Author: Franz Enzenhofer, SEO Specialist with extensive experience in organic growth and technical search optimization.
Introduction
Breadcrumbs have long been a valuable navigation and SEO element, helping users and search engines understand a site’s structure. However, in a recent Google announcement, it was revealed that breadcrumbs will no longer appear on mobile search results—only the root domain will be shown. While this change is aimed at creating a cleaner mobile experience, it has led many SEOs and site owners to re-evaluate how they use and manage breadcrumbs to maintain optimal user experience and search visibility.
Why Google Changed Breadcrumb Visibility on Mobile
Google initially introduced site hierarchy features in search results to help users see exactly where a page sits within a site’s structure. On mobile devices, however, the breadcrumb elements often get truncated due to limited screen space. With this change, the official update clarifies that only the domain will be displayed. This simplification is intended to help mobile users focus on the most pertinent information: the page content and its source domain.
What This Means for Site Owners and SEOs
- Mobile Search Appearance: Instead of a clickable breadcrumb trail, mobile users see only the root domain in the snippet.
- Desktop Results Unchanged: Breadcrumbs remain visible on desktop SERPs, preserving their traditional clickable hierarchy.
- Structured Data Support Continues: Google still recognizes BreadcrumbList structured data for desktop search results. The breadcrumb rich result report remains available in Google Search Console.
- On-Page UX Still Matters: Breadcrumbs still improve site navigation and user experience on-page, regardless of how they appear on mobile SERPs.
How to Maintain High E-E-A-T with Updated Breadcrumb Practices
(E-E-A-T: Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness)
- Provide Clear Navigation on Your Site: Even though breadcrumbs won’t show on mobile SERPs, they are still essential on-page for user-centric design, reflecting your Experience.
- Implement Schema Markup Correctly: Use correct breadcrumb structured data (
BreadcrumbList
) to show Expertise and organized site architecture. Learn more in Google’s breadcrumb guidelines. - Maintain Authoritative, Trustworthy Content: Trust and authority come from providing high-value content. Even without visible mobile breadcrumbs, the structure helps Google understand your content’s context.
- Monitor Breadcrumb Reports in Search Console: Regularly check the “Breadcrumb” rich result report in Search Console to fix any warnings or errors promptly.
Step-by-Step: Ensuring Your Breadcrumb Markup Is Correct
- Add JSON-LD or Other Supported Markup:Include
BreadcrumbList
properties in JSON-LD, RDFa, or Microdata. Refer to official Google documentation for code examples. For instance:
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "BreadcrumbList",
"itemListElement": [
{
"@type": "ListItem",
"position": 1,
"name": "Home",
"item": "https://example.com"
},
{
"@type": "ListItem",
"position": 2,
"name": "Blog",
"item": "https://example.com/blog"
},
{
"@type": "ListItem",
"position": 3,
"name": "Article Title"
}
]
}
- Validate Using the Rich Results Test: Check your markup with Google’s Rich Results Test. Fix any critical errors or warnings to ensure eligibility for desktop rich snippets.
- Use the URL Inspection Tool: In Search Console, use “URL Inspection” to confirm Google can crawl your pages. Submit for reindexing if changes are made.
- Monitor and Refine: After updates, wait a few days for Google to recrawl. Revisit the rich result reports or “Breadcrumb” report to confirm everything is valid.
Tips for High-Value Breadcrumbs
- Short, Descriptive Labels: Ensure each breadcrumb name is concise yet descriptive.
- Logical Hierarchy: Reflect the user’s path and the site’s natural structure—avoid replicating overly long URL paths.
- Mobile-Friendly On-Page Display: Even though mobile SERPs only show the domain, ensure visitors see a clean, tap-friendly breadcrumb trail on the page.
Conclusion
While the visible breadcrumb path is no longer displayed on mobile SERPs, on-page breadcrumbs and their structured data remain crucial for user navigation, site organization, and desktop search enhancement. By following Google’s best practices, validating markup with the Rich Results Test, and monitoring the Search Console breadcrumb reports, you’ll keep your site hierarchy clear and consistent—ultimately benefiting both your visitors and your SEO.