Breadcrumbs

Breadcrumbs is a term for the small navigation links that show users where they are on a website. The name breadcrumbs comes from the fairytale of Hansel and Gretel - the navigation links act as a trail of breadcrumbs that help both users and search engines find their way from the front page of the website to the subpage they have landed on.

If a website is large and has many subpages, it can be confusing to navigate around the site, which is where implementing breadcrumbs is a good idea.

Here is an example from Webamp.dk, where the path to the subpage "Website migration" is shown as a series of breadcrumbs: Webamp / Academy / Website migration.

On the SEO front, breadcrumbs can be a valuable part of your strategy. Google likes breadcrumbs on large and heavy websites because they can be used to better understand and map the structure of your website. If Google deems your website easy to understand and navigate, it can help improve your ranking in search results and potentially increase traffic to your website.

On smaller websites, we don't recommend using breadcrumbs because they can create a cluttered look and feel, reducing usability, your Google ranking and the amount of traffic to your website.

When implementing breadcrumbs on your website, it's important to ensure that they are logical and consistent while supporting your overall page hierarchy. It's also important to remember that the goal is to make navigation easier for both users and search engines - not more cumbersome.

Therefore, it's a good idea to spend time designing your breadcrumbs so they are easy to understand and use. In addition, consider testing your breadcrumbs with users before implementing them on your website. This way, you can make sure that they actually make it easier for users to navigate your website.

When implementing breadcrumbs on your website, it's important to ensure that they are logical and consistent while supporting your overall page hierarchy. It's also important to remember that the goal is to make navigation easier for both users and search engines - not more cumbersome.

Therefore, it's a good idea to spend time designing your breadcrumbs so they are easy to understand and use. In addition, consider testing your breadcrumbs with users before implementing them on your website. This way, you can make sure that they actually make it easier for users to navigate your website.

Breadcrumbs can be a powerful tool for improving your website's usability and search engine optimization. They can help users easily navigate your website, improve user experience and help improve your search engine rankings. But as with all elements of digital marketing, they need to be used correctly and in harmony with other strategies.