Breadcrumb Navigation Explained:
Improve SEO and User Experience

Breadcrumbs are a crucial element in web design and SEO, offering users and search engines a more structured way to navigate a website. In this guide, we will explore what breadcrumbs are, how they improve website usability and SEO, and best practices for implementing breadcrumb navigation.

Breadcrumbs are primarily used to enhance the user experience by:

• Providing users with context about their location on a website.
• Offering quick navigation to higher-level pages without needing to click the back button.
• Reducing the bounce rate by keeping users engaged with easy-to-navigate paths.

Breadcrumb navigation is especially effective on the following types of websites:

• eCommerce platforms
• Large blogs
• Knowledge bases
• Large or complex websites

Breadcrumbs are unsuitable for single-level websites without a clear hierarchy or category structure. To determine if your website would benefit from breadcrumb navigation, try creating a site map or a diagram that visualizes the site's architecture. This can help you assess whether breadcrumbs enhance user navigation within categories or pages.

Website breadcrumbs should be considered an additional feature, not a replacement for primary navigation menus. They act as a convenience tool, providing users with a secondary way to identify their location on the site and an alternative method for navigating through different sections.

Do Breadcrumbs Really Help SEO? Yes, breadcrumbs are beneficial for SEO. Here's how:

1. Improved Site Structure for Crawlers: Breadcrumbs are valuable for SEO as they highlight key structural categories of a website, aiding search engines like Google in better understanding your content. Their organized format makes it easier for search engines to locate and interpret the site’s hierarchy.

2. Enhanced User Experience: Breadcrumbs in the website offer a clear navigation path, making it easier for users to explore related content. They show the hierarchy of pages, helping users understand the structure of your site. Also, breadcrumbs provide a quick way to navigate back to more general pages, which can be particularly useful on eCommerce sites with deep category structures. This can lead to increased time spent on your site, which is a positive ranking signal for search engines.
Breadcrumbs are particularly beneficial for mobile users, as they are often more accessible and straightforward than navigating through the main menu.

3. Lower Bounce Rates: Breadcrumbs allow users to move easily between pages, reducing the likelihood of them leaving your site prematurely, which can benefit your SEO.

There are several types of breadcrumb navigation commonly used on websites:

1.        Location or Hierarchy-Based Breadcrumbs:

The most common type of breadcrumb navigation is location-based or hierarchy-based. It displays the user's current page and position within the website's hierarchy. Like organizing files on your computer, the first folder is broad, and each subsequent folder narrows down in focus until you reach the specific document.

Example: Home > Products > Electronics > Smartphones

In this example, the breadcrumb trail shows the current and parent pages leading back to the Knowledge Base. Hierarchical breadcrumbs make it simple for users to navigate back to the main page or any higher-level page in the structure.

2.        Path or History-Based Breadcrumbs

Path-based breadcrumb navigation reflects the user's specific route to the current page. While the full path is rarely shown, these breadcrumbs often function as a back button, allowing users to quickly return to the previous page they visited.

Example: Home > Previous Page > Current Page

3.        Attribute-Based Breadcrumbs

Attribute-based breadcrumbs display the filters or tags a user has applied to refine their search on a webpage. Commonly used on eCommerce sites, these breadcrumbs help users narrow down product options, like finding the perfect pair of shoes by selecting specific attributes.

Example: Home > Clothing > Men > Shirts > Size Large

1. Positioning: Breadcrumbs are typically placed at the top of the page, just below the navigation menu, ensuring they are immediately visible to users.

2. Keep It Simple: Use concise labels for each breadcrumb element. Avoid long or confusing page titles.

3. Use “>” as a Separator: The most common symbol to separate breadcrumb elements is the “>” symbol. However, you can also use “/” or “|” as long as it's consistent.

4. Link All Breadcrumbs: Except for the current page, all breadcrumb links should be clickable, leading users back to higher-level pages.

5. Make Breadcrumbs Responsive: Ensure that breadcrumbs work well on all screen sizes, especially mobile devices with limited vertical space.

6. Avoid Linking to the Current Page: Breadcrumb navigation should not include a link to the page the user is currently on. Such a link has no functional purpose and can confuse. Instead, display the current page's name in the breadcrumb trail.

7. Maintain a Clean, Simple Design: Breadcrumb navigation should be minimal and unobtrusive. It should enhance user experience without diverting attention from the main content on the page.

8. Regularly Test Your Links: Broken links negatively impact SEO and user experience. To avoid this, regularly check that all breadcrumb links are functioning correctly.

Implementing breadcrumbs on your website is relatively easy, especially if you're using a content management system (CMS) like WordPress, which has breadcrumb plugins.

1. Use a CMS Plugin
If you're using WordPress or other CMS platforms, multiple plugins are available that make adding breadcrumbs easy. Plugins like "Yoast SEO" or "Breadcrumb NavXT" are widely used.

