Infinite scrolling could be SEO agencies’ nemesis

Google’s rumoured plans to launch a new interface could have major implications for SEO agencies.

The search engine giant is currently testing out infinite scrolling, which is designed to make searching quicker and more easily for users.
With infinite scrolling, Google’s interface would change to incorporate a new detailed search options sidebar along with a fixed search box and navigation bar.

This has major implications for SEO because it stops users having to move up and down to switch over to the next page of the search results as they have to at the moment. Indeed, they will only need to scroll up and down the new search bar in order to spot the pages they would like to click through to.

This means that the current search listings pecking order of first page, second page, third page and so on will lose its resonance. Indeed, infinite scrolling negates SEO’s basic purpose – to keep a site on page one of the search results. However, current SEO practice is founded on this structure.

If Google launched infinite scrolling tomorrow, then the world of SEO would be in turmoil: click-through rates would alter dramatically and links which previously might have been at the bottom of the pile could end up beating those which were at the top.

SEO agencies are advised to keep a close eye on the unfolding developments so that they have time to rethink their strategy if infinite scrolling does actually launch.