{"id":7791,"date":"2023-01-20T13:52:44","date_gmt":"2023-01-20T13:52:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/20\/how-googles-continuous-scroll-can-impact-seo\/"},"modified":"2023-01-20T13:52:44","modified_gmt":"2023-01-20T13:52:44","slug":"how-googles-continuous-scroll-can-impact-seo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/20\/how-googles-continuous-scroll-can-impact-seo\/","title":{"rendered":"How Google\u2019s continuous scroll can impact SEO"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>In December, Google <a href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/google-brings-continuous-scroll-to-desktop-search-results-390004\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">introduced continuous scroll<\/a> to desktop search results. SEO practitioners immediately anticipated what the move\u2019s impact will be on the industry.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>In this article, I\u2019ll share insights on continuous scroll\u2019s relevance today, its potential impact to the search experience, and how SEOs can adapt.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_81 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/20\/how-googles-continuous-scroll-can-impact-seo\/#To_click_or_to_scroll_Thats_not_the_question\" >To click or to scroll? That\u2019s not the question!<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/20\/how-googles-continuous-scroll-can-impact-seo\/#%E2%80%98The_best_place_to_hide_a_dead_body%E2%80%A6\" >\u2018The best place to hide a dead body\u2026\u2019\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/20\/how-googles-continuous-scroll-can-impact-seo\/#Above_the_fold_Truth_or_myth\" >Above the fold: Truth or myth?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/20\/how-googles-continuous-scroll-can-impact-seo\/#How_will_continuous_scroll_impact_search_experience_and_SEO\" >How will continuous scroll impact search experience and SEO?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/20\/how-googles-continuous-scroll-can-impact-seo\/#No_more_%E2%80%98Page_1_results\" >No more \u2018Page 1\u2019 results<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/20\/how-googles-continuous-scroll-can-impact-seo\/#More_results_will_be_viewed\" >More results will be viewed<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/20\/how-googles-continuous-scroll-can-impact-seo\/#The_top_3_may_lose_some_attention\" >The top 3 may lose some attention<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/20\/how-googles-continuous-scroll-can-impact-seo\/#More_ads_and_features_on_top\" >More ads and features on top<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/20\/how-googles-continuous-scroll-can-impact-seo\/#Fewer_or_more_result_clusters_from_one_website\" >Fewer or more result clusters from one website<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/20\/how-googles-continuous-scroll-can-impact-seo\/#How_can_SEO_specialists_still_optimize_or_adapt\" >How can SEO specialists still optimize or adapt?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/20\/how-googles-continuous-scroll-can-impact-seo\/#Focus_on_low-hanging_fruits_which_can_potentially_rank_in_the_top_3\" >Focus on low-hanging fruits which can potentially rank in the top 3<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/20\/how-googles-continuous-scroll-can-impact-seo\/#Stand_out_in_the_SERPs_with_page_titles\" >Stand out in the SERPs with page titles<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/20\/how-googles-continuous-scroll-can-impact-seo\/#Make_use_of_Google_features_like_images_and_%E2%80%98People_Also_Ask\" >Make use of Google features like images and \u2018People Also Ask\u2019<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"To_click_or_to_scroll_Thats_not_the_question\"><\/span>To click or to scroll? That\u2019s not the question!<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The way I see it, continuous scroll signals a move away from the outdated \u201cpage\u201d metaphor. <\/p>\n<p>Since the early 1990s, we have used the term \u201cwebpages,\u201d as if websites were printed on paper. Despite over 20 years of technological progress, the flawed metaphor still persists, even on Google\u2019s SERPs. But it might be going away soon.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The concept of scrolling is pervasive on the web today. Most webpages are extended \u201cbelow the fold,\u201d and content is mostly reachable through scrolling, the easiest way to navigate websites.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s why in recent years, the scroll user experience is being enhanced with continuity. This way, web content is loaded on-demand as the user scrolls down \u2013 thus, the name \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nngroup.com\/articles\/infinite-scrolling-tips\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">infinite scroll<\/a>.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Technically, it\u2019s not really infinite since the scroll only lasts for as long as there is content to show. Rather, the correct term is \u201ccontinuous scroll.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Most social media platforms implement this approach to show users an unlimited \u2013 and <a href=\"https:\/\/freedom.to\/blog\/infinite-scroll\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">often addictive<\/a> \u2013 stream of content. Freedom, an app that blocks infinite scroll sites, is gaining popularity among people looking to eliminate distractions and ensure productivity while at work.<\/p>\n<p>Some publishers even started to merge pagination and scrolling approaches \u2013 where users are served with a new article once they reach the end of the post they\u2019re reading.<\/p>\n<p>SEO still heavily relies on the page metaphor to assign particular keywords to certain pieces of content.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>In contrast, smaller search engines, such as DuckDuckGo, have been serving search results without pagination for quite some time. <\/p>\n<p>However, the user still needs to click the \u201cMore results\u201d button, which uncovers another batch of organic SERPs, and the search engine still shows numbers on the results pages.