pagination seo: the smart way to slice long articles

Let’s be honest: nobody wakes up thinking, “Today, I want to master pagination SEO.” But if you’re running a content-driven business, or you’re the proud owner of a blog that occasionally stretches longer than your average lunch break, you’ll need to know how to handle those “Page 1, 2, 3…” links. Not just for your readers’ sanity, but for your search rankings too.

At bloggingmachine.io, we’ve seen firsthand how the right approach to pagination can mean the difference between a content powerhouse and a digital ghost town. So, let’s break down the latest best practices, sprinkle in some expert advice, and — because we’re not robots (well, mostly) — keep things light.

Why Pagination SEO Still Matters (Even in 2024)

Search engines and users have evolved. Google’s algorithms are smarter, and your audience’s patience is shorter than ever. If your long articles are split across multiple pages, how you structure those pages can impact everything from crawlability to engagement.

Quick Recap: What Is Pagination SEO?

Pagination SEO is the fine art (okay, science) of making sure your multi-page articles are easy for both users and search engines to navigate, index, and love. It’s about more than just slapping “Next” and “Previous” at the bottom of your posts.

The Golden Rules of Pagination SEO

Let’s get straight to the good stuff. Here’s what the experts — and Google itself — recommend for 2024 and beyond:

1. Self-Canonicalize Each Paginated Page

Every page in your sequence (Page 1, Page 2, etc.) should have a canonical tag pointing to itself. Don’t point them all to Page 1 or a “View All” version. This tells Google that each page is unique and avoids duplicate content headaches.

“Google no longer uses rel=next/prev, so your best bet is to make sure each paginated page is self-canonicalized and easily discoverable through crawlable links.” — Google Search Central Documentation

2. Use Clear, Consistent URLs

Paginated URLs should be logical and predictable. Whether you use /page/2 or ?page=2, pick a format and stick with it. Avoid random strings or mixing formats — Google and your users will thank you.

3. Make Pagination Links Crawlable

Pagination links should use standard anchor tags (<a href="...">). Avoid JavaScript-only navigation or fancy widgets that Googlebot can’t follow. If a bot can’t crawl your pages, neither can your audience (well, unless they’re bots too).

4. Exclude Paginated Pages from Sitemaps

Don’t include every paginated URL in your XML sitemap. Focus on your main content pages. This helps conserve your crawl budget and keeps search engines focused on your most valuable content.

5. Noindex Low-Value Paginated Pages (If Needed)

If your paginated pages don’t offer much standalone value, consider adding a noindex tag or minimizing their internal linking. This keeps your site’s authority focused where it matters most.

6. Link Sequentially (and Clearly)

Always include “Next” and “Previous” links. This helps both users and search engines understand the sequence and flow of your content.

7. Don’t Index Filtered or Sorted Variants

Only allow indexing of your main paginated sequence. Filtered or sorted versions can create duplicate content and waste crawl budget.

What’s Changed? Google’s Latest on Pagination

Remember when everyone obsessed over rel="next" and rel="prev"? Google officially stopped using those signals for indexing in 2019. Now, it’s all about logical internal linking and self-referencing canonicals.

“We recommend using a logical link structure and self-referencing canonicals for paginated content. Avoid relying on rel=next/prev, as it is no longer used for indexing.” — Google Search Central Documentation

Common Pagination SEO Mistakes (And How to Dodge Them)

Canonical tags all point to Page 1: Only Page 1 gets indexed, the rest get ghosted.
JavaScript-only pagination: Googlebot gets lost, your content gets ignored.
Messy URLs: Confuses everyone, including you.
Paginated pages in sitemaps: Wastes crawl budget and can hurt rankings.

Pagination vs. Single-Page: The User Experience Showdown

Should you paginate, or just let your readers scroll forever? Here’s what the data (and common sense) says:

Feature	Pagination	Single-Page
Load Time	Faster per page	Slower for very long content
User Navigation	Easier for large content sets	Better for short/medium articles
SEO Crawlability	Requires careful linking/canonicals	Simpler, but can be heavy
Engagement	Higher for long content	Higher for short content
Preferred by Google	Both, if implemented correctly	Both, if implemented correctly

Pro Tip: For really long articles, offer both options: paginated for easier navigation, and a “View All” for those who like to live dangerously (or just really love scrolling).

Advanced Pagination SEO Tips

Hybrid Approach: Use pagination for the main content, but provide a “View All” option for power users and search engines that can handle it.
Monitor Crawl Stats: Use Google Search Console to see how Googlebot is crawling your paginated series. If deeper pages aren’t getting indexed, tweak your internal linking.
Accessibility Matters: Make sure your pagination controls work with screen readers and keyboard navigation. Good for SEO, great for humans.

What the Experts Say

“Pagination is still necessary for large sets of content, but the focus should be on crawlability, clear structure, and user experience — not on outdated markup.”— Crystal Carter, Head of SEO Communications, Wix

Real-World Results: Does Pagination SEO Actually Work?

While hard stats are scarce (SEO studies are about as fun to read as tax code), research shows that:

Single-page articles often have higher engagement for short content.
Paginated long articles can reduce bounce rates and improve time on site by making content more digestible.

For more on this, check out Moz’s guide to pagination and Google’s official documentation.

How We Make Pagination SEO Effortless

At bloggingmachine.io, our AI agent handles pagination SEO so you don’t have to. We generate SEO-optimized articles that follow all the latest best practices — self-canonicals, crawlable links, and logical structures — so your content gets found, read, and loved.

You focus on your business. We’ll handle the pagination headaches.

FAQ: Pagination SEO for Long Articles

Q: Should I use “View All” pages for long articles? A: Yes, but only as an option. Don’t make it the canonical version unless it’s the most valuable page.

Q: Is it bad to have lots of paginated pages? A: Not if each page is unique, crawlable, and properly linked. Avoid thin or duplicate content.

Q: Can I use JavaScript for pagination? A: Only if you also provide crawlable <a> links. Googlebot isn’t a mind reader (yet).

Q: Should paginated pages be in my sitemap? A: No. Focus your sitemap on main content pages.

Q: What’s the biggest mistake with pagination SEO? A: Canonicalizing every page to Page 1. That’s like inviting everyone to a party and only letting them in the foyer.

Pagination SEO: The Smart Way to Slice Long Articles