Remember the story of Hansel and Gretel? The two siblings who left a trail of breadcrumbs to find their back home from the forest?
Well, in the internet world, digital breadcrumbs play a similar role.
Breadcrumbs help users navigate websites and find their way back to where they started.
And just like Hansel and Gretel relied on breadcrumbs to avoid getting lost, online visitors use them to navigate your website.
They can also do wonders for your SEO.
In this article, we’ll explore breadcrumbs, the different types, and how they can boost SEO and the overall user experience.
In This Article
What Are Breadcrumbs?
Breadcrumbs are navigation aids that show users their current location within the site’s structure.
They typically appear as a horizontal list of links separated by greater-than symbols (>) at the top of a web page.
For example, the screenshot below uses the following breadcrumb trail: Home > Shop All > Women > Sweaters.
This trail tells the user they are currently viewing Sweaters within the “Women” category, which falls under “Shop All,” ultimately leading back to the “Home” page.
Furthermore, each item within this list as a clickable hyperlink. This means users can easily access any of the other pages listed in the breadcrumb trail by clicking the link.
Types of Breadcrumbs
There are 3 main types of breadcrumbs you might encounter:
1. Hierarchy-Based Breadcrumbs
These are the most common types and reflect the website’s structure. They show the user’s current location within the hierarchy of pages.
The eCommerce example above demonstrates hierarchy-based breadcrumbs.
You may also see hierarchy-based breadcrumbs called location-based breadcrumbs. In this context, “location” refers to the navigation location.
2. History-Based Breadcrumbs
History-based breadcrumbs, or path-based breadcrumbs, list the last pages visited by a user. They display the user’s browsing history on the site in chronological order.
This breadcrumb type can be helpful for users who want to retrace their steps, but it’s not always the most user-friendly option.
3. Attribute-Based Breadcrumbs
These breadcrumbs are often used on online stores that let you filter your search results. They show you the different filters you’ve chosen to find what you’re looking for.
For example, imagine filtering the earlier J. Crew collection of sweaters. We might select a color, size, and style for our search.
These are attributed-based breadcrumbs.
This type of breadcrumb helps you keep track of your choices and easily change filters.
4 Benefits of Breadcrumbs for SEO
Now, let’s dive into the juicy part — how breadcrumbs can boost your SEO:
1. Breadcrumbs Improve the User Experience
When users can easily navigate your site and understand their location, they’re more likely to
- Stay longer
- Explore more pages
- Find what they’re looking for
This leads to lower bounce rates, increased time on site, and a higher chance of conversions — all of which are positive signals for SEO.
2. Google Loves Breadcrumb Navigation
Breadcrumbs provide valuable context to search engines, helping them understand the structure and hierarchy of your website. This makes it easier for Google to crawl and index your pages, which can improve your overall SEO rankings.
3. Breadcrumbs Can Earn You Google Sitelinks
Those handy links you sometimes see below a website’s listing in search results?
Those are sitelinks, and Google is more likely to show them for sites with clear and well-structured navigation, like breadcrumbs.
Sitelinks can significantly boost your organic clickthrough rate (CTR) and provide users with new entry points to your website.
4. Breadcrumb Trails Support Internal Linking
Each link in a breadcrumb trail acts as an internal link, pointing to another page on your site. This helps distribute link juice (aka, SEO value) throughout your website, boosting the ranking potential of your pages.
Breadcrumb SEO Best Practices
To get the most SEO value from your breadcrumbs, follow these best practices:
1. Less Is More: Keep Breadcrumb Navigation Simple
Avoid creating overly long breadcrumb trails, as they can become cluttered and confusing. Aim for clarity and conciseness, ensuring each level in the trail provides value to the user.
2. Structured Data: Use Breadcrumb Schema Markup
Implement BreadcrumbList schema markup to help search engines understand your breadcrumbs.
Schema markup communicates important details about your web page in a way that’s easy for search engines to understand.
Search engines can then use this information to display rich snippets in SERPs, like Google sitelinks.
Tip: Need help creating your schema markup? Google has a free and user-friendly Structured Data Markup Helper you can use to generate code.
3. Logical Links: Match Breadcrumbs to Site Structure
Ensure your breadcrumbs accurately reflect your website’s hierarchy. Each level in the breadcrumb trail should correspond to a level in your site structure. This approach provides a clear and logical path for users and search engines.
4. Relevant & Readable: Include Keywords in Anchor Text
This last step is easy.
Use relevant keywords in your breadcrumb anchor text, but prioritize clarity and user experience. Avoid keyword stuffing, which can harm your SEO and confuse users.
Need help finding the right keywords for your web page?
LowFruits has you covered.
LowFruits is the best SEO keyword research tool for small businesses.
You can find easy keywords with low competition in no time.
In the KWFinder tool, you’ll get a user-friendly dashboard that puts all your keyword findings in one place.
You can use these insights to identify keywords with high-ranking potential and incorporate them into your anchor text.
How to Add Breadcrumbs to Your Website
Adding breadcrumbs to your website can be fairly simple, depending on your platform and technical expertise.
Many content management systems (CMS) like WordPress offer plugins or built-in functionality for creating breadcrumbs.
Take All in One SEO (AIOSEO), for example.
This WordPress plugin offers SEO breadcrumbs that implement schema markup automatically for you.
You can also choose how you want the breadcrumbs to display on your website.
Ultimately, it’s a super beginner-friendly method for adding breadcrumbs to your site without needing to code.
Note: If you’re comfortable coding, you can also implement breadcrumbs manually using HTML and CSS.
Case Studies on Breadcrumb SEO
Our friends at AIOSEO Trends share case studies of trending websites with exploding organic traffic. These real-world success stories highlight growth strategies that actually work and provide tools and tutorials for replicating these wins on your website.
Here are some SEO case studies that feature implementing breadcrumbs:
- How An Online Dog Magazine Grew Traffic by 1,588% in 3 Months
- How a Sporting Goods Manufacturer Grew Traffic by 545% in 6 Months
- How a Learning App for Students Grew Site Traffic by 295% YoY
Final Thoughts
So, there you have it!
Breadcrumbs aren’t just a fairy tale tool for finding your way home — they’re a small but mighty addition to any website. They come with many SEO benefits, including:
- Providing clear navigation
- Improving user experience
- Enhancing your visibility in SERPs
Plus, they’re easy to implement with the right tools.
Give them a try and see the difference clear navigation can make for your users and SEO.
