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~ 4 min read

Why Breadcrumbs Are A Great Website Navigation Tool

By Neil Kilgallon on Thursday, 12 December 2024

Breadcrumbs are a navigation tool that makes it easier for users to engage and navigate around your website. They can improve user experience (UX) and provide clear benefits for search engine optimisation (SEO).

ID Studio, a leading web design company, understands when breadcrumbs are beneficial for a website and when they may not be needed. This guide will explore all aspects of breadcrumbs, including how to define and implement them effectively, as well as how to avoid common mistakes. By the end of this guide, you will be able to determine whether breadcrumbs are a suitable addition to your website.

What Are Breadcrumbs On A Website?

Breadcrumbs are a secondary navigation system displayed as a series of links, often located towards the top of a webpage. They provide a clear trail, showing users exactly where they are within a website's hierarchy and allowing them to backtrack to previous pages easily.

For example, on an eCommerce site, you might see breadcrumbs like this on a product page:

Home > Men’s Clothing > Shorts > Swimming Shorts

Breadcrumbs can take on different forms depending on the type of website you have. Below are the three main types of breadcrumbs, along with examples of their use.

Location-Based Breadcrumbs

These breadcrumbs display the user’s current position within the website hierarchy.

Home > Electronics > Mobile Phones > iPhones > iPhone 15 Pro Max

Attribute-Based Breadcrumbs

Typically used on eCommerce websites, these breadcrumbs show the attributes of the product a user is viewing, such as category and subcategory.

Home > Men’s Shoes > Size 11 > Brown Leather

Path-Based Breadcrumbs

These steps show the user's navigation to the current page. While less common, they can assist in retracing dynamic paths.

Home > Search Results > “Step Ladders” > Product Page

Benefits Of Using Breadcrumbs

Breadcrumbs are not just a navigational tool; they provide added usability, performance, and search engine visibility benefits.

Improved User Experience (UX)

A smooth, intuitive user experience is essential to keeping visitors engaged. Breadcrumbs help users easily understand where they are on the website and provide a quick path to higher-level pages.

If someone lands on a deep product page from a Google search, breadcrumbs make it easy to explore related categories without hitting the ‘back’ button.

Enhanced Navigation

Breadcrumbs simplify navigation across complex sites, especially those with layered structures like eCommerce platforms or extensive blogs. Offering users a logical trail, you reduce frustration and help them find what they’re looking for faster.

SEO Advantages

Well-implemented breadcrumbs improve your internal linking structure, a big plus for search engines. Additionally, breadcrumbs often appear in Google search results as part of rich snippets, enhancing your site’s visibility and click-through rates.

Reduced Bounce Rates

By providing users with easy navigation options, breadcrumbs encourage exploration. Instead of leaving from the current page, visitors are more likely to click through to parent categories, reducing bounce rates and increasing time on site.

To learn more about website bounce rates, read our article - tips to reduce your bounce rate.

How To Design Effective Breadcrumbs

While breadcrumbs are straightforward, their design needs careful consideration and planning. Poorly implemented breadcrumbs can confuse users or go completely unnoticed. Here are some design principles that the ID Studio web design team follows for optimal results:

Placement

Breadcrumbs should be easy to spot. They’re traditionally placed at the top of the page, right below the navigation menu or site header.

Style And Consistency

Match the design of your breadcrumbs to your site’s overall branding. Use colours, fonts, and styles that align with your existing design while maintaining sufficient contrast for clarity.

Clear Hierarchy

Ensure the breadcrumbs logically represent the parent-child relationship between pages. Users should see a clear progression from the homepage to deeper levels.

Clickable Links

Each segment of the breadcrumb trail should be clickable (except the current page). This interactivity enhances navigation and encourages exploration.

Examples of Great Breadcrumb Implementations

Below are two examples of well-executed breadcrumbs.

Amazon

Home > Electronics > Computers > Laptops

Amazon’s breadcrumbs simplify navigation on their extensive platform, allowing users to easily expand their search to broader categories.

Airbnb

Home > Rental Locations > London > Richmond

Airbnb utilises breadcrumbs to streamline navigation, allowing users to easily retrace their steps through location filters. This feature simplifies the search process, making exploring and discovering new rental properties easier.

Common Breadcrumb Mistakes To Avoid

As with any aspect of web design, breadcrumbs can become ineffective if not implemented correctly. Below, we cover three common mistakes people make when adding breadcrumbs to a website:

  • Overcomplicating The Structure: Keep breadcrumbs simple. Too many layers can overwhelm users.
  • Making Them Too Obscure Or Small: Design breadcrumbs so they’re prominent and easy to interact with.
  • Disregarding Website Hierarchy: Breadcrumbs should accurately reflect your website's architecture or risk confusing users.

Evaluate Your Website Navigation Today

Breadcrumbs can significantly enhance website navigation, boost traffic, and create a better user experience. With over 20 years of expertise in web design, ID Studio is here to help. Whether you’re looking to revamp your current website or build a new one from scratch, our team is ready to help.

Neil has been a director within a web design agency for over 20 years. His focus now lies in digital marketing and strategy, especially search engine optimisation, social media strategy and analytics.