What Would an Infinite Scroll on Google Mean for SEO?

2011 has been an incredibly busy year for Google and search engine updates. According to reports, the company is currently testing a feature that could change the face of internet search as we know it. Rumors are running wild about Google experimenting with an infinite scroll feature that, hence the name, would enable the results to scroll infinitely and essentially present everything in the form of a single page. Like most updates, this one, if made a permanent feature, would theoretically improve the search experience for the user, but what would it mean for SEO? We will examine the potential implications of Google’s rumored infinite scroll update in this article.

The Pros and Cons of Infinite Scroll

When it comes to getting qualified traffic to a website, very few methods can compare to the effectiveness of search engine optimization. Nothing is official yet, but considering the dramatic change the probable infinite scroll update could possibly bring, one would think it could have some pretty huge SEO implications. As far as the impact, we could see it resulting in both pros and cons.

More Exposure

More than likely, infinite scroll will have little to no affect on pages that are optimized well enough to make what we currently know as the coveted first page. If you are positioned in the first 10 results, you will probably benefit just the same by getting the most exposure and in turn, the most traffic. However, the infinite scroll feature could end up benefitting those who would normally be found on the second and third pages as well. Although it is all a relatively simple process, being able to stroll is perceivably easier than clicking through page after page, meaning searchers may be willing to travel than would have otherwise.

A Deeper Burial

On the other side of the spectrum, you have implications that could see Google’s infinite scroll feature leaving a negative mark on SEO. Once again, it all goes back to the user’s mentality. Although being on the third page obviously will not get you as much exposure as a front page spot, being ranked in the top 30 results for competitive keywords isn’t a bad deal at all. However, infinite scroll and its never-ending aspect could make searching through a single page seem like more of a chore, similar to those long sales letter formatted web pages you never make it through. If users take this approach to Google’s concept, failing to the make the first ten to twenty results could result in a deep burial.

In Closing

It is important to reiterate that no one knows what impact a Google infinite scroll feature would have on SEO. The search company is supposedly still testing it and there is no telling when, or if we will ever see it. With that said, we think it is very likely that this one will come to fruition. Infinite scroll is already a part of Google Image Search, so seeing it incorporated on the core search product wouldn’t be surprising. For this reason, infinite scroll is something SEO managers need to keep in the back of their minds at the very least.