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>People are much more likely to scroll than to click. It\u2019s simple psychology. <\/p>\n<p>Why stop and carry out a different action, when it\u2019s so much easier to move in a direction you have already started to move toward?<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%98The_best_place_to_hide_a_dead_body%E2%80%A6\"><\/span>\u2018The best place to hide a dead body\u2026\u2019\u00a0<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>It\u2019s no secret that most searchers only click search results on Google\u2019s Page 1.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\nSource: <a href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/google-ctr-stats\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Backlinko<\/a><\/div>\n<p>Within the SEO industry, there is even an old joke alluding to the comparably minuscule likelihood of getting found on Page 2.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe best place to hide a dead body is Page 2 of Google\u2019s search results.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Oh no! Just think of all the dead bodies hidden on page two throughout the years! Soon, they will all be found.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Apart from the running joke of SEO insiders, the impact of giving up the \u201cpage\u201d metaphor on Google search may be significant or negligible. Let\u2019s assess it based on existing data and experience.<\/p>\n<p>Over the years, we have seen studies analyzing click distribution on search results and user experience tests on how \u201cthe fold\u201d (or scrolling) affects the visibility of page elements and usability in general.\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<\/div>\n<p>The number one organic result gets the majority of attention and clicks, between 20 to 40%. The second and third results still get double-digit percentages. All in all, it\u2019s more than half of the total clicks. <\/p>\n<p>The rest of the page? Not so much!<\/p>\n<p>Most click distribution studies found that the rest of the results only get 2%\u20139% of clicks.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><!-- START INLINE FORM --><\/p>\n<div class=\"nl-inline-form border py-2 px-1 my-2\">\n<div class=\"row align-items-center\">\n<div class=\"col-12 col-lg-3 col-xl-4 pe-md-0 pb-2 pb-lg-0\">\n<p class=\"inline-form-text text-center mb-0\">Get the daily newsletter search marketers rely on.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-12 col-lg-7 col-xl-6  pe-lg-0\">\n<div class=\"form-nl-inline\">\n<div class=\"row g-0\">\n<div class=\"form-group col-12 col-lg-8 mb-0\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"col-12 col-lg-4 col-xl-4 mb-0\">\n<div class=\"d-none\">\n<p>Processing\u2026Please wait.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"btn btn-dark inlineButton w-100 rounded-0 font-weight-bold\">SUBSCRIBE<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-12 col-lg-2 col-xl-2 ps-1\">\n<p class=\"text-center mb-0\"><a class=\"nl-terms\" href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/termsofuse\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">See terms.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><!-- END INLINE FORM --><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Above_the_fold_Truth_or_myth\"><\/span>Above the fold: Truth or myth?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The concept of \u201cabove the fold\u201d traces its roots to traditional newspapers. Due to their large size, newspapers were often folded in half to be displayed on newsstands or carried around.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The most important news stories were placed on the first page and &#8220;above the fold,&#8221; visible to passersby casually scanning the headlines.<\/p>\n<p>When the page and front page metaphors were transferred to the web, many website owners started applying the same rule to online content as well.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Does &#8220;above the fold&#8221; only apply to actual newspapers? Information architecture, user experience and graphic design experts have conflicting opinions on the matter.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Some experts believe it\u2019s vital to put the most important elements on top of the page where it&#8217;s visible without scrolling, similar to the &#8220;above the fold&#8221; concept from traditional newspapers. <\/p>\n<p>Others think that the fold is a myth on the web as <a href=\"https:\/\/cxl.com\/blog\/above-the-fold\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">most people tend to scroll down<\/a> to view the rest of a webpage anyway.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\nSource: <a href=\"https:\/\/time.com\/12933\/what-you-think-you-know-about-the-web-is-wrong\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Chartbeat via Time Magazine<\/a><\/div>\n<p>Whether they agree with the concept or not, most experts concur that putting as much as possible on the homepage or landing page is important. <\/p>\n<p>This is because, on average, ~80% of website visitors <a href=\"https:\/\/www.siegemedia.com\/strategy\/bounce-rate\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">will only see one page<\/a> during their visit and go back without clicking anything.<\/p>\n<p>Thus, a combined solution seems to be the best compromise \u2013 displaying important elements (i.e., value proposition, CTA, contact) above the fold and having the rest visible on scroll without relying on clicks to other pages.<\/p>\n<p>Some designers even create fancy effects to further enhance the experience of scrolling through a page or content, dropping the page metaphor altogether to create &#8220;one-page websites.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Apparently, this is also the approach Google is taking for its search results.