Google has once again demonstrated how following web standards can benefit SEO. The search engine began using rel=”next” and rel=”prev”, attributes included in HTML4 and HTML5, to better recognize paginated archives and multi-page articles.
Although Google later announced that it no longer uses rel=next/prev, the recommendation remains unchanged. Yoast SEO still manages pagination automatically because other search engines continue to rely on these attributes to discover and understand content.
A few years ago, I discussed the handling of paginated archives with Nathan Rice, one of the developers behind Genesis. The topic was how to manage pages such as page 2 of a category archive. Genesis includes an option that canonicalizes those subpages back to the first page of the archive. I have always believed that this is the main SEO flaw in that theme.
Introducing rel=”next” and rel=”prev”
Google eventually shared a better solution. They recommended adding rel=”next” and rel=”prev” to paginated archives so the pages can be identified as part of a series. Their goal is to:
Send users to the most relevant page or URL—usually the first page in the sequence.
That is exactly the desired outcome. The implementation is straightforward. For example, on a URL such as:
there should be a prev link pointing to the previous page in the sequence and a next link pointing to the following page, like this:
<link rel=”prev” href=”https://yoast.com/cat/seo/” />
<link rel=”next” href=”https://yoast.com/cat/seo/page/3/” />
Ideally, this functionality should be included in WordPress core, but that is not currently the case. WordPress does include some related link elements, though most of them are not particularly useful. In fact, aside from rel=”prev” and rel=”next”, many of those links are expected to be removed from core.
I’m currently working on a patch to address this, along with a ticket proposing that these attributes be added to WordPress core. This work will likely also be combined with the improvements Nathan and I were exploring regarding canonical URLs in another ticket.
FAQs
What are rel=”next” and rel=”prev” tags in SEO?
rel=”next” and rel=”prev” are HTML link attributes used to indicate a relationship between paginated pages. They help search engines understand that multiple pages are part of a sequence, such as page 1, page 2, and page 3 of an archive or category listing.
Why are rel=”next” and rel=”prev” used in paginated content?
These tags help search engines recognize that a group of pages belongs to a single series. This improves the way search engines interpret paginated content and helps avoid confusion when multiple pages contain similar listings.
Where should rel=”next” and rel=”prev” tags be placed?
These tags are usually placed in the <head> section of the HTML code. The first page typically contains only rel=”next”, the middle pages include both rel=”next” and rel=”prev”, and the last page contains only rel=”prev”.
Do rel=”next” and rel=”prev” help prevent duplicate content issues?
They can help search engines understand the relationship between similar pages within a paginated series, reducing the likelihood of duplicate content concerns caused by repeating elements across multiple pages.
Are rel=”next” and rel=”prev” still used by search engines today?
Some search engines no longer rely heavily on these tags for indexing purposes, but they can still be useful for improving site structure clarity and helping other crawlers understand pagination relationships.
What is paginated content in a website?
Paginated content refers to content that is split across multiple pages instead of being displayed on a single page. Examples include blog archives, product listings, category pages, and forum threads.
Should paginated pages have canonical tags?
Yes, paginated pages should typically have self-referencing canonical tags. This tells search engines that each page in the series is a unique page while still being part of a larger sequence.
What is the difference between pagination and infinite scroll?
Pagination divides content into separate pages with numbered links, while infinite scroll loads more content automatically as the user scrolls down the page.
Can paginated pages be indexed by search engines?
Yes, paginated pages can be indexed if they provide valuable content and are accessible to search engine crawlers. Proper internal linking and structured navigation help search engines discover them.
How does pagination affect user experience?
Pagination can improve user experience by making large amounts of content easier to navigate. It helps visitors quickly browse through archives, product listings, or long sets of content.
Is it better to use a “View All” page instead of pagination?
A “View All” page can sometimes improve usability if the page loads quickly and contains a manageable amount of content. However, pagination is often better for large datasets to maintain performance and readability.
What common mistakes should be avoided with paginated archives?
Common mistakes include blocking paginated pages from indexing unnecessarily, using incorrect canonical tags, creating broken pagination links, or failing to maintain a clear internal linking structure.
