The Scrollspy TOC Template for HubSpot is a game-changing tool for guides, blog posts, and documentation. It dynamically generates a table of contents based on your content’s headings, ensuring readers can easily navigate long-form content and find exactly what they need.
With built-in scrollspy functionality, the TOC automatically highlights active sections as users scroll, creating a smooth and intuitive reading experience.
In this post, we’ll explore how the Scrollspy TOC works, the customization options available to you, and why it’s the perfect solution for improving content structure, navigation, and user experience.
The scrollspy functionality highlights the section a user is currently viewing within the TOC. As readers scroll through your content, the active section automatically updates in the sidebar, helping them stay oriented. This makes it easier for visitors to consume long-form content, encouraging them to engage with more of your material.
How It Works
The Scrollspy TOC Template streamlines navigation by scanning your content for headings, generating an interactive TOC, and updating it dynamically as you edit.
Dynamic Heading Detection
The Scrollspy TOC Template automatically detects key headings within your content—such as H2s and H3s—and builds a structured, clickable table of contents. There’s no need to manually link sections or update the TOC when changes are made to the content. It works seamlessly in the background to keep the TOC accurate and up to date.
For example, if you’re publishing a comprehensive step-by-step guide or a lengthy blog post, the Scrollspy TOC organizes these sections into a clear and accessible outline. Readers can simply click on any TOC item to jump directly to that section, saving them time and effort.
Highlighting Active Sections
The scrollspy functionality tracks the reader’s position on the page and highlights the corresponding section within the TOC as they scroll. This real-time feedback keeps readers oriented, ensuring they always know where they are in the content.
Imagine reading through a technical guide with multiple subsections. The active section in the TOC will automatically highlight as you move down the page, acting as a visual cue to help you stay on track. This eliminates confusion, especially in content with complex or layered information.
Content Tab
The Content Tab gives you the flexibility to decide how the table of contents is built and displayed, ensuring it aligns perfectly with your content goals.
Select Which Headings to Include
The Content Tab allows you to choose which headings appear in the TOC. You can include only top-level headings (H2) for a high-level overview or add subheadings (H3) for a more detailed breakdown. This ensures that the table of contents aligns with your content’s goals and complexity.
For example, shorter blog posts may only need H2 headings to keep the TOC concise, while in-depth guides or documentation benefit from including H3 subheadings for additional structure.
Tailor the Table of Contents
Beyond selecting heading levels, you can fine-tune the TOC to meet your audience’s needs. Adjusting the depth of the TOC ensures that it strikes the right balance between simplicity and detail. For example, technical documentation might include deeper levels of headings, while product pages or blog content may focus on higher-level sections to maintain clarity.
Styles Tab
The Styles Tab gives you complete creative control to customize the appearance of the TOC. Whether you need it to match your brand or stand out as a key feature, this tab ensures you can style it with precision.
Typography and Colors
The Styles Tab gives you full control over the TOC’s appearance, ensuring it aligns with your branding and design. You can customize fonts, sizes, and colors for the TOC headings, active links, and hover states. For instance, using a bold color for active links helps readers quickly identify which section they’re viewing, enhancing usability.
These options allow you to match the TOC seamlessly with your site’s design, maintaining consistency while ensuring the navigation stands out where necessary.
Spacing and Layout
The Styles Tab also allows you to adjust spacing, margins, and layout to create a clean, visually appealing TOC. Whether you want the TOC to stand out as a prominent feature or blend subtly into the sidebar, the customization options provide the flexibility to achieve your desired look.
For example, increasing padding around TOC items improves readability, while aligning the TOC neatly in the sidebar ensures it doesn’t interfere with the main content.
Why ScrollSpy?
The Scrollspy TOC Template offers multiple benefits that improve the experience for both content creators and website visitors.
Improved Navigation
The Scrollspy TOC simplifies navigation for readers, enabling them to jump directly to sections that interest them. This is particularly useful for long-form content like detailed blog posts, guides, or manuals, where readers may not need to scroll through every section to find the information they need.
Enhance User Experience
By dynamically highlighting active sections, the Scrollspy TOC keeps readers engaged and oriented. This improves the overall user experience, encouraging readers to stay longer and explore more of your content.
For example, in a step-by-step guide, readers can easily jump to the relevant section, follow instructions, and move to the next part without losing their place.
