How to Create a Sticky Table of Contents in WordPress (Step-by-Step)

A Sticky Table of Contents (TOC) is a navigation tool that helps users quickly find and jump to different sections of a long article or page.

Unlike a regular TOC that remains at the top of the page, a sticky TOC remains fixed on the screen as the user scrolls. This makes it easy for visitors to access the TOC at any time without having to scroll back to the top.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the entire process of adding a sticky table of contents to your WordPress site.

Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced WordPress user, you’ll find this guide helpful in creating a clean and user-friendly TOC that enhances your site’s navigation.

Why Add a Sticky Table of Contents in WordPress?

Adding a sticky table of contents to your WordPress site offers several benefits for both users and search engines:

1. Improves User Experience

• A sticky TOC allows users to navigate through your content effortlessly without losing track of their position.
• It helps readers quickly find the information they need, improving content accessibility and readability.
• By providing a structured overview of the content, a TOC makes it easier for readers to engage with long-form articles.

2. Boosts SEO Performance

• Search engines like Google can better understand and index your content when a TOC is present.
• A well-structured TOC increases the chances of your content appearing in featured snippets and sitelinks in search results.
• Enhanced content navigation reduces bounce rates and increases dwell time, which are positive SEO signals.

3. Enhances Mobile Experience

• Mobile users can benefit from a sticky TOC since it reduces the need for excessive scrolling.
• A responsive TOC that adjusts to different screen sizes ensures that readers have a consistent experience across devices.

4. Encourages Content Engagement

• When users can easily jump between sections, they are more likely to stay on the page longer and explore more content.
• Highlighting the active heading helps users know where they are in the content and encourages them to keep reading.

5. Makes Content Easier to Organize

• For long-form articles or guides, a TOC provides a clear structure and logical flow.
• Breaking down content into manageable sections increases reader retention and engagement.

How to Create a Sticky Table of Contents in WordPress

The easiest and most efficient way to create a sticky table of contents in WordPress is by using a plugin. A plugin eliminates the need for coding, making it simple for both beginners and experienced users to create and customize a sticky TOC in just a few minutes.

The Sticky Table of Contents Plugin by WPEasyTools is one of the best table of contents WordPress plugins designed to make adding and managing a TOC effortless. It comes with powerful customization options, responsive design, and automatic content detection, ensuring that the TOC looks great and functions smoothly across all devices.

With the Sticky Table of Contents Plugin, you can:

• Automatically generate a TOC from headings (H1-H6).
• Make the TOC sticky, so it remains visible while users scroll.
• Customize the TOC width, height, colors, and fonts.
• Highlight the active heading to guide readers as they scroll.
• Show or hide the TOC on specific post types (posts, pages, homepage).

Step 1: Install and Activate the Plugin

• Purchase and download the Sticky Table of Contents Plugin from WPEasyTools.
• In your WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins → Add New.
• Click Upload Plugin and select the plugin ZIP file you downloaded.
• Click Install Now → Activate.

Step 2: Configure Plugin Settings

Once the plugin is activated:

1. Go to Settings → Sticky TOC in your WordPress dashboard.
2. Configure the following settings based on your preferences:
   • Top Margin: Adjust how far the TOC appears from the top of the screen.
   • Width and Height: Set the dimensions of the TOC box.
   • Minimum Width: Set the minimum width for better responsiveness.
   • Breakpoint: Define when to switch from sticky to inline TOC (based on screen size).
   • Heading Levels: Choose which headings (H1-H6) should appear in the TOC.
   • Highlight Active Heading: Enable or disable highlighting of the current section.
   • Active Heading Color: Customize the color for the active heading.
   • Display on: Choose where the TOC should appear (posts, pages, homepage).

Step 3: Add the Sticky TOC to Your Content

The plugin will automatically generate a sticky TOC based on the selected headings.

Step 4: Test and Adjust

After adding the TOC:

• Open the post or page and confirm that the TOC appears correctly.
• Scroll through the content to test the sticky behavior.
• Adjust the settings if needed to match your site’s design and user experience goals.

