Google changes mobile search results: No more breadcrumbs

Google has changed something in search results again, and this time it's about breadcrumbs (or breadcrumb navigation). Since 2009, Google has used breadcrumbs to clearly show the structure of a website in search results. But now? Fetsie!

What does this mean?

When you search for something in Google on your phone, you used to see a nice URL structure with arrows between the different parts of a website. For example:

📌 Previously: example.com > services > SEO optimization
📌 Now: example.com

Google has decided to only show the domain name on mobile devices. This means that you can no longer immediately see which page you are on.

Why does Google do this?

According to Google itself, this change is intended to improve the search experience on mobile devices. On small screens, the breadcrumb display was sometimes broken, making it look cluttered. By only showing the domain name, it becomes clearer.

On desktop, breadcrumbs will still exist, so nothing will change there.

What does this mean for website owners and SEO?

For anyone who's into SEO, that means you have less control over how your URLs are displayed on mobile devices. Previously, you could influence the appearance of breadcrumbs via structured data (schema markup). But now that has no effect on mobile: only the domain name is visible.

🔹 Your domain name becomes even more important. If users only see your domain name, it must appear recognisable and professional.

🔹 Navigation within your site is less clear via Google. This can affect how users rate your website before they click on it.

🔹 Desktop users still see breadcrumbs. Google has adapted this for mobile only, so for desktop, everything remains as it was before.

Is this going to make a big difference?

That depends. If your website relies heavily on clear URL structures to give visitors a better idea of your pages, this can have an impact. But if your domain name is already strong and your SEO is well organized, this change will probably have little impact on your click rate.

Want to read the full announcement? Check out the original article at Google Search Central.

What do you think about this change? Smart move by Google, or unnecessary adjustment?

Full explanation in a YouTube Video: