What is Pagination and Why to Use Them?
It is not possible for websites to restrict all of their information to a single Web page. That is why sites use multiple pages, each dedicated to a certain piece or type of information. This also makes it easier for visitors to navigate the website and access the information they need. This kind of structured approach results in enhanced user experience, a better understanding of personas and the ability to streamline the buyer’s journey.
All of these things can be achieved through pagination. Pagination is key to streamlining the pages on a website so that visitors through search engines can access them easily. Presenting ordered results on search engines, directing users to pages that contain the information that they searched for, and making it easier for the users to navigate between multiple pages are all part of pagination. So, what is pagination and how can it help you in your search engine optimization (SEO) endeavours? Let us find out.
What is Pagination?
Pagination is a process whereby a huge data set is distributed into several sub-category pages. Pagination makes website navigation smooth and makes information relevant to their specific search query available in one go. This process is implemented by websites on search engines, to yield organic results for each page on a website.
Pagination also allows users to access information like the total number of pages in a website, the page they are currently on, the history i.e. previously opened pages, and much more. This adds to user awareness, making it easy for them to access multiple pages based on their user journey. For instance, quick control buttons on websites such as the previous page, next page, first page, and so on, can contribute to pagination and save a lot of time for the users. This guides them in their journey, as they would know which pages to visit next. This is a defining trait of a refined and rewarding user interface for websites.
How does pagination work?
Pagination in SEO works by splitting a single piece of content across a series of Web pages. It is usually done so that exhaustive chunks of content become easily digestible. It best serves websites that sell multiple products or those that deal with long lists of articles.
Pagination distributes content across multiple URLs. You have the option of scrolling to previous or subsequent URLs. If you use pagination to break down a single piece of content and present it on multiple pages, you must make an effort to notify search engines that the specific URL has a multi-page document. You must also make an effort to inform search engine bots about the order of the pages; that is, which ones appear first and which appear later.
Examples of Websites Using Pagination
1. Myntra
Myntra not only offers next page and previous page options to their website visitors while they are searching for something on the page, they also offer category pages with unique filters to ensure that users see the exact type of products they are looking for.
2. Search Engine Journal (SEJ)
SEJ offers users the option to explore any category based on their preference. The website offers a “More Resources” section on each of its blog pages with related content for users along with a “Suggested Articles” section. This gives the users access to tons of content from a single page, which they can explore based on their liking.
3. Slideshare
Slideshare is a platform that aggregates across a huge number of categories, and the best way to offer the users a seamless experience is to segregate their content with pagination. The site provides pagination to the users alphabetically or numerically.
4. Search engines
Google implements pagination in a very simple and accessible way for the users. The search result pages on Google present the users with alternate search terms at the end of the page if they do not find relevant results on the first page. This takes the user experience up a few notches and makes it easier for users to find the exact results they are looking for.