2. Code Breadcrumbs Manually
If you prefer to code breadcrumbs manually, follow these steps:

• Identify the hierarchy of your website.
• Create HTML links for each breadcrumb element.
• Add schema markup to your breadcrumbs to help search engines better understand the structure.

3. Implement Breadcrumb Schema
Breadcrumb schema markup helps search engines understand and display your breadcrumbs in search results. For example, Google may show breadcrumbs instead of long URLs in its search results, making your listings more visually appealing and easier to understand, increasing click-through rates (CTR).

Implement the following code for Google to display your breadcrumbs:

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
 "@context": "https://schema.org",
 "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
 "itemListElement": [
   {
     "@type": "ListItem",
     "position": 1,
     "name": "Home",
     "item": "https://www.example.com/"
   },
   {
     "@type": "ListItem",
     "position": 2,
     "name": "Blog",
     "item": "https://www.example.com/blog/"
   },
   {
     "@type": "ListItem",
     "position": 3,
     "name": "SEO Tips",
     "item": "https://www.example.com/blog/seo-tips/"
   }
 ]
}
</script>

Breadcrumbs for eCommerce Sites
Breadcrumbs are especially useful for eCommerce websites where users often browse through multiple categories and products. For example, an eCommerce site selling electronics can use breadcrumbs to help customers quickly navigate between categories like "Home > Electronics > Laptops" without returning to the main menu.

Example:
Suppose a user is on the product page for a specific smartphone. In that case, breadcrumbs can allow them to easily move back to broader categories like "Smartphones" or "Electronics" without starting their search again.

Although breadcrumb navigation is relatively simple to implement, several common mistakes can negatively impact the user experience and SEO performance of your site. Avoiding these errors is crucial to ensuring your breadcrumbs function effectively.

1. Using Relative URLs in Breadcrumbs

One common mistake is using relative URLs in breadcrumb links. Relative URLs only work when the page is accessed from the same server or directory, meaning they can break when users attempt to navigate from different pages or platforms. This can result in a poor user experience and cause search engines to have trouble understanding your site’s structure. Always use absolute URLs in your breadcrumbs to ensure consistent functionality across all pages and prevent broken navigation paths.

Example of Incorrect Relative URL:

<a href="/category/product">Product Page</a>

Correct Example of Absolute URL:

<a href="https://www.example.com/category/product">Product Page</a>

2. Inconsistent Breadcrumb Structure

Another common mistake is an inconsistent breadcrumb hierarchy across different pages. For breadcrumbs to be effective, they need to represent the structure of your website consistently. Inconsistent breadcrumbs can confuse users and hinder search engines from properly indexing your pages. Always maintain a logical and consistent structure for your breadcrumbs that accurately reflects the page hierarchy.

3. Overcomplicating Breadcrumb Navigation

Some websites try to include too many steps or irrelevant information in their breadcrumb trail. This can overwhelm users and reduce the overall effectiveness of breadcrumbs as a navigation tool. Instead, keep breadcrumbs simple, using only key categories or pages that reflect the most relevant navigation path for users.

4. Breadcrumbs Missing on Important Pages

Breadcrumbs are especially useful on deep-level or category-heavy pages, but some websites fail to implement them where needed most. Omitting breadcrumbs on complex pages can confuse users and make navigating back to previous categories or sections harder. Make sure that breadcrumbs are visible on all pages where users want to retrace their steps.

5. Not Implementing Breadcrumb Schema Markup

Neglecting to include this markup can prevent your breadcrumbs from being shown in search results, missing out on the potential SEO benefits. Always use structured data to enhance the visibility of your breadcrumbs in search engines.

6. Poor Breadcrumb Placement

Placing breadcrumbs in a non-standard location on your website can confuse users. Breadcrumbs should be placed near the top of the page, typically above the main content or just below the primary navigation bar. This ensures they are easily visible and accessible to users navigating your website.

By avoiding these common mistakes, you can ensure that your breadcrumb navigation remains effective, improves user experience, and contributes positively to your website's SEO performance.

7. Don’t Include a Link to the Current Page
Breadcrumb navigation should not include a link to the current page.
A link to the current page serves no purpose. And can create confusion for users.
However, it’s best practice to name the current page in the breadcrumb trail.

8. Keep the Design Simple
Breadcrumb website design should be as simple and unobtrusive as possible. This will ensure that the breadcrumb is useful without distracting the reader from the main content of the page.

9. Regularly Check Your Links Work Properly
Broken links are bad for SEO and UX, so ensuring your breadcrumbs work properly is important.

Breadcrumb navigation is a simple yet powerful tool that improves user experience and SEO. By giving users a clear path through your website and helping search engines better understand your site's structure, breadcrumbs can improve rankings, user engagement, and conversions.

It's crucial to regularly check that your breadcrumbs are functioning correctly and that all breadcrumb links are accurate. Manually verifying breadcrumbs on large websites can be challenging, but tools like Atomseo Broken Links Checker offer an excellent solution. With Atomseo, you can check up to 1,500 links daily for free, making it a powerful resource for ensuring that all your breadcrumb links are working as they should.