Infinite Scroll

Infinite scroll is a design pattern where more content loads automatically as a user scrolls down a page, instead of clicking through numbered pages. It suits browsing, but search engine crawlers do not scroll like people, so content further down can go undiscovered unless it is also reachable through normal URLs.

Written by Paul Hoda, SEO consultant since 2005. Last updated 8 November 2026.

How infinite scroll works

When the user nears the bottom of the page, JavaScript requests the next batch of items from the server and adds them to the page. Social feeds, news sites, image galleries and ecommerce category pages often use it. A close relative is the load more button, which fetches the next batch when clicked.

Why it can cause SEO problems

Googlebot renders pages using a tall viewport, but it does not scroll or click like a person. Content that only loads in response to scrolling or a button press may never be seen. That leads to:

  • Products or articles deep in a list that are never discovered or indexed.
  • Fewer internal links pointing to deeper items, weakening their signals.
  • Item pages becoming effectively orphan pages if the scroll feed is the only route to them.
  • Users being unable to share or return to a specific point in the list.

Google’s recommended approach

Google’s guidance is to back infinite scroll with paginated component pages, so both users and crawlers can reach every item:

  1. Split the content into pages, each with its own URL, such as /shoes/?page=2 or /shoes/page/2/.
  2. Make each page accessible directly, loading its own set of items when visited.
  3. Link between pages with normal <a href> links, so crawlers can follow the sequence.
  4. As the user scrolls into a new batch, update the URL in the address bar with the History API.
  5. Give each paginated page a self-referencing canonical, not a canonical to page one.
  6. Avoid overlap between pages, so each item appears on one page in the series.

This is sometimes described as progressive enhancement: the paginated version works without JavaScript, and infinite scroll is layered on top. See pagination for more on structuring page series.

How to test it

  • Disable JavaScript and check whether you can still reach page 2, 3 and beyond.
  • Use the URL Inspection tool on a paginated URL and check that the rendered HTML includes its items.
  • Crawl the site and confirm deep items are found, and check their click depth.
  • Scroll as a user and confirm the URL updates and the back button returns you to the right place.

Other considerations

  • Footers: endless loading can make footer links unreachable for users.
  • Performance: keeping hundreds of items on one page can slow devices and hurt Interaction to Next Paint.
  • Layout shifts: reserve space for new items to avoid jumps in the page.

A load more button backed by paginated URLs is often a good compromise between usability and crawlability.

Key Takeaways

  • Infinite scroll loads more content automatically as users scroll.
  • Crawlers do not scroll or click, so content loaded on scroll may be missed.
  • Back infinite scroll with paginated pages that each have a unique URL.
  • Link pages with real anchor links and update the URL as users scroll.
  • Test with JavaScript disabled to confirm every item is reachable.

Related Terms

Browse more terms in the SEO Encyclopedia.