Dividing long content or product listings into multiple pages, requiring canonical and rel=”next/prev” handling.
Ever click to the second page of a blog or a product category on a website? That is pagination! While it seems simple, handling it incorrectly can seriously hurt your SEO. I am going to explain exactly what is pagination in SEO, why it’s so important, and how I manage it on different websites to avoid problems. I will also give you simple, actionable tips to keep your site’s SEO healthy, no matter what platform you are using.
What is Pagination in SEO?
Pagination in SEO is the practice of dividing a long list of content, like blog posts or products, into a series of separate pages. Think of the “Page 1,” “Page 2,” “Next” buttons I see at the bottom of a web page. The goal is to make a large list easier for visitors to browse. For SEO, I need to make sure Google understands these pages are all connected.
In the past, people used special code to tell Google that paginated pages were part of a series. Google now handles pagination in its own way. My job is to make sure my pagination is clean and simple. I want Google to understand the main page is the most important one, and the rest are just for navigation.
Why it is important for your SEO
If I do not handle pagination correctly, I can create two big problems. First, I can create duplicate content issues. Each new paginated page has a similar title and some of the same content as the main page. Second, I can confuse Google about which page is the most important one to rank. This can hurt my SEO and make it hard for users to find what they need.
Pagination on Different CMS Platforms
Every CMS handles pagination a bit differently. Some platforms have a good system built-in, while others require me to pay closer attention to how my links are structured. I always check the default settings and make changes as needed.
WordPress
WordPress has a solid built-in pagination system for blogs. For an ecommerce or a custom site, I can use plugins to handle it correctly. I make sure my pagination links are clear and my site’s theme handles them well. I also make sure that the main page is set as the canonical page if needed, which tells Google that it is the most important one.
Shopify & Wix
Shopify and Wix handle pagination automatically for their product collections and blogs. This is great for me because I do not have to worry as much about the technical side. I just need to focus on adding great content and making sure my products are well-organized. They have good systems in place to avoid duplicate content problems.
Webflow & Custom CMS
With a custom CMS or Webflow, I have complete control. This means I need to build a pagination system myself. I make sure to use a clear URL structure, like `mysite.com/blog/page/2`. I also check my site’s code to make sure my links are set up correctly. This gives me the most control to build a perfect system from the ground up.
Pagination in Different Industries
The need for pagination often depends on the type of business I have and how much content I need to display. I adjust my strategy based on the specific needs of my website and my users.
Ecommerce
For an ecommerce site, pagination is a must. I have too many products to fit on one page. My main goal is to make sure the first page of a category ranks for a broad keyword, like “men’s shoes.” I make sure my pagination links are clean and easy for users to click through.
Local Businesses
Local businesses often do not need pagination unless they have a large blog. If I do have a blog, I will use pagination to display all my posts. I focus on making the blog’s main page a strong resource so that it ranks well and my visitors can easily navigate to older articles.
SaaS & Blogs
As a blogger or a SaaS company with a lot of help articles, pagination is essential. I use it to keep my article lists tidy. I also make sure I have an archive page or a site map that links to all my content. This helps both Google and my readers find all my articles.
FAQ
Q1: Should I use canonical tags for pagination?
A: I use a canonical tag on each paginated page that points to itself. This is Google’s new recommendation. The idea is to tell Google that each paginated page is its own unique page, even though it shares some content with other pages in the series.
Q2: Is “view all” an alternative to pagination?
A: Yes, it can be. A “view all” page lists all items on a single page. This can be great for SEO as it puts all the content on one URL, but it can make the page very slow to load. I use it only if the total number of items is not too large.
Q3: How do I know if my pagination is set up correctly?
A: I check Google Search Console. It will show me any errors related to my paginated pages. I also use a site crawler to check my internal links and make sure all my pages are easy to reach. I want my pagination to be a clean, simple line for Google to follow.
