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What is a breadcrumb, anyway?
If you’re not sure what that is, you’re not alone. A lot of people don’t know the answer to that question, and even more people don’t understand the benefits of using breadcrumbs on their website. Well, today we’re going to change all that. In this post, we’ll explain everything you need to know about breadcrumbs – from what they are to how you can use them in your SEO strategy. So whether you’re a complete beginner or an experienced SEO expert, read on for enlightenment!
What is a breadcrumb?
A breadcrumb is a trail of links that shows the path a user has taken to get to the current page. It typically appears at the top of the page, above the main content. Here’s an example:
Home > Category > Subcategory > Page
As you can see, each link in the breadcrumb leads to a different page on the website. Breadcrumbs are usually generated automatically by the Content Management System (CMS), but they can also be added manually.
What are the benefits of using breadcrumbs?
There are several benefits of using breadcrumbs on your website, both for users and for search engine optimization (SEO). Let’s take a look at some of the most important ones:
-They help users navigate your website.
This is probably the most obvious benefit of breadcrumbs. By showing the path that the user has taken, breadcrumbs make it easy for them to backtrack if they want to go to a previous page. They can also see at a glance how far they are from the home page, which can be helpful if they’re looking for something specific.
-They improve the usability of your website.
Breadcrumbs make your website more user-friendly, which is always a good thing. If users find your site easy to use, they’re more likely to stick around and continue browsing – which could lead to more sales or conversions.
-They can help you rank higher in search results.
This is because breadcrumbs are a form of structured data, which is used by search engines to understand the content on your website. By adding breadcrumbs to your site, you’re making it easier for search engines to index your pages – which could lead to higher rankings.
-They can increase the click-through rate (CTR) from search results.
This is because breadcrumbs provide additional information about the page, which can make it more appealing to users. If your listing includes breadcrumbs, users are more likely to click on it – which could lead to more traffic for your website.
How can you use breadcrumbs in your SEO strategy?
Now that you know the benefits of using breadcrumbs, you’re probably wondering how you can add them to your website. If you’re using a CMS such as WordPress, breadcrumbs are usually generated automatically. But if you’re not using a CMS, or if you want to add breadcrumbs manually, there are a few things you need to do:
-Add the code for breadcrumbs to your website.
You can find the code for breadcrumbs online – just do a quick search for “breadcrumb code.” Once you have the code, add it to your website where you want the breadcrumbs to appear.
-Add structured data to your breadcrumbs.
This is what tells search engines what the breadcrumbs are and how they should be displayed. You can find the code for structured data online – just do a quick search for “breadcrumb structured data.” Once you have the code, add it to your website where you want the breadcrumbs to appear.
-Add the breadcrumbs to your sitemap.
A sitemap is a file that contains all the pages on your website. By adding breadcrumbs to your sitemap, you’re making it easier for search engines to find and index your pages. You can find the code for a sitemap online – just do a quick search for “sitemap code.” Once you have the code, add it to your website where you want the breadcrumbs to appear.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are several benefits of using breadcrumbs on your website. Not only can they help users navigate your site, but they can also improve your SEO. So if you’re not using breadcrumbs already, now is the time to start!
Jamie Fallon is an SEO expert who lives life to the maximum, redlining every day on a rollercoaster straight to the grave.
In an SEO career of almost ten years, he’s seen it all, he’s done it all, and he’s not impressed: from white text on a white background to today, when you can have robots paint or write for you like some kind of sick science fiction come true.
No matter what life throws at him, Jamie always manages to come out on top. He’s an expert at seeing the silver lining in every cloud and making the best of every situation. His positive attitude and unshakable faith in himself have seen him through tough times. For some people, success goes to their heads; but Jamie never forgets what got him to wherever he thinks he is.
When he’s not busy gaming the system, you can find him writing angry thinkpieces on how Google is ruining everything good about the internet, or hanging out with his wife (pictured).
