An exciting change is coming for Google users who search for information on their mobile devices.

Google announced on Oct. 14 that they would start using continuous scrolling on mobile search results pages. This will benefit users looking for the best content online as well as businesses who depend on the search engine for profits.


Keep reading this blog to learn more about continuous scrolling. We’ll discuss what it is, why Google has decided to switch to it, and what it could mean for small online businesses like yours.

What’s Continuous Scrolling?

Social media apps like TikTok and Instagram have been successfully using continuous scrolling for years. The format is more user-friendly and allows viewers to see more content.

Until this point, Google users could only access other pages by scrolling to the bottom and clicking on the next page number in blue.

While they could keep clicking and clicking for new pages, Google data cited in the recent announcement stated that most don’t go past the fourth page of results.

A 2020 Google study found that the click-through rate or CTR for results on the second page were less than 1% per position. Between the first page and tenth page, CTR drops from 46.9% to 1.5%.

Now, when a user reaches the end of a page on their mobile device, the next page of results will automatically load. The “See More” button will also appear later in the scrolling.

According to Google:

People can now seamlessly do this [find additional information], browsing through many different results, before needing to click the ‘See More’ button.

Here’s Why Google Is Changing Search Results

Google’s intention with continuous scrolling is to make “browsing search results more seamless and intuitive.”

Specifically, they want to help users find the right information when their search questions are “broad” and “open-ended.”

Users with these types of questions want to consider more results before making a decision. They could be conducting research, searching for a restaurant, or trying to find inspiration for a craft project.

The upgrade is also more in line with what users are accustomed to seeing on popular social media apps.

It will take some time for continuous scrolling to be available for all. According to Google, “this new search experience is starting to gradually roll out today for most English searches on mobile in the U.S

The Benefits to Small Online Businesses

Every change to Google’s platform has consequences for businesses who depend on it to sell products or services.

At The HOTH, we believe that the addition of continuous scrolling on mobile devices will be an advantage for small online businesses.

Our clients want to use SEO to appear higher in Google rankings. The work we do with content writing, guest posts, and link building help them reach the coveted first page of search results.

But, with continuous scrolling the first page won’t be as important.

Users will seamlessly be connected to the second, third, or fourth page. That content will likely experience a boost in clicks and traffic.

Getting to the first page may still be their goal but thanks to continuous scrolling they’ll also be finding new customers on other pages.

What Should You Do Next?

Are you wondering if your business should do anything different in light of continuous scrolling? Right now we recommend monitoring your analytics.

See how your content is performing on pages two to four. Once you get a sense of what’s happening, it may be wise to shift some resources to other content you never considered highlighting before.

Do you need help with writing killer content or reexamining your strategy? Simply book a free consultation call with one of our experts to get started.