What exactly does the term breadcrumb mean?
Breadcrumb is an aid to navigation on websites. With the help of the breadcrumb, the user has the possibility to return to the start page at any time without a long search. This type of navigation shows the user exactly which paths are displayed from the start page to the page visited. As a rule, the directory and the page currently being visited are displayed there. With breadcrumb navigation, pages are usually structured hierarchically and always show the simplest path from the initial page to the current page in the browser. The visitor/user can thus return to the directory specified for the page visited with little effort. As a rule, this type of navigation is usually displayed at the top of the website, but there are also exceptions where it makes sense to insert the position elsewhere. We will come to these exceptions later in this article.
How did the breadcrumb navigation come about and what is the background?
Most people know the fairy tale Hansel and Gretel by the Brothers Grimm. In this fairy tale, the two children used so-called breadcrumbs to find their way back home from the forest. It was transferred to the websites on this basis. One thing should be said: the user should be able to find their way back easily. There are different variants of breadcrumb navigation.
What types of breadcrumb are there?
Here we have the location
The so-called breadcrumb navigation shows the visitor/user the current position in the hierarchy of the website, especially websites with more than two sub-levels use this variant more frequently, so that the administrator elements in the page trees of the website can be reached more quickly.
The click path
With this type of navigation, which is based on a path variant, the current position is displayed to the user. However, this option is less practicable for extensive questions on the website with a particularly in-depth structure. At the same time, the user also has the option of going back to the page with the browser without going forward. Another disadvantage is the long path specification of the pages.
Here is an example: Home-Holiday-Spain-Barcelona-Restaurants
Then we have the categories (attributes)
In this case, breadcrumb navigation allows the user to see which category the current page belongs to. You will often find this type of navigation in online stores or e-commerce websites. The implementation of this type of navigation is significantly more complex and may need to be adapted in conjunction with the database.
What does a breadcrumb navigation look like?
The display can be variable, especially in ready-made themes it is usually at the top of the page in the header. The display can consist of graphics and buttons. However, typographic symbols such as dots and arrows are also often used, as are icons. By clicking on the symbols, the user is redirected to the respective page. As a rule, this type of navigation is kept discreet and simple.
Most possible uses of breadcrumb navigation
As described above, this type of navigation is usually displayed on e-commerce websites or online stores. It also makes sense to implement breadcrumb navigation on large websites, as this helps the user to understand the content better and to know where they are at all times. This type of website navigation is clear and will also be relevant for search engine rankings in the coming months.
How do you add breadcrumb navigation to your website?
If you use the WordPress CMS system, for example, you have the option of installing various plugins. These plugins allow you to activate the breadcrumb navigation. With this option, it is relatively easy to implement in the web design. You should make sure that the navigation is understandable and visible in conjunction with the main navigation. As a rule, it is displayed horizontally on the website. One challenge in web design is to present the display in the mobile first principle. Whether this type of responsive menu item makes sense is another question. It is also important that the orientation for the user is structured and simple at all times. The linking of the menus should also be presented in a comprehensible way for mobile devices. Especially on subpages it makes sense to make this option available to visitors. The interaction of different elements and words in the display, in conjunction with a possible scroll function, simplifies the visitor experience.
Breadcrumb and SEO ranking factors 2021 what’s behind it?
We are of the opinion that there will be a certain percentage for Google 2021 that will influence the ranking factors if you have implemented a breadcrumb navigation on your website. Simply because Google always wants to guarantee the best possible experience for the user on a website. It is therefore advisable to adapt the website now so that it is ready to be displayed in accordance with Google’s fixed requirements.
