7 tips to better structure your Confluence pages with tabs
Long and complex Confluence pages is an epidemic that needs to stop. And no, adding an AI-generated summary and the trending TLDR sections are not the answer. They help people grasp a better understanding of the content for sure. However, once your readers dive in, they will be put off by the complexity of the page especially if it is not based on a template.
So what can you do to better structure your Confluence pages? Use tabs (Roll credits).
I know what you are thinking, another Marketplace partner promoting his app. In reality, yes 😀, but not as you think. Tabs are only as good as you make them to be. Simple in nature yet extremely flexible, tabs can be tailored for a variety of use cases. In this post, I will dive into when and why to use tabs, and share a couple of tips and best practices to create great ones.
Why use tabs in Confluence?
We use tabs to organize content and facilitate navigation. I would like to think of Confluence tabs as the regular tabs you find within websites. You can’t put everything just like that within a single web page (if you have too much content), and the same applies to Confluence. At the end of the day, it is not only about the content, but rather, how you present it. You need to strike the perfect balance between content, readability, and control (basically users control what they want to see).
And tabs are ideal when you have multiple categories or sections of content that need to be separated. Whether it's project phases, team updates, or product features, tabs offer a visually appealing and organized way to present diverse content.
Are there any specific scenarios when I should use tabs?
Well, there are plenty. Think of any piece of content or process, where you really felt the need to break down content and separate it into clear sections. Onboarding checklists, project phases, marketing plans, I mean the list is endless if you think about it.
But let’s check a simple scenario. You are a new hire accessing an onboarding plan Confluence page. There is different information to learn and action items to complete within specific timeframes (first day, after a week, and so on.). To make life easier for you, the page would contain several tabs based on those timeframes. So, for example, a week into your onboarding plan, there would be no scrolling or looking around, you just access the tab marked first week.
Another example, for a product marketer like me, I often find myself in technical Confluence pages (such as sprint planning) where I only need specific information. Here tabs are extremely convenient as I can simply access tabs relevant to me such as release timeline, and so on.
How to effectively use tabs in Confluence
- Choose descriptive titles: This one is obvious. Opt for clear and concise titles that accurately reflect the content within each section. Avoid generic titles and prioritize clarity to guide users effectively.
- Leverage icons and colors: Incorporate visual elements such as icons and colors to distinguish between tabs visually. This enhances navigation and adds a layer of visual appeal. With our tabs macro, you can choose the style of your tabs and add colors all while seeing the changes in real-time.
- Consider your page layout: Your page layout and content nature dictate whether you should use horizontal or vertical tabs. Horizontal tabs are ideal for a limited number of tabs, maximizing horizontal space and ensuring easy access. On the other hand, vertical tabs are more suitable for a larger number of tabs.
- Keep it simple: I often come across tabs with too much content. Tabs that are extremely hard to navigate. This is basically replacing an overcrowded Confluence page with overcrowded tabs, which is even worse. If you think the content within each tab is going to be long, you might want to leverage parent and child pages.
- Embed macros within your tabs: You tabs content shouldn’t only be text. You can leverage a variety of built-in and third party macros such as buttons, lists, and more. While doing so, only use macros that add context and build on the text.
- Limit the number of tabs: Although we encourage the use of tabs to enhance navigation, too many tabs is counterproductive. Avoid overcrowding your Confluence pages with tabs, and only use them when necessary. Keep the tab count manageable to prevent overwhelming users and maintain clarity.
- Maintain consistency: Ensure consistency in tab design and placement throughout your Confluence pages to provide a cohesive user experience. Consistent use of formatting and styling reinforces familiarity and usability. For example, if you opt to use tabs right at the top of each page, then make sure to follow the same example, as your readers expect to find tabs there.
And there you have it! Tabs are essential to structure the layout of your Confluence pages, enhance readability and navigation. The tabs in this post are made with our own Tabs macros (part of Content Formatting Toolkit for Confluence Cloud by Vectors). If you like what you see, then you can give the app a try here.
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