\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\nSource: <a href=\"https:\/\/developers.google.com\/search\/docs\/appearance\/visual-elements-gallery\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Visual Elements Gallery of Google Search<\/a><\/div>\n<p>Given the <a href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/googles-interesting-finds-serp-feature-the-interesting-reason-why-mobile-organic-search-traffic-remained-strong-while-desktop-dropped-330438\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">increasing<em> <\/em>clutter<\/a> their search results have amassed over the years, including a plethora of <a href=\"https:\/\/developers.google.com\/search\/docs\/appearance\/visual-elements-gallery#\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SERP features<\/a> and an ever-growing number of ads, Google needed more space to potentially push actual organic results further down the SERP.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_will_continuous_scroll_impact_search_experience_and_SEO\"><\/span>How will continuous scroll impact search experience and SEO?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>There are many potential ways continuous scroll can impact the search experience on Google and thus also SEO practices. <\/p>\n<p>Here are some ideas from me and other SEO experts debating the change.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"No_more_%E2%80%98Page_1_results\"><\/span>No more \u2018Page 1\u2019 results<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Let&#8217;s start with the obvious outcome. There will no longer be a real \u201cPage 1.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>SXO strategist Lucas Rogala <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/feed\/update\/urn:li:activity:7005849993576112128?commentUrn=urn%3Ali%3Acomment%3A%28activity%3A7005849993576112128%2C7005863367231860737%29\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">puts it<\/a> in a very funny way:<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Now everybody can rank on [the] first page.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Andrew Prince, senior SEO analyst at Wayfair, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/andrew-prince-asp316_google-brings-continuous-scroll-to-desktop-activity-7005638121824423936-4wDL\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">says it more eloquently<\/a>:<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;This may end the &#8216;we want to rank on Page 1&#8217; requests now since ~6 pages of results will appear while scrolling down.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"More_results_will_be_viewed\"><\/span>More results will be viewed<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>It&#8217;s much more likely that people will scroll further down than the usual top 10 organic results due to the newfound convenience.<\/p>\n<p>Areej AbuAli, technical SEO and founder of Crawlina, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/feed\/update\/urn:li:activity:7005635731654107136\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">supports this<\/a> conclusion:<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Humans are scrollers by nature. This is good news and it&#8217;ll likely reflect in better click-through rates for lower ranking domains.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_top_3_may_lose_some_attention\"><\/span>The top 3 may lose some attention<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Currently, the top 3 results are where the bulk of organic clicks go. This likely won&#8217;t change in the near future, but their dominance might dwindle.<\/p>\n<p>Over the years, we\u2019ve seen this happen due to the proliferation of:\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Additional features.<\/p>\n<p>Various page elements.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>More content types.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>This expansion has already diluted the inverted pyramid of click distribution. Back when Google search results still displayed the proverbial &#8220;10 blue links,&#8221; click heat maps indicated an overwhelming bias toward the number one spot, with more than 40% of clicks going there.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Nowadays, the top organic spot earns around 28% of clicks, as <a href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/google-ctr-stats\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Backlinko<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sistrix.com\/blog\/why-almost-everything-you-knew-about-google-ctr-is-no-longer-valid\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Sistrix<\/a> click-through rate studies have shown.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Given the additional options further down, people might get used to scrolling more and rely less on the top results.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"More_ads_and_features_on_top\"><\/span>More ads and features on top<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>With Google having more potential space to fill ads and special features, there is also a better excuse to push organic results further down.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>We can also probably expect more special features on top because they can&#8217;t be shown properly below continuous scroll results.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Websites with footers, despite having an infinite scroll functionality, are often a usability nightmare. Users have to chase the disappearing footer to reach a footer link and click it.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Therefore, we potentially won&#8217;t see as many ads and features below organic results. Where else can Google put them? In the &#8220;middle&#8221; before the next section formerly displayed as a separate page?<\/p>\n<p>SEO manager Tobiasz Szl\u0119k <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/feed\/update\/urn:li:activity:7005849993576112128\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">expects<\/a> to see a lower CTR because of this:<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;&#8230; we should be expecting to see more zero-click searches as Google will be presenting more and more information directly on the result pages \u2026&#8221;<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Fewer_or_more_result_clusters_from_one_website\"><\/span>Fewer or more result clusters from one website<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>In the past, you could get two results on Pages 1 or 2, or even two separate results on different pages.