Best Practices for Optimizing the Sticky TOC

To get the most out of your Sticky Table of Contents, it’s important to follow best practices that enhance user experience and improve SEO performance. Here are some key tips to optimize your sticky TOC:

1. Use Descriptive and Clear Headings

• Ensure that your headings (H1–H6) are clear and descriptive.
• Avoid generic headings like “Introduction” or “Conclusion” — instead, use terms that reflect the content accurately.
• Well-crafted headings improve the user experience and help search engines understand your content better.

2. Keep the TOC Design Clean and Minimal

• Choose a simple, clean design that aligns with your site’s theme.
• Avoid using too many colors or complex styles that can distract readers.
• Make sure the TOC is readable on both desktop and mobile devices.

3. Limit the Number of Headings

• Display only the essential headings to avoid clutter.
• If your post is long, consider showing only H2 and H3 headings.
• Too many headings can make the TOC overwhelming and reduce its usefulness.

4. Adjust the TOC Position and Size

• Place the sticky TOC in a position where it doesn’t overlap important content.
• Adjust the top margin, width, and height to make sure the TOC remains visible but not intrusive.
• Ensure the TOC remains accessible without covering key navigation buttons or ads.

5. Highlight the Active Heading

• Enable the active heading highlight feature to show readers where they are in the content.
• Use a contrasting but subtle color for highlighting to maintain a professional look.
• This feature improves readability and helps users quickly find the section they need.

6. Test on Mobile and Desktop

• Test the sticky TOC on different devices and screen sizes.
• Adjust the breakpoint settings to control when the TOC switches from sticky to inline mode.
• Make sure it works seamlessly on mobile devices, where scrolling behavior differs from desktop.

How a Sticky TOC Improves SEO

A well-optimized Sticky Table of Contents not only enhances the user experience but also contributes to better search engine rankings. Here’s how it boosts your SEO:

1. Improves Crawlability and Indexing

• A TOC provides a structured overview of your content.
• Search engines like Google can use this structure to better understand and index your content.
• The TOC creates internal links to key sections, which improves search engine crawl efficiency.

2. Increases Search Result Visibility (Jump Links)

• Google often creates “jump-to” links in search results based on the TOC structure.
• These links allow users to navigate directly to a section from the search results.
• This increases your click-through rate (CTR) and improves your search ranking.

3. Reduces Bounce Rate and Improves Dwell Time

• A TOC helps readers find the information they need quickly.
• When users spend more time on your page, it signals to Google that the content is valuable.
• Lower bounce rates and longer dwell times improve your search rankings.

4. Strengthens Internal Linking

• The TOC creates internal links to different sections of your content.
• Strong internal linking improves SEO by distributing link equity across the page.
• This helps search engines understand the content hierarchy and improves ranking potential.

5. Enhances Mobile SEO

• Mobile users benefit from a sticky TOC since it allows easy navigation on smaller screens.
• Fast access to key sections improves the user experience, which is a key ranking factor for mobile search.

Common Issues and Troubleshooting

Even though the Sticky Table of Contents Plugin is designed to work smoothly, you may encounter some issues. Here’s how to fix the most common problems:

1. TOC Not Showing on Posts or Pages

✅ Solution:

• Ensure that the “Show on Posts” or “Show on Pages” option is enabled in the plugin settings.
• Go to Settings → Sticky TOC and verify that the correct options are selected.

2. Sticky TOC Not Sticking on Scroll

✅ Solution:

• Check the top margin setting — it may be too high or too low.
• Adjust the value in Settings → Sticky TOC to fine-tune the position.
• Ensure that no conflicting CSS styles are overriding the TOC positioning.

3. Incorrect or Missing Headings in the TOC

✅ Solution:

• Ensure that headings (H1–H6) are properly used and structured in the content.
• The plugin relies on properly formatted headings to generate the TOC.
• If headings are created with custom HTML instead of Gutenberg or Classic Editor, they may not be detected.

4. Jump Links Not Working Properly

✅ Solution:

• Make sure that the headings have the correct id attributes.
• The plugin automatically assigns data-toc-id values — manually created IDs may interfere with functionality.
• Test the TOC on both desktop and mobile devices to check for link conflicts.

5. Highlighting of Active Heading Not Working

✅ Solution:

• Ensure that the “Enable Active Heading Highlight” option is enabled in the settings.
• Check for CSS conflicts — custom theme styles may override the plugin’s styles.
• Try adjusting the scrollPosition value in the sticky-toc-highlight.js file if the highlight is off by a few pixels.

