Looking to migrate to SimpleTOC and insert it across hundreds or even thousands of WordPress posts? The Block Pattern Inserter plugin provides a fast, reliable solution for bulk inserting SimpleTOC block patterns with precision and control. Whether you’re transitioning from EasyTOC or implementing a new table of contents system, this plugin streamlines the process—no manual editing required. Designed for performance and safety, it’s the ideal tool for publishers, content managers, and developers seeking to update large volumes of content efficiently while maintaining site stability.
Screenshots:
Why the Block Pattern Inserter was Created
Frog Stone Media created the Block Pattern Inserter WordPress plugin to improve site speed and efficiency while solving an operational problem on a large WordPress site, MK Library, that serves more than 100,000 monthly readers and hosts over 2,000 articles.
The site was using the plugin EasyTOC, which dynamically inserted a table of contents on each blog post on load, which turned out to be a bottleneck. The plugin SimpleTOC was chosen to switch to, which utilizes block patterns and global settings, generating the table of contents within the edit screen, and not on the frontend with users.
The plugin is also compatible with both GeneratePress and RankMath, which were already extensively used on the site.
We needed to replace every EasyTOC instance with SimpleTOC across the board, yet we could not risk downtime, content corruption, or database latency. Existing batch utilities were either incomplete or nonexistent for this specific use-case.
It seemed like quite a few people were looking for ways to implement SimpleTOC in bulk, but were struggling to find a way. Thus, we built a lightweight, extensible plugin that automates large-scale pattern placement while safeguarding site stability.
Steps to Automatically Bulk Insert SimpleTOC into all blog posts:
- Install SimpleTOC.
- Review global settings.
- Edit an initial post, and insert the SimpleTOC block. Customize the block settings as needed globally.
- Save the block as a Reusable Pattern.
- Install Block Pattern Inserter.
- Select the saved Reusable Pattern, confirm which posts, categories, or dates you would like to automatically insert into.
My Variation:
- I started with a dry run of the last few posts, confirmed no errors showed, then did a live run of the most recent several posts.
- Once EasyTOC was confirmed and the live content looked good, I moved onto bulk inserting SimpleTOC onto every single blog post and let it run.
- After confirming the process has completed, I uninstalled EasyTOC.
Built for Professional Bloggers and Large Sites
The plugin was tested on MK Library during the migration to the lighter SimpleTOC architecture. Execution completed within normal PHP memory limits and without triggering WordPress’s fatal-error protection.
Details logging infrastructure was put into place to make sure if any errors occurred, tracking them down and undoing changes would be easier, not harder.
Performance Considerations
• Batch processing with adjustable chunk sizes prevents PHP timeouts.
• Direct database writes rely on wp_update_post, preserving revision history while avoiding redundant metadata queries.
• Zero telemetry, no tracking, and no front-end assets keep runtime overhead negligible.
Block Settings
Placement logic supports after-image, before-first-H2, after-paragraph, after-second-block, or an explicit block index, allowing precise alignment with existing content structures. Custom block placement is also allowed, while the default settings is geared towards those using a Table of Contents block or pattern.
Operational safety
• Dry-run mode simulates changes and produces a diff log.
• Automatic backups store the original post_content in postmeta for one-click rollback.
• Comprehensive logging writes to disk, capturing execution time, post IDs, and exception traces.
Logging example:
=== Block Pattern Inserter Log ===
Generated: 2025-07-09T15:58:41.453Z
URL: https://www.mklibrary.com/wp-admin/tools.php?page=block-pattern-inserter
=== Summary ===
Processed: 7 / 7 Updated: 5 | Skipped: 2 | Errors: 0
=== Process Log ===
Post "Caring for Leather Shoes and Boots" (ID: 35): Updated - Pattern inserted after image
Post "Aggregate Nutrient Density Index or ANDI" (ID: 97): Updated - Pattern inserted after image
Post "Best Under Sink Water Filtration System Research and DIY" (ID: 64162): Skipped - pattern already existsFeatures
| Feature | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Bulk insertion | Processes thousands of posts in a single operation with progress feedback in the admin UI |
| Targeted selection | Filter by category, taxonomy term, publication date, or custom WP_Query arguments |
| Preset management | Save and reload configuration profiles for recurring workflows |
| Import / export | JSON-based settings portability between staging and production |
| Clean uninstall | Optional data retention flag removes or preserves plugin tables, options, and backups |
Installation
- Upload the plugin folder to wp-content/plugins.
- Activate via the WordPress Plugins screen.
- Navigate to Tools → Block Pattern Inserter.
- Select a pattern, define placement, choose your post set, and execute a dry run.
Example Use Cases
• Insert table-of-contents blocks in legacy articles
• Add call-to-action components site-wide
• Embed newsletter opt-in forms beneath first paragraphs
• Inject author bios or disclosure statements after specific headings
• Apply structural updates during editorial redesigns
Licensing and Support
The Block Pattern Inserter plugin is offered for $125 on Frog Stone Media, which includes a year of updates and downloads. Your own usage of the plugin is unlimited, on as many sites as you want. There is no license key or tracking within the Block Pattern Inserter plugin.
Support is offered at Frog Stone Media’s development rates, which can either be hourly or per project. This policy is due to the complexity of the plugin and large WordPress sites.