Needless to say, in the wide and wonderful world of Digital Marketing , Google is the true king of the mountain.
So when Google changes something about how it does things, whether it’s an algorithm change or a small tweak to the overall design of its pages, smart marketers sit up and listen to stay ahead of the game.
On December 5th of this year, Google began rolling out what could definitely be considered a major SERP change : a shift from standalone pages to a single, semi-continuous scrolling interface . The idea is to allow searchers to explore their SERP results in a fluid and intuitive way.
This display method should be familiar to most web users, as it is the go-to standard for social media feeds as well as many major blogs and media outlets. But what does it really mean for Digital Marketing, and what should you
know before the change goes into effect?
What exactly is Google changing?
Instead of the page-by-page SERP Cayman Islands Email List 26689 Contact Leads layout that Google has been using for years, information seekers using the search engine via desktop systems will experience a continuous scrolling effect when browsing through its results once the update is implemented.
It’s important to realize, however, that this won’t be true continuous scrolling. In reality, users will be presented with up to six pages of results at a time before being prompted to load the next set of results via the clickable see more button.
Google began rolling out this new feature to English-language search engines across the United States first.
However, given Google’s approach to previous tweaks to SERP layouts, searchers in other countries and who speak other languages can expect to gain access to continuous scrolling soon.
Case in point: the similar changes Google made to its mobile search interface last October. The goal behind the updates was to improve usability, first and foremost. Minor tweaks were also made to SERP displays to highlight brands, identify sponsored results, and more.
Google Introduced Continuous Scrolling Today, What Impact Will That Have on Paid Ads?
What does this mean for SERP marketing?
In a digital marketing world that has long revolved around achieving a coveted Google placement on the first page, some things are bound to change in the future. Here are some possibilities to consider moving forward.
First page placement will still matter (but in a different way).
With or without continuous scrolling, the average search engine user is more likely to click on entries closer to the top of a given SERP, so getting your site as close to the top position as possible will definitely remain a big issue.
But making what is technically still the first page will be much less important.
With the barriers removed between pages one through six, Google users will no longer have to make a definitive decision to click from page one to page two and beyond. (According to research by Chitika Insights, only 4.8% of users actually do so.)
Instead, searchers will be able to simply scroll past it, so it will feel like an extra-long first page in the first place. This means that pages that might have ended up banished to the dreaded no-man’s land of page two and
Beyond have a better chance of being seen and attracting visitors.
Usability will continue to be a key ranking factor
As any digital marketer who tracks SERP trends knows, user experience is important to Google these days. They’re in the business of providing their own users with a stellar experience, and they’re looking to better rank sites and content creators dedicated to doing the same.
Raising the bar when it comes to user experience on your own site also increases your chances of reaching the top of the SERP (on desktop) and the SERPs (on mobile) — with or without continuous scrolling.
It’s also more likely to appear in key Google SERP features such as rich snippets , featured snippets , people also ask sections , and more.
Targeted useful content will also continue to be big
The introduction of continuous scrolling into Google’s mix means that quality will count even more when it comes to achieving top SERP positions. Digital marketers, SEO professionals , and content creators should focus on generating useful, tailored content that adequately addresses specific needs and drives searches.
And of course, factors like smart keyword usage and well-optimized metadata are also key.
Google users will eventually stop seeing page position as the most important factor determining what to click on and will start trusting more if a link catches their attention and looks like something that will deliver what they are looking for.
As with all changes Google makes to the way it determines, ranks, and organizes search results, it will take time to evaluate the long-term effects of the new continuous scrolling feature.
So be sure to keep an eye on how your own SEO efforts are improving your rankings (or not) as the situation evolves.
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