6. TOC Not Appearing on Mobile Devices

✅ Solution:

• Make sure that the breakpoint setting is configured correctly.
• Adjust the breakpoint value to ensure the TOC switches to inline mode at the correct screen size.
• Test on multiple devices to identify display issues.

Pro Tips for Better TOC Performance

To maximize the benefits of the Sticky Table of Contents and deliver a seamless user experience, follow these expert tips:

1. Preload CSS for Faster Rendering

• Preloading CSS ensures that the TOC styles are loaded early, reducing layout shift and improving page load time.
• The Sticky TOC Plugin automatically adds a for the TOC CSS to make it load faster without blocking rendering.

2. Adjust Top Margin to Avoid Overlapping

• Ensure the TOC remains visible but doesn’t overlap fixed headers or navigation bars.
• If your theme includes a sticky header, increase the top margin value in the plugin settings to prevent overlap.

3. Fine-Tune the Breakpoint for Better Mobile Experience

• The Sticky TOC Plugin allows you to define a custom breakpoint where the sticky TOC switches to an inline TOC.
• Test on multiple devices and adjust the breakpoint to ensure a consistent experience on all screen sizes.

4. Customize the Active Heading Highlight

• Use a color that contrasts well with your site’s background to make the active heading stand out.
• Avoid overly bright or dark colors that may strain the reader’s eyes.
• You can change the highlight color directly from the plugin settings.

5. Enable Lazy Loading for Images and Videos

• Lazy loading reduces the initial load time by deferring the loading of images and videos until they’re needed.
• This improves overall site speed, which positively impacts the TOC’s loading time and user experience.

6. Monitor Performance with Google PageSpeed Insights

• Test your site’s performance using Google PageSpeed Insights after enabling the TOC.
• Look for any render-blocking issues or slow-loading elements and adjust the TOC settings accordingly.

7. Avoid Duplicate TOCs

• If you’re using another TOC plugin or your theme includes a built-in TOC feature, disable it to prevent conflicts.
• Running multiple TOCs on the same page can confuse users and slow down performance.

Why Use Sticky Table of Contents Plugin by WPEasyTools?

The Sticky Table of Contents Plugin by WPEasyTools stands out from other TOC solutions due to its powerful features, ease of use, and performance-focused design. Here’s why it’s the best choice:

1. Fully Customizable and Easy to Use

• No coding required — install, activate, and adjust settings from the user-friendly admin panel.
• Customize width, height, top margin, and highlight color with ease.

2. Improved Navigation and User Experience

• The sticky TOC follows users as they scroll, allowing them to jump to any section instantly.
• This reduces frustration and makes it easier to find information quickly.

3. Boosts SEO Performance

• Generates internal links to headings, helping search engines crawl and index content more effectively.
• Jump links in search results increase your click-through rate (CTR).

4. Mobile-Friendly with Custom Breakpoints

• Automatically switches to an inline TOC on smaller screens.
• Ensures a consistent experience on desktops, tablets, and mobile phones.

5. Active Heading Highlight for Better Engagement

• Highlights the active heading to guide users through long-form content.
• Improves user interaction and increases dwell time — a positive SEO signal.

6. Lightweight and Fast

• Built for performance — no unnecessary scripts or bloat.
• Efficient code structure ensures that the plugin loads quickly without slowing down your site.

7. Premium Version with Free Trial and Money-Back Guarantee

• Try the plugin risk-free with a 3-day free trial.
• Enjoy a 7-day money-back guarantee if you’re not satisfied.

FAQs

Conclusion

A Sticky Table of Contents is a game-changer for improving both user experience and SEO. By enabling quick navigation and helping search engines crawl your content more effectively, it ensures that your visitors stay engaged and find the information they need with ease.

The Sticky Table of Contents Plugin by WPEasyTools offers a powerful, easy-to-use solution for adding a sticky TOC to your WordPress site. Its customizable design, mobile responsiveness, and SEO benefits make it a must-have for any content-rich website.

👉 Try the Sticky TOC Plugin today with a 3-day free trial! If you’re not satisfied, you’re covered by our 7-day money-back guarantee — no questions asked!