Pagination decisions affect more than which category URL appears in search. They also affect how people and crawlers reach products deeper in your site. Our original article explored two canonical approaches. This update replaces the suggestion to canonicalize distinct pages to page one with the current recommended implementation.
Give each page its own URL and canonical
Google recommends a unique URL and self-referencing canonical for each page in a sequence. Page two contains different items from page one, so it should not declare page one as its canonical. Use a path or query parameter for the page number, not a URL fragment.
Make deeper pages discoverable
Link to the next page with an ordinary <a href> link. A load-more button or infinite scroll can improve the experience, but Google generally does not click buttons to reveal additional items. Keep crawlable pagination available. Google no longer uses rel="next" and rel="prev"; other search engines may still use them.
These implementation recommendations come from Google’s pagination guidance.
Prioritize products through useful navigation
The useful question from our original article remains: which products deserve more visibility? Answer it through merchandising, category organization, and relevant internal links. If a product matters to customers, do not bury it on page twenty and expect a canonical tag to compensate. A clear category structure also makes your priorities easier for the next person on your team to understand.
Check the implementation, then the outcome
Inspect a representative first, second, and deep page in Search Console. Compare the declared canonical with Google’s selection. Also test the experience yourself: can you follow links to the deeper products, and can you return to the beginning? Keep a record of changes and outcomes. A canonical tag being accepted is only one check; the real objective is a useful, discoverable collection.