Have you ever been browsing a website and felt lost, unsure of how you got to the page you’re on or how to navigate back to where you started? If so, you’re not alone. This is where breadcrumbs come in.

Breadcrumb navigation is a simple but powerful navigation tool that can make a big difference in your website’s user experience (UX) and search engine optimization (SEO). In this blog post, we’ll explore what breadcrumbs are, how to use them effectively, and the benefits they can offer for your website.

What is Breadcrumb Navigation?

Breadcrumb navigation is the practice of adding a series of clickable links to a web page, indicating the current location of the user within the site’s hierarchy.

Breadcrumbs are a series of links that show users the hierarchical path they took to get to the current page. They are typically displayed at the top of the page, just below the navigation bar. For instance, if you’re on a product page for a red dress, your breadcrumbs might look like this:

Home > Clothing > Dresses > Red Dresses

Breadcrumbs are like a mini sitemap that helps users understand the website’s structure and their location within it. This can be especially helpful for large websites with complex navigation structures. 

Each link in the breadcrumb navigation trail takes you to a higher level of the site’s hierarchy, until you reach the home page. This way, you can easily go back to any previous page or explore other sections of the site.

How to Use Breadcrumb Navigation

Start with the homepage: Your trail always begins at home. Make sure the first crumb leads back to your website’s landing pad.

Keep it concise: Don’t overwhelm users with a breadcrumb bakery! Aim for 5-7 crumbs max, showing the most relevant categories or steps leading to the current page.

Label love: Use clear, descriptive labels that accurately reflect the page content. Think “Hiking Boots” instead of just “Footwear.”

Style matters: Make sure your breadcrumbs blend seamlessly with your website’s design. Don’t let them become an eyesore!

Bonus tip: Consider using different breadcrumb navigation types depending on your website’s structure. Location breadcrumbs show where you are, attribute breadcrumbs highlight filters you applied, and path breadcrumbs detail your exact browsing journey.

Still not convinced? Let’s consider the modern market:

Attention spans are shrinking: Users crave quick, intuitive navigation. Breadcrumbs help them find what they need fast, reducing bounce rates and keeping them engaged.

Mobile-first browsing is king: With more people accessing websites on their phones, clear navigation is crucial. Breadcrumbs provide an easy way to move around, even on smaller screens.

Accessibility matters: Breadcrumbs can be especially helpful for users with disabilities, making your website more inclusive and user-friendly for everyone.

Types of Breadcrumb Navigation

Location or Hierarchy Based Breadcrumbs

Location or Hierarchy based breadcrumb navigation are the classic breadcrumbs that show the user’s location within the website’s hierarchy. They are typically displayed as a series of links, with each link representing a higher level in the hierarchy. For example, a breadcrumb trail for a product page on an e-commerce site might look like this:

Example: Home > Clothing > Dresses > Red Dresses

Location breadcrumbs are helpful for users who want to understand where they are on a website and how they got there. They can also be helpful for search engines, as they can help to improve the website’s ranking in search results.

Attribute Breadcrumbs:

Attribute breadcrumbs show the user the different attributes that were used to filter the results on a page. They are typically used on e-commerce sites, where users can filter products by things like color, size, price, and brand. For example, a breadcrumb trail for a product page on an e-commerce site might look like this:

Example: Home > Clothing > Dresses > Red > Size: Small

Attribute breadcrumbs can be helpful for users who want to see how they filtered the results on a page and to easily go back and change their filters.

3. Path or History Based Breadcrumbs

Path breadcrumbs show the user the exact path they took to get to the current page. They can be helpful for users who want to see how they got to a page and to easily go back to a previous page. However, they can also be overwhelming for users, especially on large websites.

They capture the exact steps a user took to reach a page, but instead of showing every single stop, they act more like a “rewind” button. This button lets users effortlessly jump back to the previous page, making it easy to retrace their steps or explore nearby options.

Example: Back to Results / Women

Choosing the Right Types of Breadcrumbs Navigation

The best types of breadcrumb for your website will depend on the size and complexity of your website, as well as the needs of your users. If you have a small website with a simple hierarchy, location breadcrumbs may be all you need. However, if you have a large website with complex navigation, you may want to use a combination of different types of breadcrumbs.

