Ulysse Sabbagh

Some people think that infinite scroll is of bad taste. Here are the main reasons:

1. Users will lose the page length orientation – the browser scrollbar become useless. 2. There’s no ability to jump to the end of the list. 3. Your users will not be able to get back to the same in-page position in 1 click. 4. There’s no visible footer until your users come to the end of the list/content. 5. Slow Experience – You are using a lot of browser memory as the page scrolls down. 6. If you switch away from the page by following a link there’s no way of getting back to where you left off. 7. Lack of sense of completion- no closure for users. 8. There’s no SEO opportunities for content located below the first scroll. 9. You lose the ability to bookmark a dedicated point of interest. 10. Distraction – The fear of missing out on data or other options will deter your users from completing an action.

I think that a good compromise is hybrid infinite scrolling. As in you scroll, until a certain point where the website asks you to “click to load more”. This is the paradigm that we will be using for Columize.

It denies 1. since users will still have a strong sense of where they are. It requires slightly more effort (but nothing extraordinarily unbearable) for 2. It does not solve 3. but I don’t think it’s that big a matter. It solves 4. and 5. It solves 6. if you open in a new tab. 7. might actually be a good thing.
Agreed for 8. 9. depends on the type of service. 10. I think it’s actually the opposite (and it also depends on the service).