Google Discontinues Continuous Scroll on Search Results
- BY Dhiren
- June 26, 2024
- Read in 4 Minutes
Google has declared that they would no longer allow continuous scroll in search results (SERPs) to speed up search result serving.
Many people in the search marketing field doubt this argument and raise concerns about it. What’s going on here?
Continuous Scroll in Search Results
Infinite scrolling is a method of displaying material popularized by social media in which users may explore endlessly in a state of continual discovery. It’s worthless navigation.
In 2021, Google introduced Continuous Scroll in mobile search results, displaying up to four pages of online results before prompting users to click a link to see more.
Website owners and the search marketing industry celebrated this change since it allowed for the discovery of more sites to searchers.
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No More Continuous Scroll in Search Results
The Verge recently reported that Google has planned to remove continuous search to deliver faster search results. The change first affects desktop search results, followed by a modification to mobile search results.
What Is the Real Impact?
While Google maintains that the move would help them provide quicker search results, many in the search marketing field are unsure of the impact, and with good reason.
The US Department of Justice disclosed emails showing Google’s senior executives collaborating to promote more advertising in search results.
Brett Tabke, the founder of the Pubcon search marketing conference (and the one who originated the phrase SERPs), shared his thoughts on the move to continuous scroll:
“It essentially boxes more clicks into page one. This will result in a larger percentage of clicks directed to Ads and Google properties. I believe this is another indication that Google is moving away from search and toward a new version of the gateway. Organic search will go to page two and, I suppose, eventually to a new domain.
They will migrate away from organic results on the first page. So, what’s left?
1) Google Ads.
2) Google Property Links
3) Google Overviews Vomit and
4) A link to Page 2.
They are on track to respond to all broad “searches” in some way. When they don’t have a perfect solution, they may use “people also ask” to return to a SERP where they may complete the search with their attributes and responses.”
Brett is not alone in his doubts.
Many people have expressed their doubts about Google’s objectives on X (previously Twitter), indicating a broad lack of trust in the company.
A person tweeted:
I wouldn't be shocked if it was hurting bottom-of-the-page / top of page 2+ ad clicks
— Hernricus Rex (@herndon) June 25, 2024
Another tweet mirrored the prevalent view that Google displays less and fewer connections to independent websites.
Why not just show one page with Google AI, Reddit and the usual culprits? Who clicks on page 2 anyway?
— Michael & Chloe | Nomad And In Love (@nomadandinlove) June 25, 2024
Finally, a tweet from an unidentified person known as “Google Honesty” provided a critical assessment of Google’s objectives.
They tweeted:
Continuous scroll allows everyone to be on page one.
— Google Search Honesty (@googlehonesty) June 25, 2024
We prefer to crush your spirit.
It’s far more humiliating to be on page 6.
Pagination in search allows this ✅ https://t.co/IeUDLz6CzG
Good for Goose. Not For Gander?
While many people believe Google’s move to halt continuous scroll in the SERPs was motivated by sinister intentions, others disagree.
Kevin Indig tweeted on the painful reality of continuous scroll: it is not generally a positive feature.
Kevin Tweeted:
Paginated SERPs are back!
— Kevin_Indig (@Kevin_Indig) June 25, 2024
I've found continuous scroll to be a subpar solution for websites as well. pic.twitter.com/8OoW4j56CW
Continuous scrolling is a good feature for social media, but for other types of websites, it is the answer to a question no one asks. Aside from social media, continuous scroll provides a bad user experience.
What’s difficult to overlook is that (arguably) most website owners and search marketers agree that it’s a bad user experience, unsuitable for many circumstances, and, in some cases, harmful to SEO.
So, in a way, one should take a step back and think about the possibility that continuous scrolling is great in the context of social media, where confused browsing and interaction make sense.
However, endless scrolling may make less sense in the context of purposeful browsing, such as on an e-commerce site, an informational site, or even a search result.
Intentional browsing necessitates intentional navigation. It does not benefit from random exploration.
In that view, maybe it would have been more credible if Google had highlighted that constant scrolling was a bad user experience that did not match the context of search results. Google’s chosen excuse is not going down well.
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