Breadcrumb navigation is one of the most popular forms of website navigation that greatly enhances the usability of the website.

Breadcrumb Navigation is a kind of secondary navigation scheme that indicates the location of the user on the website hierarchy. Not only do breadcrumbs reduce the number of actions that website users need to take to reach particular web pages but also, they make it easier for visitors to find various sections and pages of the website.

Breadcrumb navigation is extensively used in large websites that contain a huge number of web pages and have large amounts of content organized in a hierarchical manner. Breadcrumbs are simple text links that are arranged horizontally and are separated by a “greater than” symbol (>) that is used to indicate the relativity of corresponding pages.

Types of Breadcrumb Navigation

There are three main types of breadcrumb navigation that is used in website design.

Location Based Navigation
It indicates the location of the visitor within the website hierarchy. Location based navigation structure is generally used for websites that have multiple levels.

Attribute Based Navigation
It lists the attributes of the particular web page of the website.

Path Based Navigation
It lists the number of steps taken by the users to reach a particular web page. Apart from the current location, it also displays the links to pages that users have visited to reach the current page.

Advantages of using Breadcrumb Navigation

Enhanced Usability
Breadcrumb navigation makes the browsing experience of users easier as well as effortless. It offers a secondary mode of navigation by providing them with a trail for all the pages of a large website. This ways users are able to navigate to higher level pages more easily.

Reduced Action
Breadcrumb navigation reduces the number of clicks users have to take to reach a particular higher level page. The links provided in the breadcrumb trail lessens the use of the Back button on the browser. Instead of hitting the back button a couple of times, users can simple click on the desired link of the trail.

No Page Clutter
Breadcrumb navigation doesn't clutter the web page in spite of adding extra content to it. This is because they are horizontal trails that are structured plainly and do not consume more than a single line. Thus, there is absolutely no content overload and the website layout is not ruined.

Reduced Bounce Rates
Bounce rates are a major score of website incompetence. A website can be successful only if it records low bounce rates. And this is where breadcrumb navigation can come into play. It can entice first time website visitors to further explore the website and browse through after they have entered the landing page. When users read the links specified in the breadcrumb tail, there are chances that they spot something of interest and pursue it further.

Breadcrumb navigation offers a plethora of benefits to enhance the navigation structure of a website. In fact, it guides users through large complex website and help them find relevant information from there.

Maneet Puri is the Managing Director of LeXolution IT Services, a reputed web development company based in India. His firm specializes in offering a range of professional website design services and website optimization services. For more information visit www.lexolutionit.com