It's almost always possible to take a long, scrolling web page and chop it into a series of smaller pages. This approach will certainly prevent users from missing out on something that falls below the bottom of the screen. But should you do it? Will limiting the length of your web pages really make your website more usable?
In other words, do users hate to scroll?
The answer depends on the type of content you are presenting and the expectations of your users for that particular page. In some cases, long scrolling pages are the best option, and even novice users have absolutely no problem with them. In other cases, it's probably best to avoid excessive scrolling.
True, Users Usually Don't Scroll
First, let's address one of the most common points people make when arguing for shorter pages: users often seem to click the first thing they see on a page, before even considering whether there is a better option below the "fold" (or bottom of the screen). While undoubtedly true on average, this is a misleading way to address the issue. The problem with this logic is that many web pages have limited content and/or navigation options below the fold, so that scrolling is rarely necessary. This doesn't mean users can't or don't want to scroll. It's more that they usually don't need to.
Amazon's homepage = 6 full screens!
On homepages, for example, users most often find what they want at the top of the page, for example in the main navigation menu. But again, this is not the same thing as saying users don't notice the option to scroll down, or that they miss things they would have preferred to click had they been placed at the top of the page.
We can assume that most users who arrive at the homepage of Amazon.com choose a product category and continue along their way. The categories are bunched at or near the top of the screen and efficiently support such choices. But Amazon's homepage also offers 6 more screens worth of scrolling (on a small laptop). These "extra" screens are mainly dedicated to product recommendations. Amazon is a highly results-driven site, and its merchandising techniques are constantly being improved, so it's fairly safe to assume users are clicking on these items, even six screens down.
Users Tend to Know Scrolling is Required
In dozens of user tests involving long scrolling pages, I have only seen a few users totally miss the scroll bar at right - assuming the page design correctly communicated that there was more below.
Run a quick user test and see for yourself: give your test user the goal of viewing "Recommended Products" on Amazon.com and see if they scroll the homepage.
When Scrolling Causes Problems
I mentioned above that users who totally miss the scrollbar at right are pretty rare. Having said that, I have certainly seen users who could not find content they needed to complete a task because it was hidden below the fold. In most of these cases, the design was at fault, and not necessarily the decision to have a scrolling page.
How to Make Scrolling Pages Usable
Now that we've seen how users are willing to scroll, there are still some guidelines we can follow to make scrolling web pages successful.
- Stagger your columns
Don't let a page-wide column end right at the bottom of the screen - this may suggest the page is over. - Stack content in the expected order
Avoid introducing a new, important content area under a long set of less valuable options. Users may well have tuned out by the time they get there. - Don't signal "this page is over" too early
Put anything that might resemble footer at the bottom of the page where it belongs. In some cases this might include cross-links to related content, or a new set of advertisements. These can prompt the user to conclude the page is ending. - Respect some conventions
Company homepages are generally short, so if possible try to respect that convention and put major options, like navigating to a popular tool or piece of content, above the fold—or at least signal their presence by having the start of column appear above the fold. - Don't be afraid of long lists, stories, articles, product detail pages, etc.
Some content types are naturally long and users intuitively understand this. If the content has no inherent hierarchy, don't try to force one on it by breaking it up. Just let the page grow (within reason) and trust that your users will know where to find the scroll bar.
Finally, there is an easy way to confirm your pages aren't too long—by looking at your site tracking figures. Just make sure to use unique URLs for the hyperlinks at the bottom of your pages so you can see how often users are clicking on them. If the click-thru rate is very low, you may want to reconsider your approach to scrolling pages.