Breadcrumbs, or breadcrumb navigation

The word "breadcrumbs" literally means bread crumbs. It refers to a navigation path on a website that helps visitors move around the site. "Breadcrumbs" are especially useful for very complex websites where users might get lost.

The word breadcrumbs literally means "bread crumbs." It refers to a navigation path on a website that helps visitors navigate the site. "Breadcrumbs" are especially useful for very complex sites where users might get lost. The name of this feature comes from the popular fairy tale about Hansel and Gretel – the bread crumbs they dropped on the path were meant to help them find their way back home. As we know, the virtual world can be even more complicated.

How breadcrumbs work

Properly implemented breadcrumbs consist of at least three levels of hierarchy, are visually distinct, and do not take up much space on the page. We distinguish three types of "breadcrumbs":

1. Location-based breadcrumbs – the most commonly used type. They help users find their current location within the site.
2. Attribute-based breadcrumbs – mainly used in online stores. They help users identify where on the site they can find the product they are looking for.
3. History-based breadcrumbs – this type shows the path the user took before reaching the target page.

Benefits of using breadcrumbs

"Breadcrumbs" highlight keywords that describe the website. They are an excellent tool for internal linking within the site, which improves the link structure of our website. Using breadcrumbs also reduces the bounce rate. Users can use the navigation to explore other products on the site instead of returning to the search engine. Since visitors move through areas of the site important to us, the number of pages visited per user session increases. Consequently, the bounce rate decreases, and Google ranks our subpages higher. This boosts SEO effectiveness and conversion rates. Additionally, breadcrumbs make navigating the website easier and, importantly, do not slow down the user’s computer or browser. This is especially important for first-time visitors – a positive first impression encourages them to return.

A major advantage of "breadcrumbs" is their minimal requirements. Since it is a short text written in a simple font, it occupies very little space on the page. Implementing this solution involves low costs and does not require a significant time investment.

Remember to ensure that all elements of your website are logically connected before introducing breadcrumb navigation.