A breadcrumb (also called breadcrumb navigation or breadcrumb navigation) is a secondary navigation that helps users on a web page to identify and trace their position within the page structure. The term breadcrumb is derived from the English word for breadcrumbs and refers to the trail left by Hansel and Gretel in the fairy tale to find their way back.
Breadcrumbs are usually displayed horizontally at the top of a web page and show a hierarchical arrangement of web pages. Typically, breadcrumb navigation starts with the home page and continues through the successive levels the user is on.
How breadcrumbs work
Breadcrumbs provide various features that improve the user experience of a web page. Here are some examples:
- They help the user understand the structure of a web page and allow easier navigation.
- They allow users to return to higher levels of the website without having to click the Back button in the browser.
- They give website visitors quick access to other parts of the website when they are at a deeper level.
SEO advantages of Breadcrumbs
The use of breadcrumbs can also offer advantages for the search engine optimization (SEO) of a website:
- Search engines can use breadcrumb navigation to better understand the structure of a web page, which can have a positive impact on indexing and ranking.
- Google displays breadcrumbs in search results in many cases, which helps increase click-through rate (CTR) and user experience.
- Breadcrumbs can help increase the number of internal links on a web page, which provides better linkjuice distribution and ranking potential.
Integration of breadcrumbs in WordPress
There are several ways to integrate breadcrumbs into a WordPress website, such as using plugins (e.g. Yoast SEO, Breadcrumb NavXT) or integrating breadcrumb navigation into the theme using code snippets. In both cases, the website should follow the current web standards and SEO best practices in the process.
