Web Indexing

Much like the well-known back-of-the-book index, web indexes help users find information using a variety of keywords and gathering similar information under a single topic. Instead of page numbers, web indexes are hypertext-linked directly to the content with in the web site itself.

Web indexes work particularly well in sites that have a flat structure with only one or two levels of hierarchy. Indexes complement search engines on larger web sites and for smaller sites, they provide a cost-effective alternative. Martin Lindstrom, a recognized online branding guru, has found that 20% of web site user turn to the site (web) index in a final attempt to locate information. He also found that over 90% of Fortune 100 publish site indexes, but "Many of the indexes appear to be the result of last-minute assembly, provided as a nominal requirement rather than as a really useful tool."

Some web indexes, take the form of a list of hierarchical categories arranged in alphabetical order. Like their back-of-the-book cousins, these lists gather similar information together under a single topic heading. Users typically need to drill down through the hierarchy in order find the specific category they are looking for. Listing the related second level categories directly under the top level categories often helps the user to find the right starting place.

Whether to use a back-of-the-book style index or a hierarchy of categories will depend on the size of the size of the site and how rapidly the content is changing.

Web Indexing Examples

Parliament of Australia
A large back-of-the-book style index.

UNIXhelp for Users
Both a back-of-the-book style index and a searchable index.

Daily Herald story index - 1901 to 1964
An alphabetical list of subject headings for newspaper articles.

Writer's Block
A "living" index that is updated quarterly.

The World Bank Group
Subject list showing major topics and sub-topics. Each page for a major topic is structured differently.

US Census Bureau
A large multi-level subject list. Also provides a list of subjects in alphabetical order.

Linux Knowledge Portal
A list of subjects called "channels." Channels can be expanded, closed to display only the header, or not shown at all. Readers can customize the page according to their own interests.

Open Directory Project
Extensive directory of major subjects and sub-topics. Can do a search using predefined categories; .

National Library of Canada
A large subject catalogue. Also available in alphabetical order.

Software for Web Indexing

Dedicated back-of-the-book indexing software that can compile HTML indexes independently from the web site(s) being indexed: Macrex; Cindex; Sky Indexer.

HTML Indexer builds the index from tags entered in the source web pages.

Fred Brown
Allegro Technical Indexing
fred.brown@allegrotechindexing.com
(613) 728-9373

July, 2003
Allegro Time!