A breadcrumb is a navigation aid that shows visitors where they currently are within a website’s structure. It usually consists of several clickable levels, for example: home > category > page.
That lets visitors move back up to higher-level pages quickly and understand how the site is organised.
How do breadcrumbs work?
Breadcrumbs are usually shown above the main content. On large websites, online shops or sites with extensive categories in particular, they make it far easier to find your way around.
An example:
- Home
- Shoes
- Sneakers
- Black sneakers
Every level is clickable and leads back to the corresponding category.
Why breadcrumbs make sense for SEO
Breadcrumbs improve the experience, because visitors can move between areas of a website more easily.
They also help search engines, since they make the structure of a site easier to understand. Google can show breadcrumbs directly in the search results in place of a long URL.
Results then look clearer and often attract more clicks.