Breadcrumb contextual Links and Search Engine Optimization
"Breadcrumb links, also known as contextual links, are a type of navigation aid for Web pages. They provide a textual representation of a site's structure, usually a vertical hierarchy of a site.
I find that many reputable usability professionals have mixed feelings about the usefulness of breadcrumb links.
Steve Krug, usability expert and author of my favorite usability book Don't Make Me Think (I bought the book just because I loved the title), believes that breadcrumb links are acceptable as a supplement to a regular navigation scheme, but that they should not be used without additional navigational support. In other words, always have a global navigation scheme with labels/wording that makes sense to your site visitors. And you can supplement the global navigation scheme with breadcrumb links.
However, do not use breadcrumb links as the main means of navigation, Krug recommends. Breadcrumb links do not provide an adequate representation of the full structure of the site. Additionally, site visitors do not always follow the exact breadcrumb trail to the page they are viewing.
Other usability professionals, however, tend to discourage the use of breadcrumb links. Even though breadcrumb links might be helpful, site visitors often do not use them (i.e. click those links). In fact, Dr. Susan Weinschenk of Human Factors International, recently stated that only users/participants who were given instruction to use breadcrumb links used them. Therefore, breadcrumbs are not always critical.
Many other usability professionals have come to the same conclusion. Because breadcrumb links are not crucial to the functionality of a Web site AFTER a person is already on a site, then they should not be added to the site design." (Via WebProNews)
I find that many reputable usability professionals have mixed feelings about the usefulness of breadcrumb links.
Steve Krug, usability expert and author of my favorite usability book Don't Make Me Think (I bought the book just because I loved the title), believes that breadcrumb links are acceptable as a supplement to a regular navigation scheme, but that they should not be used without additional navigational support. In other words, always have a global navigation scheme with labels/wording that makes sense to your site visitors. And you can supplement the global navigation scheme with breadcrumb links.
However, do not use breadcrumb links as the main means of navigation, Krug recommends. Breadcrumb links do not provide an adequate representation of the full structure of the site. Additionally, site visitors do not always follow the exact breadcrumb trail to the page they are viewing.
Other usability professionals, however, tend to discourage the use of breadcrumb links. Even though breadcrumb links might be helpful, site visitors often do not use them (i.e. click those links). In fact, Dr. Susan Weinschenk of Human Factors International, recently stated that only users/participants who were given instruction to use breadcrumb links used them. Therefore, breadcrumbs are not always critical.
Many other usability professionals have come to the same conclusion. Because breadcrumb links are not crucial to the functionality of a Web site AFTER a person is already on a site, then they should not be added to the site design." (Via WebProNews)
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