How Starter Story Used TOCs to Triple Time on Page

Adding a table of contents (TOC) to your articles can keep people on your website longer.

Search engines like Google measure dwell time—the time a visitor spends on your page. A longer stay tells Google your content is useful, which can help you rank higher.

Pat Walls, founder of Starter Story, tested this by adding a TOC to some of his pages.

He used 2 control groups, showing the TOC to only 33% of users. The difference was clear—pages with TOCs performed better.

TOCs Produce Measurable Results

Starter Story’s test showed strong results. On 3 high-trafficked pages, visitors stayed 1.5 to 5 times longer when a TOC appeared.

A TOC helps people move through a long article. It lets them jump to what matters most and understand the structure at a glance. This makes the page easier to read—and keeps visitors from leaving too soon.

More Time on Page Means More Email Sign-ups

As visit times grew, email sign-ups increased too. Pat noticed this after adding TOCs, even though email growth wasn’t part of the original test.

This makes sense. When someone spends more time on your page, they’re more likely to trust you. That trust makes them more willing to subscribe.

This might have a 3rd-order effect on paid subscriptions too.

Google Highlights TOCs in Search Results

TOCs can also help in search results. Google sometimes shows TOC sections as clickable breadcrumbs. These links make it easier for people to find and visit your content.

Starter Story saw this happen on articles about "business names".

In search results, sections like "Catchy DIY business name ideas" and "Creative DIY business name ideas" appeared as clickable breadcrumbs.

Each TOC heading becomes a new way for users to find your article. These extra entry points improve visibility without needing to write more content.

Free Tools Help Improve Search Rankings

The TOC strategy fits into a larger pattern. Sites like Riverside FM and Veed IO offer free tools like free transcription service and free video editing tools respectively—even though they cost money to build and maintain.

These tools aren’t just for user satisfaction. They serve a clear goal: to increase dwell time and boost SEO performance. That extra time on site leads to better rankings, more traffic, and more income.

Removing Helpful Features Can Hurt SEO

Removing tools or features that improve dwell time can reduce search visibility. If a site removes its TOC or other valuable tools, rankings often fall.

This explains why smart companies continue to offer free tools. The SEO benefits from better dwell time outweigh the costs. Removing those features creates a negative cycle—less time on page, weaker rankings, fewer visitors, and lower revenue.

A table of contents improves SEO and makes articles easier to read. This leads to longer visits, stronger engagement, and more revenue.

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