A Guide to Breadcrumbs in Web Design

Have you ever found yourself lost in a website and wished for a map to navigate your way back? This is where breadcrumbs come in. Breadcrumbs are a website navigation tool that allows users to keep track of their location within a website. In this blog post, we will discuss what breadcrumbs are, the different types of breadcrumbs, and the best practices for implementing them in your web design.

What are Breadcrumbs?

Breadcrumbs are a secondary navigation tool that shows a user the path they took to get to their current location within a website. Breadcrumbs usually appear at the top of a webpage and are displayed as a hierarchy of links, from the homepage to the current location. Breadcrumbs help users understand the structure of a website and navigate back to the homepage or previous pages if they get lost or want to retrace their steps. 

Types of Breadcrumbs

There are three main types of breadcrumbs: Location-based, Attribute-based, and Path-based. Location-based breadcrumbs display the location of the current page within a hierarchy of pages. Attribute-based breadcrumbs show attributes related to the current page, such as product category, brand, or color. Path-based breadcrumbs display the path that the user has taken to reach the current page.

Best Practices for Breadcrumbs

Implementing breadcrumbs in your web design can improve the user experience and help with navigation. Here are some best practices for using breadcrumbs in your web design:

• Place breadcrumbs at the top of the page, above the main content.
• Make the breadcrumb trail easy to follow, with clear labels and a logical hierarchy.
• Use simple, easy-to-understand labels for each breadcrumb link.
• Use a separator to differentiate the breadcrumb links, such as a right angle bracket (>) or forward slash (/).
• Make sure the breadcrumbs are responsive and work on mobile devices.

Benefits of Breadcrumbs

Breadcrumbs provide many benefits to website users, including improving navigation, reducing frustration, and increasing the time spent on the site. By providing a clear path for users to follow, they are less likely to get lost or frustrated with the site navigation. Breadcrumbs also help users understand the structure of the website, which can lead to a better overall user experience.

Conclusion

In conclusion, breadcrumbs are a valuable web design tool that can improve the user experience and help with navigation. By implementing breadcrumbs in your web design, you can provide users with a clear path to follow and reduce frustration. Remember to follow best practices when using breadcrumbs, such as placing them at the top of the page and using clear, easy-to-understand labels. By making your website easy to navigate, you can improve the overall user experience and keep users engaged on your site. If you're looking for a web development company in Orlando, FL, contact REK Marketing & Design today for more information on how we can help improve your website navigation and user experience.