Hupspot Breadcrumbs Guide

Navigation breadcrumbs are a powerful pattern that any Hubspot-inspired marketing or content team can use to build clearer, more intuitive website experiences that also support stronger organic search performance.

What Are Breadcrumbs in Hubspot-Style Navigation?

Breadcrumbs are a secondary navigation trail that shows users where they are within your site structure and how they got there.

They usually appear near the top of a page and use a simple pattern, such as:

Home > Category > Subcategory > Page

While the original article on navigation breadcrumbs from HubSpot focuses on general web usability, you can apply the same principles to any CMS or marketing stack.

Why Breadcrumbs Matter for UX and SEO

Breadcrumbs are not just a small visual detail. They influence engagement, conversions, and search visibility.

Benefits for User Experience

• Show users exactly where they are on your site.
• Provide a fast way to move up a level in your content hierarchy.
• Reduce frustration and reliance on the browser Back button.
• Encourage deeper exploration of related sections.

Benefits for Search Engines

• Help crawlers understand your site structure and content relationships.
• Reinforce logical internal linking between categories and pages.
• Can appear in Google results as a clean breadcrumb path instead of a long URL.

The original HubSpot navigation breadcrumbs article gives strong, practical examples of how breadcrumbs can simplify navigation on large, complex sites.

Core Types of Breadcrumbs to Use

You can design breadcrumbs in several ways, depending on your information architecture and user needs.

1. Hierarchy-Based Breadcrumbs

Hierarchy (or location-based) breadcrumbs show a path that mirrors your site structure.

Example:

Home > Blog > SEO > What Are Breadcrumbs?

Use these when your content is organized into clear categories and subcategories, similar to how a Hubspot knowledge base or blog might be structured.

2. Attribute-Based Breadcrumbs

Attribute-based breadcrumbs are common in ecommerce. They display filters or attributes a user has selected.

Example:

Home > Shoes > Running > Men > Size 10

These work well when visitors rely on multiple attributes to narrow results.

3. History-Based Breadcrumbs

History-based breadcrumbs mimic the path a user has taken, similar to the browser history.

Example:

Home > Resource Library > Webinars > Registration

These are less common today because they can be unpredictable and harder to design consistently.

Hubspot-Inspired Best Practices for Breadcrumb Design

To get the most value from breadcrumbs, follow simple, consistent patterns that align with a clean Hubspot-style design.

Use Clear, Short Labels

• Use descriptive words a visitor immediately understands.
• Avoid jargon when naming categories or sections.
• Match breadcrumb labels to page titles or navigation items when possible.

Place Breadcrumbs Where Users Expect Them

• Position near the top of the content area, usually below the main navigation and above the page title.
• Keep spacing consistent across all templates.
• Use a simple separator like > or / that is easy to scan.

Make Every Step Clickable (Except the Current Page)

• All ancestor levels should be links.
• The current page item should be visually distinct and not clickable.
• Use a different color, weight, or subtle styling for the current page.

Keep Breadcrumbs Compact

• Avoid wrapping breadcrumbs onto multiple lines whenever possible.
• Truncate extremely long labels with care, prioritizing clarity.
• Ensure breadcrumbs still look good on mobile screens.

How to Plan Breadcrumbs for a Hubspot-Like Site Structure

Before adding breadcrumbs to templates, map how your content is organized.

Step 1: Audit Your Site Hierarchy

1. List your top-level sections (for example: Home, Blog, Resources, Pricing).
2. Map second- and third-level pages under each section.
3. Identify where visitors usually enter (landing pages, blog posts, product pages).

This mirrors how a Hubspot-style content library is organized with topic clusters and pillar pages.

Step 2: Decide Which Pages Need Breadcrumbs

• Include breadcrumbs on content-heavy templates like blogs, resources, and product pages.
• Skip them on extremely simple, stand-alone pages like a basic contact form.
• Keep consistency: if one article page has breadcrumbs, all articles should.

Step 3: Define a Standard Pattern

Choose one main pattern for your hierarchy, such as:

Home > Section > Subsection > Content Page

Example for a marketing blog inspired by Hubspot:

Home > Blog > SEO > Navigation Breadcrumbs

Technical Tips for Implementing Breadcrumbs

Implementation details will vary by CMS or platform, but the same principles apply.

Use Semantic HTML

• Wrap breadcrumbs in a <nav aria-label="Breadcrumb"> element.
• Use an ordered list (<ol>) or unordered list (<ul>) for the trail.
• Mark the current page with aria-current="page" on the last item.

Add Structured Data Markup

Implement schema markup so search engines recognize your breadcrumb trail clearly.

• Use BreadcrumbList schema with ListItem objects.
• Each list item should have a position, name, and item URL.
• This increases the likelihood of search results showing a breadcrumb path instead of raw URLs.

Test on Desktop and Mobile

• Confirm that breadcrumbs are readable on small screens.
• Ensure tap targets are large enough for touch devices.
• Verify that long category names do not break your layout.

Common Breadcrumb Mistakes to Avoid

Even a simple breadcrumb implementation can go wrong if a few basics are overlooked.

• Showing duplicates of the main navigation: Breadcrumbs should represent hierarchy, not repeat your top menu.
• Using misleading labels: Names must match the actual page users see when they click.
• Breaking the path: Every level in the breadcrumb trail should load a real, useful page.
• Overcomplicating styles: Keep the design subtle so it supports the page rather than distracting from content.

Optimizing Breadcrumbs in a Hubspot-Like Content Strategy

Breadcrumbs work best when combined with a clear content strategy and well-structured internal linking.

Align Breadcrumbs With Topic Clusters

• Organize pillar pages and cluster content into logical categories.
• Reflect that structure directly in your breadcrumb paths.
• Ensure that going one level up always leads to a broader, related resource hub.

Measure Impact on Engagement

• Track click-throughs on breadcrumb links.
• Monitor bounce rate and time on page before and after implementation.
• Use heatmaps to see whether users interact with your breadcrumb trail.

Next Steps

To deepen your understanding, review the full explanation and examples in the original HubSpot navigation breadcrumbs article. Then, map your own site structure and design a consistent breadcrumb pattern that supports both UX and SEO.

If you need consulting support on information architecture or search optimization while implementing breadcrumb navigation, you can explore expert services at Consultevo.