Google is reverting to traditional pagination for search results, scrapping the continuous scrolling feature introduced in recent years. This change, rolling out starting June 25 for desktop and gradually for mobile, aims to speed up search result delivery by loading pages only upon user request.
Originally meant to mimic social media feeds, continuous scrolling allowed users to scroll endlessly through search results without clicking to load more pages. However, Google found it didn’t significantly enhance user satisfaction.
The new approach means users will see pagination bars on the desktop and a “More results” button on mobile to navigate through search results. This shift may impact how websites compete for visibility, as the top results on the first page could receive more clicks than those on subsequent pages.
Despite its initial promise of improving user experience by reducing clicks, continuous scrolling faced criticism for potentially cluttering search results and complicating accessibility.
Google’s decision reflects a move towards optimizing search efficiency and clarity, prioritizing faster access to relevant information over the continuous loading of additional results.
