Digital and online indexing is about where the index will live (e.g., the web or database environment) and how users interact with it. The index structures digital content so readers can find what they need through the search function, navigation menus, or topic links.
What’s involved in digital and online indexing:
- Reviewing digital content or database records to identify indexable topics, names, and concepts
- Creating structured topic lists or taxonomies suited to the platform or CMS
- Assigning metadata, tags, or subject terms for search engine and internal search optimization
- Linking topics directly to relevant sections, articles, or media within the platform
- Cross-referencing related entries for intuitive navigation
- Ensuring consistency in terminology through a controlled vocabulary
- Adhering to publisher, platform, or industry-specific metadata standards
- Testing navigation and search functions to confirm index usability in the live environment
- Developing a platform-wide controlled vocabulary or taxonomy for large or complex sites
- Providing keyword lists for SEO or marketing purposes
- Creating alternate terminology lists to support diverse user search behavior
- Offering indexing notes for platform updates or new content integration
- Delivering a separate export of all index terms for internal or archival use
- Tagging images, videos, or other non-text content for search and accessibility compliance
- Ensuring accessibility compliance by applying descriptive alt text, ARIA labels, and other accessibility metadata to support screen readers and inclusive navigation.
For this service, I typically work on:
- Content domains - academic databases, archival collections, industry-specific platforms
- Platform/content types - online journals and serial publications, institutional repositories, digital encyclopedias or reference works, e-learning platforms and course libraries, intranets or knowledge management systems, image databases
To request my resume or a complete list of projects, please get in touch via email or through the contact page.