Breadcrumbs
A navigation aid showing users their current location in the site hierarchy through a clickable path (Home > Category > Subcategory > Page). Improves user experience and provides search engines with clear site structure signals.
Why It Matters
Breadcrumbs reduce bounce rates by 20-30% by helping users navigate sites easily. They appear in search results when properly marked up, improving CTR with visual hierarchy. Google uses breadcrumb data to understand site structure, potentially improving rankings for hierarchical content.
How It Works
Breadcrumbs display the user's path from homepage to current page, with each level clickable. When implemented with BreadcrumbList schema markup, they appear in search results showing site hierarchy. This helps users understand context and allows quick navigation to parent categories.
Use Cases
- An e-commerce site shows 'Home > Electronics > Laptops > Gaming Laptops' helping users browse related products
- A news site displays 'Home > Politics > Elections > 2024 Presidential Race' providing article context
- A recipe blog uses 'Home > Desserts > Cakes > Chocolate Cakes' encouraging users to explore categories
Best Practices
- Implement BreadcrumbList schema markup to display breadcrumbs in search results
- Use concise category names in breadcrumbs (3-4 words max per level)
- Make each breadcrumb level clickable except the current page
- Place breadcrumbs at the top of the page, above the main heading
- Ensure breadcrumbs reflect actual site hierarchy, not just user path
- Use '>' or '/' separators for visual clarity between levels
Frequently Asked Questions
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