Save Time and Effort
Manually creating and updating a table of contents can be tedious, especially for lengthy or evolving content. The Scrollspy TOC automates this process, ensuring the TOC remains accurate and dynamic without requiring extra effort. Content updates are reflected in real time, saving you valuable time and reducing errors.
Perfect for Guides, Blogs, and Documentation
The Scrollspy Template is a game-changer for any type of long-form content that requires clarity, structure, and easy navigation. By offering an automatically generated table of contents that dynamically updates as readers interact with the page, this tool ensures that users can seamlessly find, access, and consume the most relevant information. Whether your content is instructional, informative, or technical, the Scrollspy TOC enhances usability and provides a better experience for readers.
Step-by-Step Guides
For process-driven content like tutorials or how-to guides, where instructions are broken down into sequential steps, the Scrollspy TOC Template makes it easy for users to navigate complex workflows. Readers can quickly jump to the step they’re currently working on without needing to scroll aimlessly through the content. This is especially valuable for guides that span multiple phases, tools, or tasks.
For example, in a software setup tutorial, users may need to revisit specific sections multiple times—like installation, troubleshooting, or advanced configurations. The clickable table of contents allows them to move back and forth effortlessly, ensuring they don’t lose track of their place in the process. Additionally, the real-time highlighting of the active section reassures users they are on the right step, improving comprehension and retention.
By offering intuitive navigation, the Scrollspy TOC reduces reader frustration and streamlines the experience, making even the most complex processes feel approachable and achievable.
Long-Form Blog Posts
When it comes to long-form blog posts, readers often look for specific insights or solutions without wanting to scroll through content that might not apply to them. The Scrollspy TOC Template addresses this by breaking down lengthy posts into an easily accessible and clickable outline. This empowers readers to identify and navigate to the sections that matter most to them, ensuring they find the answers they need quickly and efficiently.
For example, an in-depth blog post on SEO strategies might include sections on keyword research, link building, and on-page optimization. While one reader may be interested in learning about link-building techniques, another might be focused on improving on-page SEO. The Scrollspy TOC allows both users to skip directly to their preferred sections, keeping them engaged and reducing the risk of them leaving your site out of frustration.
This ability to tailor the reader's journey enhances the user experience, reduces bounce rates, and increases time spent on the page. A well-structured TOC encourages visitors to explore additional sections they might have otherwise overlooked, helping you maximize content engagement and visibility.
Technical Documentation
Technical documentation—such as product manuals, FAQs, API documentation, or detailed user guides—often contains extensive and granular information. Without a clear and organized structure, users can easily become overwhelmed, making it difficult to find the answers they’re looking for. The Scrollspy TOC Template eliminates this challenge by creating a clear, interactive roadmap of the content that enables users to pinpoint specific details with ease.
For instance, in a product manual for a software tool, users might need to locate troubleshooting steps, installation instructions, or advanced configuration settings. The Scrollspy TOC ensures that all of these sections are readily accessible. Instead of scrolling through dense paragraphs or skimming large amounts of text, users can jump directly to the relevant section with a single click.
How to Get Started
Implementing the Scrollspy TOC Template is quick and straightforward. First, structure your content using clear headings such as H2s and H3s. Once the template is enabled, it will automatically detect these headings and generate the table of contents.
Using the Content Tab, select which headings to include and adjust the TOC depth to suit your content. Then, head over to the Styles Tab to customize the TOC’s typography, colors, and layout to match your brand’s design.
Once everything is set up, publish your content and test the Scrollspy TOC functionality. As users scroll through the page, the active sections will highlight dynamically, creating a smooth and engaging navigation experience.
Conclusion
The Scrollspy TOC Template for HubSpot is a powerful tool for improving navigation, enhancing user experience, and organizing long-form content. By dynamically generating a clickable table of contents and highlighting active sections as readers scroll, it ensures that visitors can easily explore guides, blog posts, and documentation without feeling overwhelmed.
With flexible customization options for content and design, the Scrollspy TOC seamlessly integrates into your site, aligning with your content goals and brand style. Whether you’re publishing detailed how-to guides, technical documentation, or in-depth blog posts, this template streamlines the reader experience, encouraging engagement and retention.
Start using the Scrollspy TOC Template today and transform your HubSpot content into a navigable, user-friendly resource that keeps readers coming back for more.