<\/p>\n<p>When you change the display settings from 10 results per page to 100, you might also see two results for one website combined despite them usually being shown more than a few positions apart (i.e., an article ranking 9th would be grouped with another one from 55th).\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>It will be interesting to see how Google will deal with that from now on. Such combined result clusters may become more frequent at first but less likely to show once Google adjusts the relevance to the new reality of continuous scrolling.<\/p>\n<p>Why? Let&#8217;s be honest, just because a second result is on the same site does not always mean it is as helpful as the other higher-ranking one.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_can_SEO_specialists_still_optimize_or_adapt\"><\/span>How can SEO specialists still optimize or adapt?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>So how do we adapt as publishers, content creators and SEO practitioners? It depends, of course, on what the actual impact will be.<\/p>\n<p>Given past developments, consider these changes to your SEO approach and long-term content marketing plans.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Focus_on_low-hanging_fruits_which_can_potentially_rank_in_the_top_3\"><\/span>Focus on low-hanging fruits which can potentially rank in the top 3<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>It&#8217;s still advisable to rank in the top 3, not &#8220;Page 1&#8221; or &#8220;Top 10.\u201d As, without pages, the latter is completely useless.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>So it&#8217;s often better to find the low-hanging fruits already ranking and optimize those pages for the keyphrases where they can reach the top 3.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Stand_out_in_the_SERPs_with_page_titles\"><\/span>Stand out in the SERPs with page titles<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Given the larger number of organic results people will peruse from now on, it&#8217;s more important than ever to stand out in the crowded SERPs.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Some techniques to consider include:<\/p>\n<p>Featured snippets.<\/p>\n<p>Special characters.<\/p>\n<p>Emojis.<\/p>\n<p>Ideally, you must always optimize your page titles and meta descriptions so that searchers do not just choose the listicle with the largest number in front or the article with the latest date before the description.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Make_use_of_Google_features_like_images_and_%E2%80%98People_Also_Ask\"><\/span>Make use of Google features like images and \u2018People Also Ask\u2019<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>If you can&#8217;t beat them, join them. It&#8217;s hard to compete against Google for &#8220;SERP real estate&#8221; when they own that space.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>You\u2019ll have to play by Google&#8217;s rules, and if they say you have to hide below the fold and stay there, then you have no choice.<\/p>\n<p>That said, you can get preferential treatment by optimizing your content for Google&#8217;s special features.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>One successful technique is to go after a more specific search query, often displayed as <a href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/google-paa-vs-featured-snippets-data-379290\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">&#8220;People Also Ask&#8221; (PAA) questions<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>When you check some of them, you have to wonder whether searchers really do make such grammar mistakes or if the algorithm displays potential questions in the most convenient and context-sensitive way.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Regardless of why this happens, you can always find many questions to answer just by checking the results for the keywords you are optimizing for.<\/p>\n<p>Other ways of fast-tracking your way to the top and being more clickable than your competition are image and video content. Look at repurposing your written content as images or videos using various formats.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Creating dedicated images (photos, visualization, infographics) or videos (interviews, tutorials, reviews) can boost your chances of getting clicked.<\/p>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/google-continuous-scroll-seo-impact-391905\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">How Google\u2019s continuous scroll can impact SEO<\/a> appeared first on <a href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Search Engine Land<\/a>.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In December, Google introduced continuous scroll to desktop search results. SEO practitioners immediately anticipated what the move\u2019s impact will be on the industry.\u00a0 In this article, I\u2019ll share insights on continuous scroll\u2019s relevance today, its potential impact to the search experience, and how SEOs can adapt. To click or to scroll? That\u2019s not the question! The way I see it, continuous scroll signals a move away from the outdated \u201cpage\u201d metaphor. Since the early 1990s, we have used the term \u201cwebpages,\u201d as if websites were printed [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"h5ap_radio_sources":[],"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7791","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-best-seo-blogs"],"featured_image_src":null,"featured_image_src_square":null,"author_info":{"display_name":false,"author_link":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/author\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7791","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7791"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7791\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7791"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7791"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7791"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}