Google discontinues continuous scrolling in SERPs

Google announces that it is abandoning continuous scrolling in search results and returning to traditional page navigation. This change will initially affect desktop search and later mobile devices. The continuous scroll feature, which was introduced in October 2021 for mobile devices and in December 2022 for desktop searches, allowed users to scroll through multiple pages of search results without having to click “Next page”.

The main reason for removing this feature, according to Google, is that the continuous loading of search results did not lead to significantly higher user satisfaction. Instead, the return to page navigation should help to provide search results more quickly, as only the explicitly requested results are loaded
The abolition of continuous scrolling also has an impact on search engine optimisation (SEO) and advertising strategies. As users are now more inclined to click on the first page of search results, the number of clicks for websites on the following pages could fall. Companies must therefore adapt their SEO strategies in order to remain visible.
The decision has led to mixed reactions in the search engine marketing community. Some experts suspect that this change is also aimed at increasing the number of clicks on paid adverts and Google’s own content.