How To Add Breadcrumb Navigation

How To Add Breadcrumb Navigation

Article 208 From the Complete Do It Yourself SEO Checklist For Small Business

Breadcrumb navigation is a small but powerful tool that improves your website’s user experience and SEO. Breadcrumbs are a type of secondary navigation that shows users where they are on your site and how to get back to previous sections. For example, a breadcrumb might look like this:

Home > Blog > Gardening Tips > How to Grow Tomatoes.

This feature is especially helpful for larger websites with multiple categories or pages, such as e-commerce stores or content-heavy blogs. Breadcrumbs make it easier for visitors to navigate your site, reducing frustration and keeping them engaged longer. For search engines, breadcrumbs provide a clear structure of your website, helping them crawl and index your pages more effectively. They can even appear in Google search results, enhancing your visibility and click-through rates.

How to Add Breadcrumb Navigation

1. Use Built-In Tools or Plugins
   Most website platforms make it easy to add breadcrumbs:
   • In WordPress, use plugins like Yoast SEO or Breadcrumb NavXT. These plugins automatically generate breadcrumbs based on your site structure.
   • In Wix or Squarespace, check the settings for built-in breadcrumb navigation options and enable them.
2. Customize Breadcrumb Placement
   Breadcrumbs are typically placed at the top of a page, just below the main navigation bar. Ensure they’re styled consistently with your website’s design for a professional look.
3. Use Descriptive Labels
   Keep breadcrumb labels short and relevant. For example, instead of “Category 1,” use “Gardening Tips” to make it clear and user-friendly.
4. Add Structured Data
   To help search engines understand and display breadcrumbs in search results, include structured data (schema markup) on your site. Tools like Google’s Breadcrumb Markup Guide can guide you through adding this code.

Benefits of Breadcrumbs for SEO Breadcrumbs reduce your website’s bounce rate by encouraging users to explore related pages. They also improve the crawlability of your site, which helps search engines better understand its hierarchy. By adding breadcrumbs, you’re making your website easier to navigate and improving its chances of ranking higher in search results. It’s a simple addition that can have a big impact!