Google Search recently updated, and infinite scrolling in search results will become a thing of the past

A Significant Change Without Interface Alterations

This is a big one, and finally, it comes without any interface change behind Google's name. Also, there will no longer be an infinite scroll on results pages.

Released first for mobile in October 2021, it expanded to the desktop a couple of months later—on December 11. Desktop users will see the change from June 25 (Eastern Time), while mobile changes are coming soon.

With infinite scroll, the goal was a smoother and more continuous user experience. This was especially oriented towards mobile devices, where the user experience ultimately suffered from limited screen sizes.

A Consistent User Experience Across Devices

We wanted to provide a feature that improved quick access without having you jump through pages over and over again. In December 2022, we finally brought this feature onto the desktop version for a consistent user experience across devices.

A Google spokesperson told Search Engine Land that the company has removed infinite scroll support for mobile and desktop. This is a big change in how people will use Google search from now on.

Challenges with User Experience

Why Infinite Scroll Was Phased Out by Google Perhaps one of the biggest hurdles to face is concerning user experience. While infinite scroll ensures that the users are glued to their screens as one piece of content after another keeps getting redirected from servers, it can also result in a feeling similar to hitting your face against the wall when trying to unearth unheard-of info.

This can be frustrating, with users having to scroll and go through options without finding the exact answers they are looking for.

Technical Drawbacks of Infinite Scrolling

Moreover, infinite scrolling can lead to cognitive burden as well. Users can become too overwhelmed with an abundance of information, which stops them from properly evaluating or comparing search results. This decreases search satisfaction overall.

More technically, implementing an infinite scroll can also affect how the page is loaded.

Endlessly reloading new content takes up more data and can slow down your browser, which is likely to happen in devices with slower internet connections or processing power. This would worsen the hands-free driving experience that it was conceived to enable.

Shifting Focus from Relevance

During my frequent visits to the search engine, I noticed the implementation of the infinite scroll; it moved more unrequested content upwards of precious space on the screen by shifting focus from what is most relevant.

This can give the user the impression that results could be manipulated and are of lower quality, as we may describe results based on information not entirely relevant to the search intent.

Benefits of Paginated Search Results

Paging search results gives users a clear structure and a feeling of progress. This helps users better understand search results by exploring through pages and making the adjustments they need for their searches.

This structure is designed around additional filters to catch potential mismatches or extraneous results before users refine their search.

Nonetheless, this may be challenging for business websites if they have more significant issues getting on the first search page. Infinite scrolling increased the odds these sites had when gaining visibility because their content would surface much earlier in a user's scroll.

Impact on Click-Through Rates

Because of the reintroduction of paginated search, any sites not ranking on page one will see their click-through rates fall off a cliff. If the first page delivers what they are looking for, users will be less likely to visit subsequent pages, which can hurt sites that rank lower.

This change will most directly affect search console data for these websites, further hindering their ability to rank. Lower click-through rates affect a site's perceived relevance and authority, leading to an increasingly difficult obstacle in getting up the search rankings.

SEO Strategy Adjustments

Removing infinite scroll will influence a company in broader terms, such as search engine optimization (SEO) strategies; with the return to paginated search results comes changes in user behavior, which will require SEO professionals to adapt. Key considerations include:

This is a return to paginated search, just in another form—an isolated state. Make Sure You Rank on the First Page: Ranking well enough on the first page becomes more important than ever.

This will force SEO to dial up optimization of content for the best possible and competitive keywords it is ranking on or try to improve its overall position from the home page to any first SERP.

Enhancing User Experience

Content Quality and Relevance: High-value, relevant content will still be key. Google algorithms prefer content that answers users' queries most succinctly. So, businesses and content creators need to double down on in-depth, informative pieces that solve problems for their target audience.

Better User Experience: One of the most important areas will be enhancing user experience on websites. This means improving page load time, optimizing for mobile, and making your site easy to navigate. Better engagement metrics often lead to higher search rankings and, more importantly, a better user experience.

Not Diversifying Traffic Sources: If you are stuck on page 2 or beyond, even the top of those SERPs is never going to bring much traffic organically because when people search for that long-tail keyword, they typically click the results shown above yours in paid search and preferably want some localization [and perhaps mobilefriendliness] done.

Monitoring Search Performance Metrics

Building a following on social media, doing some email checks, and even leaching off other free channels can be of great help when you're less visible on the top searches.

Watching and Knowing How to Pivot: SEO is a world of constant change. You will definitely want to pay attention to search performance metrics. Want to see how search feature changes affect site traffic and user behavior? Use tools like Google Analytics or Search Console. This data will help you focus on current SEO tactics and changes.

Although Infinite Scroll sought to improve user experiences by easing the friction of navigating between pages, killing it off could be a step towards more clarity and control.

User Adjustment to Pagination

Users generally appreciate information about where they are in a set of results, and pagination provides an organized way to move through search results. It serves as the natural starting and stopping place for users to assess the information's accuracy.

"Some users may need to be more enthusiastic about this change. It will require an adjustment for users who are used to the endless scroll experience, and they may react sensitively as they get used to the reintroduction of pagination. Without an infinite scrolling feature, Google must ensure that the entire search interface remains intuitive and seamless."