Google Search Pagination
What does this mean for the user search experience?
Google just reintroduced pagination to its search results, and it comes along with some pros and cons.
The days of infinite scrolling through search results are over.
Instead, search results will be split into pages, just like they used to be. Users will need to click through numbered pages to see more results.
What is Google Search Pagination?
Pagination organises content on separate pages, which can be accessed by clicking/tapping buttons usually displayed at the bottom of a search results page.
Google Search Pagination
Advantages
Order and Structure. Pagination improves the user experience for some users. It offers order and structure, making it easier for users to go to a specific page if they see a result and need to revisit it.
Faster Loading. The waiting time is shorter as fewer results are loading on each page. The browser doesn’t have to work extra to display every result.
This helps make the user experience faster, especially for users with a slow connection.
Disadvantages
SEO Strategy Changes. SEO strategies need to be reevaluated. The focus is again on reaching the first page, rather than attracting more traffic with captivating titles and meta descriptions, even if you are not at the top.
For businesses, this means that being on the first page of Google is once again a major goal.
More Clicks. If the users want to explore more than the first page of search results, they will have to start clicking, which is time-consuming if you are used to just scrolling.
Why is Search Pagination Back?
Google aims to offer relevant results as fast as possible. Even though infinite scroll is more convenient, it does not help with loading speed.
So, Google reintroduced pagination as a way to deliver results faster.
What is Infinite Scrolling?
Infinite scrolling is not something new. Many other platforms are using it.
This feature automatically loads more results when users get close to the end of a page.
Google’s Infinite Scroll
Advantages
Increased Engagement. With infinite scrolling, users have a smoother and uninterrupted browsing experience, especially mobile users.
This is more convenient and makes content consumption easier as it doesn’t require users to perform any extra clicks.
Higher Click-Through-Rate. This can expose users to more content, helping domains placed in lower positions in search results to attract more traffic.
Disadvantages
Slow Loading Time. Large amounts of content being loaded simultaneously can cause slow page load or lag, especially on devices with slower internet connection.
Content Exhaustion. For some users, scrolling indefinitely through results might cause content fatigue and confusion as there are too many choices.
What Does This Mean for Marketers and Businesses?
The battle for first-page positions just resumed, reminding all of us how important it is to rank well on the first page of Google, where most users will stay.
The return to search paginations can frustrate some users as they will lose the fluid browsing experience.
However, this change can make others equally satisfied since pagination also offers structure and gives the impression of highly relevant search results displayed on the first page.
It is important to remember that Google’s main goal is to offer relevant results promptly, so pagination seems the best solution for this goal.
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