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Complete Guide to Using the Table of Contents Block in Nexus Pro

Intermediate Last updated: November 7, 2025

The Table of Contents (TOC) block is one of Nexus Pro’s most powerful features for improving user experience and SEO performance.

Why Use a Table of Contents?

SEO Benefits

  • Jump links in Google search results
  • Improved content structure signals
  • Better crawlability and indexing
  • Enhanced featured snippet opportunities
  • Lower bounce rates from better navigation

User Experience Benefits

  • Quick content navigation
  • Scannable article structure
  • Mobile-friendly navigation
  • Reduced scroll time
  • Better accessibility

Adding the Table of Contents Block

Method 1: Block Inserter

  1. Click the (+) button in the editor
  2. Search for “Table of Contents”
  3. Click to insert the block
  4. Position it below your introduction

Method 2: Slash Command

  1. Type /table in the editor
  2. Select “Table of Contents”
  3. Press Enter

Method 3: Shortcode (Legacy Content)

Add to any post or page:

[nexus_toc]

Configuring TOC Settings

1. Heading Level Selection

Choose which headings to include:

  • H2 only: Top-level sections
  • H2-H3: Main sections and subsections
  • H2-H4: Deep content structure
  • H2-H6: Complete hierarchy (not recommended)

Best Practice: Use H2-H3 for most blog posts (4-8 items optimal)

2. Display Options

  • Title: Change “Table of Contents” to custom text
  • Toggle: Allow users to collapse/expand
  • Numbered List: Add automatic numbering
  • Bullet Style: Choose list markers

3. Styling Options

  • Background Color: Match your theme
  • Border: Add visual separation
  • Padding: Adjust spacing
  • Typography: Font size and weight
  • Link Color: Brand consistency

4. Smooth Scrolling

Enable smooth scroll behavior:

  • Navigate to Settings > Nexus Pro > Plugin Settings
  • Toggle “Smooth Scroll for TOC”
  • Adjust scroll speed (slow/medium/fast)
  • Set scroll offset for fixed headers

Advanced TOC Techniques

Sticky Table of Contents

Create a sticky sidebar TOC:

  1. Add TOC block to a Columns block
  2. Place content in the wider column
  3. Add custom CSS:
.wp-block-nexus-toc {
    position: sticky;
    top: 100px;
}

Excluding Specific Headings

Prevent certain headings from appearing in TOC:

  1. Select the heading in the editor
  2. Open Advanced panel in sidebar
  3. Add CSS class: toc-exclude

Create custom URL anchors:

  1. Select any heading
  2. Open Advanced panel
  3. Add HTML anchor (e.g., “custom-section”)
  4. Link becomes: yoursite.com/post#custom-section

TOC SEO Optimization

1. Strategic Heading Structure

Use descriptive, keyword-rich headings:

❌ Bad: “Introduction”, “Step 1”, “Conclusion” ✅ Good: “Why Schema Markup Matters”, “Installing Nexus Pro”, “Schema Best Practices”

2. Optimal TOC Length

  • Short Posts (500-1000 words): Skip TOC or 3-4 items
  • Medium Posts (1000-2000 words): 4-6 items
  • Long Posts (2000+ words): 6-10 items
  • Pillar Content (3000+ words): 10-15 items

3. Heading Keywords

Include target keywords in H2 headings naturally:

  • Main keyword in first H2
  • LSI keywords in subsequent H2s
  • Long-tail variations in H3s

4. Schema Markup Integration

Nexus Pro automatically adds TableOfContents schema when:

  • Post has 3+ headings
  • TOC block is present
  • Schema settings are enabled

Verify in Google’s Rich Results Test.

TOC Block vs TOC Shortcode

FeatureBlockShortcode
Visual Customization✅ Full❌ Limited
Real-time Preview✅ Yes❌ No
Block Styles✅ Yes❌ No
Widget Support❌ No✅ Yes
Legacy Themes❌ Limited✅ Full

Recommendation: Use the block for new content, shortcode for widgets/legacy areas.

Measuring TOC Impact

Google Analytics 4

Track TOC link clicks:

  1. Enable Enhanced Measurement
  2. Monitor “scroll” events
  3. Track anchor link clicks in Events report
  4. Compare bounce rates for posts with/without TOC

Search Console

Monitor jump link performance:

  1. Check “Queries” report
  2. Look for queries showing jump links
  3. Track CTR improvements
  4. Identify top-performing sections

Troubleshooting Common Issues

TOC Not Generating

  • Verify headings are H2-H6 (not styled paragraphs)
  • Check heading level settings
  • Ensure at least 2 headings exist
  • Clear page cache

Smooth Scrolling Not Working

  • Check for JavaScript errors
  • Verify smooth scroll is enabled
  • Adjust scroll offset for sticky headers
  • Test in different browsers
  • Ensure headings have unique text
  • Check for special characters in headings
  • Verify no duplicate IDs on page
  • Test without page builders

Performance Optimization

Lazy Load TOC

For very long posts:

  1. Position TOC after introduction
  2. Use toggle/collapse feature
  3. Enable smooth scrolling
  4. Consider sticky positioning

Minimize TOC Size

  • Use only H2-H3 levels
  • Limit to 8-10 items maximum
  • Collapse by default on mobile
  • Use compact styling

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