Benefits of Breadcrumb Navigation

Breadcrumbs can bring many benefits to your website, both for the users and for the search engines. Some of the main benefits are:

Enhanced User Experience

Breadcrumbs can enhance the UX of your site by providing users with a clear and intuitive way to navigate your site, find relevant information, and access higher-level pages. Breadcrumbs can also reduce the number of clicks and actions that users need to take to reach their desired destination, making your site more user-friendly and efficient.

Reduced Bounce Rate

Breadcrumbs can reduce the bounce rate of your site by encouraging users to explore more pages and content on your site, rather than leaving after viewing a single page. Breadcrumbs navigation can also increase the time that users spend on your site, as they can easily discover and access more information that interests them.

Increased Conversions

Breadcrumbs navigation can increase the conversions of your site by guiding users through the buying process, from browsing to purchasing. Breadcrumbs can also help users compare and evaluate different products or services, based on their attributes and features, and make informed decisions.

Enhanced SEO

Breadcrumb navigation can improve the SEO of your site by providing search engines with more information about the structure and content of your site, and how each page relates to the others. Breadcrumbs can also help search engines index and rank your pages more accurately and efficiently, and display them in the search results with rich snippets. Breadcrumbs can also boost the internal linking and keyword optimization of your site, and increase the click-through rate (CTR) and traffic to your site.

 How to Implement Breadcrumb Navigation in WordPress

To implement breadcrumb navigation in WordPress using Yoast SEO, you need to follow these steps:

•  Step 1: Install and activate Yoast SEO plugin. You can do this by going to Plugins > Add New in your WordPress dashboard, and searching for Yoast SEO. Then click on Install Now and Activate buttons.

•  Step 2: Enable and configure breadcrumbs in Yoast SEO settings. You can do this by going to SEO > Search Appearance > Breadcrumbs in your WordPress dashboard, and checking the box for Enable Breadcrumbs. Then you can choose the separator, anchor text, and other options for your breadcrumbs

•  Step 3: Add the code snippet to display breadcrumbs on your pages. You can do this by editing your theme files and inserting the code snippet that generates the breadcrumbs. You can use a shortcode, a function, or a PHP code, depending on your preference and skill level. 

Plugins For Implement Breadcrumb Navigation In WordPress

There are different methods to implement breadcrumbs in WordPress, depending on your preference and skill level. Here are some of the most common ways:

Using All in One SEO plugin: This is a popular and easy-to-use plugin that has a built-in feature for breadcrumbs. You can enable and customise it from the settings, and use a shortcode or a Gutenberg block to display the breadcrumbs on your pages.

Using Yoast SEO plugin: This is another powerful and widely-used plugin that has a breadcrumb feature. You can activate and adjust it from the settings, and use a shortcode, a function, or a code snippet to display the breadcrumbs on your pages. Learn more.

Using Breadcrumb NavXT plugin: This is a plugin that allows you to generate and display breadcrumb trails on your WordPress website. You can configure the settings and style of the breadcrumbs, and use a widget, a shortcode, or a function to insert them on your pages.

Using a theme that supports breadcrumbs: Some WordPress themes have breadcrumb navigation built-in, which you can enable or disable from the theme options. For example, the Divi theme from Elegant Themes has a breadcrumb module that you can use to design and display breadcrumbs on your pages.

Using custom code: If you are comfortable with coding, you can also add breadcrumbs to your WordPress site manually using PHP and CSS. You will need to edit your theme files and insert the code snippet that generates the breadcrumbs.

Conclusion

Breadcrumb navigation is a simple yet powerful way to improve your site’s SEO, navigation, and UX. By adding breadcrumbs to your site, you can provide your users and search engines with a better understanding of your site’s hierarchy, content, and features, and help them navigate your site more easily and effectively. Breadcrumbs can also help you increase the engagement, retention, and conversion of your site’s visitors, and grow your online presence and reputation.

If you are looking for a professional and reliable partner to help you implement breadcrumb navigation and other digital marketing ROI strategies on your site, you can contact us at webzodiac.com. We are a team of experts in SEO services, premium backlink services, and web design and development, and we can help you create a stunning and optimised website that attracts and converts your target audience. Contact us today and get a free quote and consultation for your project.