In 2019, Google ceased using rel 'prev' and 'next' for paginated results, indicating that pagination no longer requires special handling for SEO. John Mueller from Google emphasized this by stating that each pagination URL is treated as a unique entity unless it offers distinct content. He encouraged webmasters to focus on creating useful content across all pages rather than expecting search engines to interpret pagination in a complex manner. The guideline showcases a shift towards simplicity and the importance of providing value on every page.
If something's useful on the page, it's useful; If it's not on the page, it's not on the page.
I don't think a search engine needs to do anything special for 'pagination'. Why shouldn't a URL be a URL?
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