Infinite scrolling is a feature that prevents the browser scroll bar from moving to the bottom of a web page. The content is continuously extended as the page user scrolls down the page. Some website designs use the “Load More” indication as an alternative to the infinite scrolling technique.
The popular social media platforms of Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest all make use of infinite scrolling. This creates ongoing information feeds that appear to have no end. Before deciding whether to include infinite scrolling in the web design of your site, take time to consider the pros and cons of this feature.
Major Pros and Cons of Including Infinite Scrolling in Your Website Design
Important pros and cons of using infinite scrolling in the design of your website include the following:
Pros
Creates Quality User Experience (UX). Infinite scroll produces a more compelling user experience than usual pagination. Page viewers stay engaged, moving down the page to see the new and continuously populated feeds of data. In many instances, pagination with a constant refresh would not offer a seamless UX like infinite scroll can ensure.
Experienced sites like major social media platforms monetize their viewers by skillfully including ads in the continuous data flow without interrupting the user experience. They achieve the ideal placement of these ads with the use of algorithms.
Is Ideal for Visual Websites. Infinite scroll is well-suited for use on visual websites. There are no limitations on the number, size and shape of images that you can include effectively on these sites when using infinite scroll. Text and other media content can also be successfully included in this type of page design using the infinite scrolling technique.
Benefits Mobile and Touch-Screen Users. For mobile device and touch screen users, infinite scroll produces a more seamless UX. While pagination can be hindered by slow loading times, swiping aligns with the basic design and use of mobile devices.
Cons
Makes Information Access Challenging. Certain web page information may be more difficult to reach when using the infinite scroll technique. For instance, if you want to access the footer of a web page, you can most likely get there faster by using pagination instead.
If you implement infinite scroll, the bounce rate for your web page will be inoperative. Using pagination will translate to more page views. This can produce better ROI if your page includes ads.
Lowers SEO Ranking. Infinite scroll usage on websites is known to lower Google search rankings. This is because Google bots view the web page as singular content, failing to view significant amounts of page content. Overlooking major content results in a lower SEO ranking.
There are only a few instances in which the use of an infinite scroll is highly effective. This technique is ideal for website platforms and apps that display large feeds of user-generated content, such as large social media sites. Pagination is the most suitable choice for goal-focused websites and apps on which users are seeking specific data and information.
