Google is enhancing the desktop search experience by introducing a feature that mirrors the mobile interface, allowing users to seamlessly scroll through numerous pages of search results. This continuous scrolling functionality is now being implemented for desktop search results in the United States.
In correspondence with Search Engine Journal, Google detailed how Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) will exhibit up to six pages of URLs before encouraging users to click on the “more results” option. The aim is to streamline the search process, offering users a more efficient way to access relevant information without excessive clicks. The continuous scrolling feature ensures that as users scroll down, they will encounter successive pages of search results, up to six pages, automatically displayed. A “More results” button becomes visible if users wish to explore further.
As Google increasingly populates the initial search results page with advertisements, featured snippets, multimedia content, ‘people also ask’ boxes, and various other features, this update proves advantageous for standard web pages. Enabling searchers to scroll through six pages simultaneously enhances the likelihood of them discovering more results before encountering any limitations.
It’s worth noting that this modification is not anticipated to impact reporting. Google clarified that, consistent with last year’s implementation of continuous scrolling for mobile search results, there is no discernible difference in Search Console. This is because Search Console tracks Search Engine Results Page (SERP) positions rather than individual pages. The introduction of continuous scrolling does not alter the functioning of position reporting in Search Console, which remains unaffected as if pages were not automatically loaded.