In The Infinite Scrolling Vs. Pagination Battle, Which Should UX Designers Choose

When it comes to presenting content, UX designers have two main choices – infinite scrolling or pagination. We probably all have our own favorite, but which one is actually best for the end-user?

It’s a question that’s led to a UX battle of sorts. While some claim infinite scrolling is the ultimate choice, others still swear by pagination. The thing is, neither group is exactly right or wrong. The only problem is we as designers are left to make this important choice.

It might not seem that big of a deal, but the right content presentation for getting from page to page (or an endless page with infinite scrolling) makes a major difference in the experience. It can also drastically affect bounce rates, SEO and conversion rates.

What’s The Difference?

First things first, what’s the difference between the two? Before jumping into the infinite scrolling vs. pagination battle, it’s important to know how each works. 

Infinite scrolling is exactly as it sounds. Take a quick look at Twitter or Facebook to see this technique in action. Instead of asking users to press a button or link to jump to the next page, pages continuously load as the user scrolls. This is a great option for keeping users viewing content on a page.

With pagination, users are presented with a manual way of getting from page to page. For instance, Google’s search results use pagination. Users must click the next button or the page number to navigate. This is a great way to present less information at a time, but still allow users to navigate freely.

Pros And Cons Of Infinite Scrolling

It’s like a road that never ends.

The best part of infinite scrolling is it’s one of the most intuitive designs. After all, if a user is able to navigate to a website to start with, they likely understand how to scroll. They don’t need to look for navigation links or buttons. All they need to do is scroll up or down. SitePoint actually refers to it as a “subliminal call to action.”

This design option is geared toward discoverability. For instance, with Facebook, infinite scrolling keeps us looking at one post after another as we interact. Instead of jumping from profile to profile, we just keep scrolling to see all the latest updates. It’s also often used with entertainment based websites.

On the other hand, the temptation to keep scrolling for what’s next could be a detriment to the site. For instance, an ecommerce site wants users to buy, but if they just keep scrolling, hoping for something better, they may just get overwhelmed and shop elsewhere. Basically, there are just too many options in this scenario.

A few other negatives include site performance and what happens when users interact with a link/action. Infinite scrolling must be executed properly or it can slow down a site as it constantly waits for scroll events. When users click a link and try to go back, they’re often left confused as to where they left off.

Pros And Cons Of Pagination

Pagination is a familiar design trend and that alone makes it a popular choice for UX designers. It also makes it easy for users to quickly return to an exact page. This approach is designed for sites that want to make it easier for users to find information quickly, without feeling overwhelmed by options. Since only a single page is loaded at a time, pagination can make sites load faster.

Of course, pagination isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. With only a page at a time, users do find what they need faster and they leave quicker. There is also user preference. Some users hate the idea of having to click link after link to navigate to each page. Depending on page loading speeds, this can actually take longer than infinite scrolling.

Infinite Scrolling Vs. Pagination – Who Wins?

We don’t see a clear winner emerge because in the infinite scrolling vs. pagination debate, there isn’t a clear answer. We must think about the goal of the site and the end-user. Goal-oriented sites, such as ecommerce, work best with a pagination approach. Sites that want a user to stay on longer and have a seemingly endless list of engaging content might work better with infinite scrolling.

Weigh the pros and cons before making a choice. As with the featured image at the beginning of this post, infinite scrolling vs. pagination is a neck and neck battle between UX designers, but always make certain the end-user is the final winner. 

Images: Noah SillimanSébastien MarchandSyd Wachs