Skip to main content
loading="lazy" loading="lazy" loading="lazy" loading="lazy" Copy link
loading="lazy"

Table of Contents

What is breadcrumb navigation in web design?
The advantages of breadcrumb navigation on the web
Effects of breadcrumbs on SEO

What is breadcrumb navigation in web design?

Breadcrumbs, alsoknownasbreadcrumb navigation, are anavigation aidonwebsites that provide a structured overview of the site's structure and show the path a user is on within the website hierarchy. This type of navigation is named after the fairy tale "Hansel and Gretel," in which the main characters scatter breadcrumbs to find their way back home.

On a website, breadcrumbs usually appear atthe topof apage, below the primary navigation elements. They show a path from the home page to the current page, with each step of the path clickable to allow quick navigation to that level. They are often displayed in the following format, although the separator may vary:

Home > Kategorie > Unterseite

The advantages of breadcrumb navigation on the web

Breadcrumbs offer various advantages. They improve theuser-friendlinessof a website by helping users understand their position on the page and navigate efficiently. This is particularly helpful on websites with many levels or a complex structure, such asonline shopsorinformation portals.

By clearly showing the path a visitor has taken, they make it possible to return to higher-level categories or the home page without detours. Breadcrumbsreduce the number of clicks required to reach a specific page, thereby improving the user experience. They can also help visitors stay on the website longer by making iteasy to discoverrelated topics or products.

Effects of breadcrumbs on SEO

Breadcrumbs alsoplayan important role insearch engine optimization (SEO). Theyhelpstructurecontent and make the website hierarchy clear to both users and search engines. By using breadcrumbs, website operators can increase the relevance of their pages for specific keywords, as breadcrumbsareoften rich inkeywords and reflect the thematic structure of the website. This can help improve the website's rankings in search results.

In addition, breadcrumbs helpsearch engines understand the structure of the website and index the content accordingly. This is particularlybeneficialfor large websites withmany pages. Breadcrumbs can also be displayed in search results, which increases the visibility of the website and potentiallyimprovestheclick-through rate (CTR), as users can directly access subordinate pages. Google itself has recognized the importance of breadcrumbs for SEO and displays them inSERPs (search engine results pages)aspart of the rich snippet result, which gives users a better idea of where the page isin the contextof theentire website.

It can be said that breadcrumbs are avaluable additiontoany website. Not only do they improveuser-friendliness by simplifying navigation, they also play astrategic role in SEO, as they help to structure content andimprovethefindability of pages.