SEO Glossary: Breadcrumb Navigation

What is breadcrumb navigation?

The term breadcrumb means breadcrumbs or breadcrumbs. If a user is on a subpage, the breadcrumb navigation is displayed in the upper area. This gives him the opportunity to better orient himself. With just one click, the user can return to the initial page or to another level of the portal.

 

In addition, a visitor can track which pages he has visited before. The breadcrumb navigation is always hierarchical. It shows in a kind of structure tree all pages that are located between the initial page and the currently opened page.

 

 

What are the advantages of breadcrumb navigation?

 

In terms of usability, a breadcrumb navigation brings some advantages:

 

• Navigation is generally located directly above the actual page content. This allows website visitors to move and navigate within the page hierarchy with just one click.

 

• The breadcrumb navigation tells users where they are at any given moment. It thus represents user help and navigation in one.

 

• If a visitor lands via the SERPs on a subpage, he immediately finds his way around thanks to the breadcrumb navigation and can orientate himself.

 

• Website owners add a breadcrumb navigation with just a few clicks, so that it is directly available

 

• In terms of search engine optimization breadcrumbs are a very good navigation aid. For this reason, they can help to positively influence the ranking.

 

Where is breadcrumb navigation used?

Especially large websites and portals with a complicated hierarchical structure benefit from using breadcrumb navigation. The same applies to online stores, where customers and interested parties find it easier to navigate through the category and product selection.

 

Tip: If webmasters want to install a breadcrumb navigation, it is first recommended to take a look at the hierarchy. Only if it is logical, a breadcrumb navigation really makes sense.

 

 

How to install a breadrumb navigation?

 

To install a breadcrumb navigation, there are several options to choose from:

 

• Plug-ins: Users of a CMS install a corresponding plug-in, which is responsible for the creation of breadcrumbs. Further settings, such as the appearance, are also possible here.

 

• PHP: In PHP, it is also possible to integrate individual code parts with scripts. These are integrated into the source code and output at the desired location. The process is similar with JavaScript.

 

• HTML: Breadcrumb navigations are also possible for pure HTML pages. These are combined in a list with the help of DIV tags. The design is defined in the CSS file.