Google has again shaken up the SEO world, this time targeting mobile search results. The latest update, rolled out in January 2025, removes breadcrumbs from mobile search, replacing them with clean domain names. While the desktop experience remains unchanged, this move underscores the tech giant’s focus on mobile-first indexing and user experience. Let’s explore what this means for SEO professionals, bloggers, and users.
What’s Changing?
Breadcrumbs, the navigation aids that showed paths like “Home > Blog > Article,” are no longer displayed on mobile search results. Instead, Google shows just the domain name, such as “example.com.” This cleaner presentation aims to improve user experience, ensuring faster recognition of trusted sources. Desktop users, however, will still see the familiar breadcrumb format.
Here’s how it’ll look. On the desktop, the visible URL continues to have two parts: the domain and the breadcrumb.
On mobile, the visible URL will be simplified to the domain only:
Why Did Google Remove Breadcrumbs?
The change is part of Google’s ongoing commitment to mobile usability. Breadcrumbs often appeared truncated on mobile devices, creating confusion rather than clarity. By simplifying the display, Google ensures that mobile users get a more streamlined and effective search experience.
The SEO Impact
For SEO professionals, this update is both an opportunity and a challenge. Clean and memorable domain names now play a crucial role in mobile visibility. Websites with generic or unclear domains might see a decline in trust and click-through rates. Additionally, optimizing metadata, such as titles and descriptions, is more critical than ever to capture user attention in search results.
Benefits and Challenges
Benefits
- Simpler Mobile Navigation: Cleaner URLs mean less clutter and quicker decisions for users.
- Enhanced Trust: A clear domain name can instill confidence and encourage clicks.
Challenges
- Increased Competition: With less information displayed, titles and descriptions must work harder to stand out.
- Potential Click Loss: Websites with weaker domain names may struggle to maintain visibility.
What Should SEOs and Bloggers Do?
- Audit Your Domain: Ensure it’s concise, brand-representative, and easy to remember.
- Optimise for Mobile: Prioritise mobile-friendly design, fast loading times, and responsive layouts.
- Strengthen Metadata: Craft compelling titles and descriptions that capture your content’s value.
- Use Structured Data: While breadcrumbs won’t display, structured data can still enhance your site’s visibility and performance.
Final Thoughts
Google’s breadcrumb update for mobile search is a reminder of the ever-evolving SEO landscape. By embracing these changes and refining strategies, professionals can stay ahead of the curve and continue to drive engagement. Simplicity and clarity are the new pillars of mobile search—so make sure your domain and content deliver both.
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