Continuous scrolling - effects of the new Google function on your search engine marketing

There is a joke among search engine experts: "The best place to hide a dead body is on the second page of Google's search results". But this joke is already outdated. Following the example of the social media platforms Instagram and Co. the search engine is now switching to Google continuous scrolling on the desktop version. This means that the classic first page of Google, which websites used to fight over, is no longer there.

This change raises the question of to what extent your own search engine marketing is affected by it, and which new measures and strategies need to be used. To answer these questions, this article looks at the effects of continuous scrolling on your SEO and SEA.

Is now the time to turn your back on the outdated metaphor of the "page"?

Google's new feature ensures that users no longer scroll from page to page, but continuously scroll down. Google loads more and more search results until the end is reached.

In contrast to infinity scrolling, which is mostly used on social media platforms, the continuous scrolling established by Google ultimately has an end of page. This first "page" of the new Google function comprises approximately the first 6 pages of the old version. Nevertheless, this redesign represents a further step into the digital age. Young people are used to having an infinite feed with expanding results due to social networks. By adapting to this contemporary way of acquiring knowledge, Google is ensuring that it remains competitive as a search engine.

"Above the fold" system

This change comes at the right time, as the page principle is outdated anyway. The structure of Google pages is still based on the classic structure of a newspaper. The most important and largest headlines are always placed "above the fold", i.e. above the fold that divides the newspaper. This ensures that these topics are seen at first glance. Nowadays, however, it has become normal to scroll and view a wide range of information and texts. As a result, the classic "above the fold" system no longer applies and other topics get almost as much attention. Will this change the whole of search engine marketing?

What will change with continuous scrolling?

• Page one disappears: As already mentioned above, the first page disappears and more results can be seen in one scroll. People's natural tendency to scroll further also means that a higher number of results can be seen directly. This relieves the pressure to rank in the top 10 search results, but also makes it harder to catch the eye in thisexpanded selection.
• The first three lose importance: The first three results on Google currently get the most organic clicks. But this could change with Google Continuous Scrolling. Over time, users should get used to being able to scroll further and not automatically rely on one of the first results.
• Additional ads: Google Continuous Scrolling gives the search service additional space for ads and other special features. Of course, this gives you a good excuse to push organic search further down and make more room for paid ads. However, it is also possible that the paid search results will not only be shown at the top of the page, but will now be integrated into the feed by Google. This makes it even more difficult for searchers to distinguish organic content from paid ads, which can lead to higher bounce rates and confusion.  On the other hand, ad features such as zero-click searches, i.e. an answer to a question without actually clicking on an ad, are becoming less to non-existent. The high number of results may no longer allow for such helpful features.

• Result clusters will increase: Until now, a website or company could rank on page one with two separate results on the same topics. With the new model, the question arises as to whether Google wants to combine the posts or keep the old order. This would therefore also entail a major change and require the utmost precision in your own ad design.

Tips and tricks to keep your search engine marketing up to date

The new feature from Google gives us the opportunity to take another close look at our Organic Traffic and our SEO.

Because this should be optimally prepared and adapted to the upcoming changes. This includes constant monitoring and analyzing the data. What is your bounce rate? Where are there too many bounces? How is the user page experience? Questions like these will give you an overview of possible changes and allow you to react to them in a targeted manner. If the first page is missing and people are scrolling more, you need to stand out from the competition. Here it is particularly helpful to put a lot of value on the title and the meta title. With a "catchy" but informative headline, good design, clarity and high-quality content, you will attract searchers to your site.

Google Continuous scrolling? Good or bad

With Google Continuous Scrolling, Google is taking a step towards a new era of search engine marketing.

We are still in the early stages of this new Google feature and don't know what the future holds. But this change can also bring a lot of growth potential and open new doors for SEO and SEA. The most important thing is that you continue to optimize, monitor changes and analyze the impact on mobile search results. You may no longer be able to hide bodies on page two, but you can do better search engine marketing.