How to Add Breadcrumbs in WordPress: Improve User Experience, SEO, and Reduce Bounce Rate

When it comes to maintaining a successful WordPress website, user experience, search engine optimization (SEO), and dwell time are crucial factors. Visitors who can’t easily find the information they’re looking for will quickly leave and look for a site that can meet their needs. One effective method of improving navigation and SEO on eCommerce sites is by using breadcrumbs. WordPress breadcrumbs show the relationship between pages or pieces of content on your site, helping visitors and search engine crawlers understand the site’s structure.

What are WordPress Breadcrumbs Navigation Links?

WordPress breadcrumbs are navigational links located at the top of a web page. They show users their present location on the website by displaying the categories leading to the page they are currently on. Breadcrumbs create a trail that visitors can use to navigate back to the home page or other relevant pages without searching or clicking the back button.

Why Use WordPress Breadcrumbs?

Breadcrumbs are divided into three categories: attribute-based, hierarchy-based, and history-based. Regardless of the category, adding breadcrumbs to WordPress can enhance user experience, improve SEO, and reduce bounce rate. Breadcrumbs provide an easy way to navigate your site, eliminating the need to use the browser’s back button or perform multiple searches. They also help search engine crawlers understand your site’s structure and index web pages more accurately. Breadcrumbs can guide users to other parts of your website, reducing the likelihood of them leaving for another site or going back to search engine result pages.

How to Add Breadcrumbs in WordPress

There are three ways to add breadcrumbs to your WordPress site: manually, using themes with built-in breadcrumb functionality, or using plugins. Let’s explore each method:

Adding WordPress Breadcrumbs Manually

If you’re comfortable with coding and want more creative control over how the breadcrumbs are displayed on your WordPress site, you can add breadcrumbs manually. To do this, you will need to add a function to your functions.php file:

<div><?php get_breadcrumb(); ?></div>

Adding WordPress Breadcrumbs from a Theme

If you’re starting a new website or doing a website redesign, you can add breadcrumbs by installing a theme that has built-in breadcrumb functionality. Themes like Astra and OceanWP offer easy ways to add breadcrumbs to your WordPress site. Here’s how to add them using Astra:

On your WordPress dashboard, go to Appearance > Customize.
Click on the Breadcrumb tab.
Choose where you want your breadcrumbs to appear by selecting an option from the Position drop-down menu.
Customize the breadcrumb styling options according to your preferences.
Click the Publish button to save your changes.

Adding WordPress Breadcrumbs with a Plugin

If your theme doesn’t have built-in breadcrumb functionality, you can use a plugin to add breadcrumbs to your site. There are several plugins available, but some popular ones include Yoast SEO, Breadcrumb NavXT, WooCommerce Breadcrumbs, and Breadcrumb. Here’s how to add breadcrumbs using Yoast SEO:

Install and activate the Yoast SEO plugin.
Go to SEO > Search Appearance in your WordPress dashboard.
Click on the Breadcrumbs tab and customize your breadcrumb settings.
Scroll down and enable breadcrumbs for your theme.
Save your changes.

Conclusion

By adding breadcrumbs to your WordPress site, you can significantly improve user experience, enhance SEO, and reduce bounce rate. Whether you choose to add breadcrumbs manually, use a theme with built-in functionality, or rely on a plugin, the process is relatively straightforward. Experiment with different methods and see which one works best for your site. Remember, breadcrumbs are a valuable addition that can benefit both your visitors and search engine crawlers.

Domantas G.

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