Keeping site visitors engaged and on your pages for longer can be a real challenge. With so many options for content and entertainment online, you might be wondering what you can do to make your own website stand out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fortunately, there are some tools out there for WordPress that can help you retain visitors. One excellent option is the \u2018infinite scroll\u2019 function. This enables content to load automatically as your visitors scroll down the page, providing a more seamless experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this article, we\u2019ll go over the details of what infinite scroll can do. We\u2019ll also discuss two ways you can add it to your WordPress website. Let\u2019s get to work!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Infinite scroll is the product of Asynchronous JavaScript and XML (AJAX)<\/a> web design programming. This option makes it possible for post content to load automatically as viewers scroll down the page. This means they are not disrupted by the need to click on a button or link in order to load more content. <\/p>\n\n\n\n There are plenty of examples of this design option that you might be familiar with. For instance, you\u2019ll recognize infinite scroll on sites like Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms. On those sites, developers are really working to keep users on the page for long periods of time. If the content feed seems to never end, it\u2019s easier to keep people interested. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This approach is particularly useful for sites that have regular content updates, such as blog posts or videos, that tend to be of similar lengths. The beauty of AJAX is that it can request and communicate information to your web server without reloading your entire page, so it doesn\u2019t need to slow down the browsing experience in the process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n There are two main ways to add infinite scroll to your WordPress website. You can use a plugin or add the function manually. The primary concern with adding infinite scroll, regardless of how you choose to do it, is to make sure that your theme is compatible with the functionality. We\u2019ll discuss this in more detail later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When adding infinite scroll to your website using code, you\u2019ll need to do a bit of research on your theme to find out if it supports the function. Some examples of themes that are built appropriately for this use case include the WordPress default themes<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s also a good idea to have the Jetpack plugin<\/a> installed and activated on your WordPress website. While it doesn\u2019t automatically make infinite scroll work, it enables you to do so more easily using code.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, as with any major site change, we recommend that you make a backup<\/a> of your site before proceeding (just in case). <\/p>\n\n\n\n If your theme is well-built and suited to the infinite scroll functionality, you can add just one small snippet of code<\/a> to your functions.php<\/em> file<\/a> and be on your way: <\/p>\n\n\n\n This provides the necessary information about your theme for the scroll function to work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If your theme is older or not built to be compatible with infinite scroll, you\u2019ll need to add a few more items of code to get it working. You can include this snippet<\/a> in the functions.php<\/em> file in your theme: <\/p>\n\n\n\n This will activate the infinite scroll function, regardless of your theme. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Next, there are a number of parameters that you can customize in your infinite scroll script. For example, you can specify \u2018scroll\u2019 or \u2018click\u2019 for the \u2018type=>\u2019 parameter. Since you\u2019re presumably looking for an infinite scroll experience, you\u2019ll want to set your type to scroll. The other option would provide users with a button to load more content. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Other parameters you might want to customize include footer_widgets and render. When you enable infinite scroll in your theme, your footer links won\u2019t display unless you configure the relevant parameter. There are several things to consider regarding this parameter, and advanced reading on the topic<\/a> is recommended. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In terms of the render parameter, it\u2019s important to know that the infinite scroll function uses a standard WordPress loop<\/a> to display posts. The default function for the render parameter looks like this: <\/p>\n\n\n\n You can include any functions that are available in your theme in this part of the code, if you want to further customize how posts display in your infinite scroll. <\/p>\n\n\n\n We recommend testing the changes to your site once you\u2019ve completed the customizations to its code. A smart way to do this is to use a staging server<\/a> for all of your custom programming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019ll also want to make sure that your infinite scroll is working properly on mobile devices. Since this functionality can sometimes conflict with certain themes, this is an important step in finalizing your changes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re looking for an easier way to add infinite scroll to your website, we recommend using