What are breadcrumbs?
Breadcrumbs, or so-called breadcrumb navigation, is a small text path that often appears at the top of the page and shows the user's location on the website. Each element of the path is clickable and allows the user to return to the subpage. The name refers to the crumbs that are left out in order to be able to return to the starting point. In essence, breadcrumbs show the path from the page where the customer is located to the homepage.
When to use breadcrumb navigation?
Positioning is very important for online stores, and breadcrumbs have a significant influence on it. User experience is another reason as to why use breadcrumbs. Online businesses must take customer experience and website usability into account. Breadcrumbs help with navigation, thus save shoppers time to find what they need.
Customers often enter the store through online advertising and may not be interested in the originally suggested product. However, because of the path they see, they are able to navigate efficiently and perhaps instead of the advertised product, they can find an entire range of products. Thanks to breadcrumbs, users are presented with a clear website structure and encouraged to stay and check the offer of a given store.
The benefits of breadcrumbs in SEO
Breadcrumbs primarily make navigation easier, however there are more benefits that come with using them. They encourage users to visit more subpages before leaving the website. By enabling the search engine robots to find their way around the website structure and indicating the keywords through which the website can be searched, they reduce the bounce rate and have a positive impact on SEO. They also strengthen and improve the internal link structure. Google search engine defines SEO breadcrumbs as a tool that supports SEO. Thanks to breadcrumbs and the increased visibility they offer, users can find the website easier and navigate through it in a much more comfortable manner.
What advantages do breadcrumbs offer?
- Reduced bounce rate
- Increased search engine accuracy (indexing by keywords)
- Simplified navigation
- Internal linking
- Increased user engagement
- Simplified analysis of the website structure by search engine
- Positive influence on search engine positioning
What types of breadcrumbs are out there?
Location or hierarchy-based
They are static, refer to the location of a given subpage, show its place in the structure and determine the number of steps that the user has gone through, starting from the homepage. It is a standard navigation tool that is often found on websites with a simple structure.
Attribute-based
They are implemented when filters are often used on the site, most commonly in online stores. The user can see in which category and place on the website he can find a given product.
Path or history-based
This is a dynamic type of navigation that shows the user's path. However, this type is not used very often and is not recommended for SEO principles.
How to use breadcrumb navigation?
Don't use fancy design
Breadcrumbs are not a menu or a homepage bar. Their appearance should be simple, intuitive, and uncomplicated. Don't experiment with their design and do not make them particularly distinguishable in colour or size.
Be specific
Do not skip important details, make sure to include the entire search path in breadcrumbs. Opting out of some elements may cause the user to get lost or skip an important tab that could be of interest to him.
Remember about the correct nomenclature
The path name must relate to the name of the subpage. Breadcrumbs are there to help the user navigate, therefore the names of subpages should match the individual elements of the path in order not to cause confusion. Hence they must be simple and useful. Proper naming of individual elements is crucial.
Place the breadcrumbs as high as possible
Users are used to locating the breadcrumbs in the upper section of the page. They should be visible to them immediately after entering a given subpage. The user should not have to search for them on the website.
Not for the homepage
Don't add breadcrumbs to the home page as they will have no purpose.
Don't forget about mobile
When implementing breadcrumbs on the website, do not forget about mobile users. It is worth checking what the crumbs look like in various versions (smartphone, tablet etc.).
Start on the left side
Place the home page on the left side of the breadcrumbs since users are typically used to such a structure. At the end, on the right-hand side, the name of the subpage on which the client is currently located or the previous subpage should appear (if you decide that you do not want to include the last step in the path). Breadcrumbs should be intuitive.
Breadcrumbs will not replace the menu
A breadcrumb is not a menu or a back button. These elements need to be placed on the page regardless of breadcrumbs.
Help the search engine robots
Search engines can recognise breadcrumbs, however it is worth making sure that they notice them the way we intend them to. To make sure you are successful, make minor changes to the page code to ensure that the data is properly displayed in the search engine. Use a search engine to see if the data is displayed properly.
Breadcrumbs are not for every purpose
Keep in mind that not every website needs breadcrumbs. There are websites that have a very clear and minimalistic menu with a simple and uncomplicated design and limited number of subpages. Breadcrumbs on such pages are not necessary.
Summary
If you don't have breadcrumbs in your online shop yet, make sure to implement them. They will have a positive effect on the positioning of your website, simplify the navigation, and improve the user experience for your customers.