance of employing the table of contents in WordPress posts, allow me to detail how you can craft a TOC without relying on a plugin.

1. Utilizing Headings for Organization

The secret to having an efficient table of contents is how the content has been categorized using headings. Headings in WordPress are generated from H1 to H6, with H1 being the primary heading and H2 to H6 serving as subheadings.

Through suitable utilization of these heading tags, you will be in a position to develop the organizational structure of content that is reflected in a table of contents.

To make your readers easily navigate to the post sections corresponding to the table of content numbers, you have to insert anchor links.

An anchor link is a piece of HTML code that creates a hyperlink that, once clicked on, transfers the page view to a desired part of the web page.

In your post, you can enable users to navigate by inserting anchor links in your post at the specific place where the linked headings are and connecting them.

3. Generating the Table of Contents

After you have structured your contents using the heading and having the anchor link you are ready to create your table of contents.

This can be solved by putting a list of navigation references to link them to the headings as well as the anchor linkages you have developed.

It forms part of a table of contents whereby; Users have to click on the topics to be directed to different areas within your post.

4. Styling Your Table of Contents

Regarding the appearance of your table of contents, various style alternatives can be applied. As a guide, pay attention to the size, color as well as position of the TOC in preparation for the need to have it in harmony with the rest of the blog.

It is also possible to apply the hover effects or any other effects to enhance the work with the table of contents for users.

5. Testing and Optimization

When you are done with constructing your table of contents and adding pleasing styles, it is necessary to check its functionality in devices and various screen sizes.

Ensure useful changes are needed on the users’ side and fix any problem related to the usability of the website. Thus, by improving navigation with the help of your table of contents, it is possible to improve readers’ engagement with the material.

Benefits of Creating a Table of Contents Without a Plugin

Now that you’ve mastered the art of creating a table of contents in WordPress without using a plugin, let’s explore some of the benefits of this approach:

  • Improved Site Performance: Reduction in WordPress plugin usage will help to increase the site performance and decrease the probability of such plugin conflicts appearing on Your site.
  • Greater Control Over Styling: The manual creation of a table of contents also enables the user to determine its design under the company’s brand image and specific style.
  • Enhanced SEO: This post explains how a proper table of contents can positively impact your SEO strategy since users and search engines benefit from the table.
  • Increased User Engagement: Offering users the table of contents to the material helps them navigate your content better and, thus, perform the desired action more frequently.

Can You Build a Website with WordPress Without Hosting?

FAQs

What is a Table of Contents in WordPress?

The Table of Contents in WordPress consists of jump links, typically headings, that direct readers to specific sections or paragraphs within your pages and/or blog posts.

How do I keep my WordPress Table of Contents in a fixed location?

Initially, you must include the Table of Contents in your sidebar as a widget, and then ensure that the sidebar widget remains fixed in place. This will prevent your WordPress Table of Contents from moving.

Does a Table of Contents improve SEO?

Indeed, search engines such as Google and Bing frequently display the headings in your table of contents as jump links, and at times they showcase the table of contents of your post in the featured snippet. Therefore, this is a factor to consider for enhancing SEO at the page or post level.

In WordPress, where should the Table of Contents be placed?

In most cases, the Table of Contents in WordPress is positioned following the title, before the first H2 heading, or displayed as a widget on the sidebar.

How can I insert a table of contents onto my WordPress sidebar?

Within your WordPress dashboard, navigate to Appearance, then select Widgets, and click on the + icon to add a new block.

Choose the table of contents block as a widget for your WordPress sidebar from this point.

How can I include a Table of Contents in my blog?

A blog is essentially a type of website. If your WordPress blog is made without using plugins, you can still create a Table of Contents manually or with the help of a basic plugin such as Easy Table of Contents.

Indeed, Google and Bing display jump-to links within their search engine results pages.

Jump links are components of search result elements shown beneath the result of a specific query. Those are typically titles selected from the table of contents section of your posts. Search engines such as Google and Bing display jump links beneath every search result on their search engine results page.

To connect your headings, add HTML anchors to each heading in your post. Each topic is accompanied by an HTML segment located on the right side of the post editor. To create a link in HTML, click on the heading and enter the same anchor text preceded by a # in the anchor field.

How do you add a Table of Contents to WordPress?

To add a table of contents in WordPress, you can easily do so by downloading a specific plugin for tables of contents, downloading a block plugin with a table of contents block, or creating one manually.

How do I manually create a Table of Contents in WordPress?

In WordPress, you can create a table of contents by making a list of headings and adding HTML anchors to each one. Precede each content’s anchor text with a ‘#’ symbol and use it as the internal link for that content.