Quick table of contents mistakes to avoid for marketplaces

On marketplace category pages, comparison guides, and help docs, a tight Table of Contents (TOC) helps buyers skip to what matters—filters, fees, policies, specs. But common TOC mistakes waste clicks and crawl. Fix the issues below and verify fast with SEO Horizan.

Top TOC mistakes (2025) — and fast fixes

• Fake anchors: TOC items point to # or JS-only IDs that don’t exist on load. Fix: generate stable, server-rendered IDs.
• Vague labels: “Overview”, “More info”. Fix: use buyer language: “Seller fees”, “Shipping timelines”, “Return policy”.
• Wrong hierarchy: H3s promoted above H2s or mixed levels. Fix: mirror the heading tree exactly.
• TOC includes hidden content: Tabs/accordions that aren’t rendered add dead links. Fix: include only visible sections or render tab content server-side.
• Redirect hops: TOC links go to old slugs that 301. Fix: update anchors to final URLs and confirm with URL Redirect Checker.
• Overlong TOC: 20+ items with duplicates. Fix: cap to primary sections; nest sub-items; dedupe similar headings.
• Sticky overlap: Sticky TOC covers headings when jumping. Fix: add CSS scroll-margin-top or offset anchors.
• Accessibility gaps: Not keyboard-focusable or missing aria-label. Fix: add roles, visible focus, and skip links.

Why TOC quality matters for marketplaces

• Conversion: Faster path to fees, shipping, and eligibility details.
• SEO: Clear anchors help summaries and sitelinks; better internal link signals.
• Support deflection: Buyers find answers without opening tickets.

Ten-minute TOC audit (non-dev)

1. Extract headings: Paste the URL into Website Text Extractor to list H1–H3s and confirm they exist verbatim.
2. Check anchor targets: Click each TOC item; ensure it lands on a visible section (no tab-only content).
3. Link integrity: Verify no hops with URL Redirect Checker; confirm headers via HTTP Headers Lookup.
4. Scan-to-read ratio: Sanity-check copy blocks with Text-to-HTML Ratio Checker.
5. Meta parity: If the page is a guide, validate title/description/OG in Meta Tags Checker and OpenGraph Checker.

Copy-paste TOC component (accessible)

<nav class="toc" aria-label="Table of contents">
  <h2>On this page</h2>
  <ol>
    <li><a href="#seller-fees">Seller fees</a></li>
    <li><a href="#shipping-timelines">Shipping timelines</a></li>
    <li><a href="#eligibility-criteria">Eligibility criteria</a></li>
    <li><a href="#return-policy">Return policy</a></li>
  </ol>
</nav>

<style>
  .toc a:focus { outline: 2px solid; outline-offset: 2px; }
  :target { scroll-margin-top: 96px; }
</style>

Headings you should prefer (marketplaces)

• Pricing & fees (include table)
• Shipping timelines & carriers
• Listing rules & prohibited items
• Buyer protection & refunds
• Seller eligibility & KYC requirements
• Category-specific policies

Snippet paragraph + TOC (pattern)

<h1>[Category] on [Marketplace]: fees, timelines, and policies (2025)</h1>
<p class="snippet">[40–55 words: spell out the most asked items buyers/sellers need—fees, timelines, eligibility, and protections—so users know what they’ll find on the page.]</p>
<!-- Insert TOC here -->

Programmatic TOC (safe generation rules)

For each page:
  - Include only H2s that are visible on load
  - Max 7 items; nest H3s under their parent H2
  - Slugify heading text for IDs (lowercase, hyphens, strip punctuation)
  - Deduplicate: if two headings normalize equal, append "-2", "-3"
  - Validate each ID exists before rendering the TOC item

QA checklist (publish-time, 10–15 minutes)

• ✅ TOC items match visible H2/H3s (confirmed with Website Text Extractor).
• ✅ Each anchor jumps to the correct section (no tab-only targets).
• ✅ No redirecting internal TOC links (URL Redirect Checker); headers sane (HTTP Headers Lookup).
• ✅ Sticky nav doesn’t cover headings (scroll-margin-top set).
• ✅ TOC keyboard focus visible; nav has aria-label.
• ✅ Page is light and stable: measure with Website Page Size Checker.

Prioritization (do now → do next)

Item, Impact, Effort, Priority
Fix fake/JS-only anchors to real IDs, High, Low, Do Now
Rewrite vague TOC labels to buyer language, High, Low, Do Now
Cap TOC length; nest sub-items, Medium-High, Low, Do Now
Add scroll-margin to prevent header overlap, Medium, Low, Do Now
Remove redirecting TOC links, Medium, Low, Do Now
Render hidden-tab content server-side or exclude, Medium, Medium, Next

Where to link internally

• From category/guide pages to policy details, fee calculators, and trust pages.
• From TOC-linked sections to deeper guides on the Blog and to Plans if tools are offered.
• Ensure these pages (and anchors) appear in your Sitemap.

SEO Horizan Toolbox

• Website Text Extractor • Text-to-HTML Ratio Checker
• URL Redirect Checker • HTTP Headers Lookup
• Meta Tags Checker • OpenGraph Checker
• Website Page Size Checker

FAQs

Wrap-up

A clean TOC is a small change with outsized impact on marketplace UX and search. Use real anchors, buyer-language labels, and accurate hierarchy—and verify with quick tooling. Want to standardize TOC checks across your library? Create an account or compare Plans.