Adding a small contents/index at the beginning of articles

[quantikev]

Hello

While creating the outline for articles which I will put on my new website, I considered adding a small index or contents to the beginning of the article.

Example:

Search engine optimization tips

How search engines work
Major engines
Meta tags
Inbound links
Content optimization
ect ect

e pluribus unum article text ect ect

/Example.

Considering the apparent reading characteristics of the average Internet user (8th grade reading level, scanning text, looking for most relevant info first like inverted pyramid, ect), I wonder if adding an index at the beginning of articles would have a positive, negative, or neutral impact on the reader.

Let me know what you think!
Kevin

[Lynn Terry]

I think this is a great idea, for the reasons you stated above. Perhaps a bulleted list of highlights a reader can find in your article... and then bold those same topics as sub-titles (in order) in your actual article, for easy scan-and-find reading of the information they are after...