a plugin<\/a>. This option will give you an easier-to-navigate user interface, and more customization options. <\/p>\n\n\n\n There are quite a few infinite scroll plugins to choose from. We\u2019ll list a few solid options for you to get started with:<\/p>\n\n\n\n For this example, we\u2019re going to use the Ajax Load More plugin, and walk you through the steps you\u2019ll need to set up your own infinite scrolling feature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Next, you\u2019ll need to navigate to Plugins<\/em> > Add New<\/em> in your WordPress dashboard. You can search in the plugin directory for \u201cAjax Load More\u201d (or whichever plugin you prefer), and then install it: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t forget to click on Activate<\/em> to complete the installation process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you\u2019ve finished activating the plugin, you\u2019ll have a new Ajax Load More<\/em> menu option in your WordPress dashboard. From there, you can begin to configure and style your infinite scroll settings: <\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019ll also be able to use the plugin\u2019s shortcode builder and other options it provides, such as templates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, be sure to thoroughly test and preview the changes to your site. You\u2019ll want to make sure the plugin has created a responsive scrolling option for all screen sizes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As we discussed earlier, infinite scroll is one way to keep your site\u2019s visitors engaged with your content, and potentially avoid distractions that may take them away from your website. However, there are some kinds of sites that are better suited to the infinite scroll design than others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sites that present content in a timeline feed, for example, are perfect candidates. Additionally, infinite scroll is well-suited for mobile and touch screen devices, so it\u2019s a strong choice if you have a user base that\u2019s highly active on mobile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are<\/em> some drawbacks to consider as well. Some users may become \u2018lost\u2019 in an infinite scroll situation. The navigation of your site can become a little convoluted when posts from a variety of site locations are loaded into one scroll feed. As we mentioned earlier, you may also need to make special considerations regarding your footer. If you include important links in your footer, you might need to reconsider your design if you plan on implementing infinite scroll. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Last but certainly not least, you will want to make sure your web host can handle users who will be continuously scrolling, therefore requiring your server to keep loading content. For that, you might want to check out a managed hosting solution<\/a> like our own WordPress-optimized platform.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Providing a quality, streamlined user experience to your customers and viewers requires the best developer resources<\/a> and know-how. Additionally, a secure and reliable web host can help you achieve your website goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here at WP Engine, we have everything you need to provide an enhanced online experience. Read all about our plans<\/a> and industry-leading hosting for WordPress<\/a> to learn more!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Keeping site visitors engaged and on your pages for longer can be a real challenge. With so many options for content and entertainment online, you might be wondering what you can do to make your own website stand out. Fortunately, there are some tools out there for WordPress that can help you retain visitors. One…<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":147217,"template":"","resource-topic":[904],"resource-role":[895,896,897],"resource-type":[916],"class_list":["post-96143","resource","type-resource","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nAdding Infinite Scroll to Your WordPress Site<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Adding Infinite Scroll With Code<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Step 1: Copy a Suitable Code Snippet<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
add_theme_support( 'infinite-scroll', array(
'container' => 'content',
'footer' => 'page',
) );<\/pre>\n\n\n\nfunction mytheme_infinite_scroll_init() {
add_theme_support( 'infinite-scroll', array(
'container' => 'content',
'render' => 'mytheme_infinite_scroll_render',
'footer' => 'wrapper',
) );
}
add_action( 'init', 'rootdip_infinite_scroll_init' );<\/pre>\n\n\n\nStep 2: Set Your Function Parameters<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
while( have_posts() ) {
the_post();
get_template_part( 'content', get_post_format() );
}<\/pre>\n\n\n\nStep 3: Test Your Infinite Scroll<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Adding Infinite Scroll With a WordPress Plugin<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Step 1: Select Your Infinite Scroll Plugin<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
Step 2: Install Your Chosen Plugin<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Step 3: Configure the Plugin\u2019s Settings<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Benefits and Drawbacks of WordPress Infinite Scroll<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Get Infinite Opportunities With WP Engine<\/h2>\n\n\n\n