How to Use the Joli Table of Contents Plugin for WordPress

A table of contents (ToC) helps make it easier for users to find what they are looking for on a specific page or post. Normally, the ToC will list the headers with each one being clickable. One of the easiest ways to add one is with the Joli Table of Contents plugin.

With this plugin, you’ll just need to add the plugin-specific block to the post or page. It will then read the headers and create a ToC without further input. That said, you will also have access to several customization options.

With them, you will be able to make the ToC match the rest of your site or help it stand out if you have a busy design.

Today, I will demonstrate how to make a ToC in WordPress with the Joli Table of Contents plugin.

Why Add A ToC in WordPress?

The purpose of a ToC is to help the user quickly locate the content they are looking for in a post. The longer the content, the more effective using a ToC becomes. This prevents a user from having to scroll through the entire post.

Naturally, while this is a great benefit to your users, they are not the only ones who benefit from a ToC.

Search engine bots also benefit from a ToC and having one can improve your SEO. This is because you can insert long-tail keywords as headers, which will also make them appear as part of the ToC.

Another way that a ToC can help improve SEO is by boosting your bounce rate. Many users will click off of a page if they cannot find what they are looking for, this can hurt your bounce rate and by extension, your rankings.

A table of contents helps users quickly locate the content they are looking for. That said, you need to make sure headers are informative enough to help users navigate to them quickly. Luckily, they are easy to add so you can enjoy these benefits in minutes.

How to Use Joli Table Of Contents in WordPress

There isn’t an easier alternative than the Joli Table Of Contents plugin. This tool is as simple as it gets and just requires users to add the block in the desired location. There are some customization options to adjust the color, borders, and more.

It’s worth pointing out that there is a Pro version with a lot of extra features. For example, you can create a floating table of contents button. That way when users scroll through the post, they can always access the TOC quickly with a single click.

Step 1: Install Joli Table Of Contents

Let’s start by clicking on Plugins and selecting the Add New option on the left-hand admin panel.

Search for Joli Table Of Contents in the available search box. This will pull up additional plugins that you may find helpful.

Scroll down until you find the Joli Table Of Contents plugin and click on the “Install Now” button and activate the plugin for use.

Upon activating the plugin you will be asked if you would like to opt in for email notifications. Feel free to skip or accept as it has no impact on using the plugin.

Step 2: Customize the ToC

With the plugin activated, you are ready to add a ToC to your content, however, you are better off taking a minute to customize the appearance of the ToC. The plugin offers a robust lineup of customization options for you to configure.

You can find them by clicking on Joli TOC and selecting the Settings option.

The settings are broken up into several sections. You’ll start in the General section. This area allows to you customize the general appearance of the ToC. You can change the size of the ToC, the margins, the offset, and more by configuring the settings.

Some of the features may be locked behind the Pro version, so be sure to check that out if you are interested in more options. Once you are satisfied with the changes you have made, click on the “Save Settings” button.

Next, click on the Theme option. Here, you can view what the table of contents looks like and choose a modern theme for the design. By default, the plugin uses the Basic Light theme. Simply check out each theme and choose one you like.

There are more options that you can explore to configure the appearance of the ToC, but I will leave that to you as they are very straightforward.

Step 3: Add the TOC to Your Content

With the appearance taken care of, you have two main ways to add a ToC to your content. The first is to set up the plugin to automatically add a ToC to all of your content. You can choose to place it in a specific location like before the first header.

The second way is to manually add the ToC to the desired post or page. This may be the better option if you do not want every piece of content to have a table of contents, and you can take some time to configure throughout your site.

Luckily, it is rather easy regardless of which method you choose to use.

Method 1: Auto Inserting the ToC

Let’s start with the automatic method. In the settings section, click on the Auto-Insert tab.

The first option allows you to choose the location where the ToC will appear. By default, it chooses the Before the Content option, but feel free to change it.

A good place to show the table would be before the first H2 tag. That way, visitors can read the intro to your post and then see how the rest of the article is laid out. However, it is completely up to you and how you want your posts to appear.

Next, select what type of content where it will appear. You can select Posts, Pages, and Media. In most cases, only the Posts option should have a ToC automatically added to it, but the choice is yours.

The rest of the options are exclusive to the Pro version.

Be sure to save the changes. Once you do, you can check your content to see that the ToC has automatically been added.

You may notice that there are cases where you may not want a ToC, but unfortunately, only the Pro version allows you to exclude specific content. If you are not willing to purchase the Pro version, you are better off manually adding the table of contents.

Method 2: Manually Adding the ToC

Manually adding the ToC is quick and easy, but it can be tedious if you are planning to add it to a large amount of content. Start by going to the post or page where you want to add the table of contents.

Once there, click on the “+” button and search for the Joli Table of Contents block. Add the block to the post or page.

The ToC will appear in the selected position. You can use the ToC to edit the Headings by clicking on the pencil icon, however, it will not change the heading itself. You can also click on the eye icon to hide a specific heading from appearing in the table of contents.

Other than that, the ToC is added to the post or page. Don’t forget to save the changes.

Simply repeat this as needed.

Not Every Piece of Content Needs A Table of Contents

It’s important to realize that not every piece of content needs a table of contents. A ToC is better suited for longer pieces of content that have multiple sections. As such, shorter content like announcements are not ideal candidates.

For this reason, I strongly recommend combing through your content to find the pieces that should and shouldn’t have the table, as having one can look a bit ridiculous when you only have a single header.

You should also consider the content type. For example, a post is very different from a page.

You may want to avoid adding a ToC on a page. In most cases, page content doesn’t need a ToC, but there are exceptions to this rule like a product page where users want to quickly find information. Or perhaps when crafting a landing page for a product or service.

Add A Table of Contents Today with Joli

As you can see, the Joli plugin is very easy to use and offers a lot of customization options that you can configure. As such, it is one of the best options to use in WordPress due to its simplicity and flexible design.

Adding one can help improve the navigation experience for users and search engines alike. As such, it can boost your SEO and help you rank higher, thus, adding one today is a great option.

I hope you found this tutorial helpful in learning how to use the Joli Table of Contents plugin for WordPress.

Did you find the plugin easy to use? Have you noticed higher rankings since adding one?

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