Is embedded indexing a worthwhile pursuit for indexers? A qualitative survey of current practices and thoughts for the future

Professional indexers have been able to embed index entries into book content for several decades, but it is still a niche practice. A qualitative survey was conducted in 2024 to explore why indexers are doing embedded indexing, what processes and software they are using for this work, and their thoughts about the future of embedding. Reflecting on the survey results and their own considerable experience with back-of-book indexing, the authors conclude, among other points, that the profitability of embedded indexing depends on familiarity and efficiency with the process and the software.