ByTheWeb GEO can generate BreadcrumbList structured data that describes the path from your homepage to the current page, post, taxonomy term, or supported archive.
The same breadcrumb path can also be displayed visibly on your website using a shortcode or the native ByTheWeb GEO Elementor widget.
For a feature overview, see BreadcrumbList Schema.
BreadcrumbList Schema vs. Visible Breadcrumbs
ByTheWeb GEO provides two separate breadcrumb functions.
BreadcrumbList Schema is JSON-LD structured data added to the page source. It is intended to describe the page hierarchy in a machine-readable format.
Visible Breadcrumbs are navigation links displayed to visitors, for example:
Home » Blog » Article Title
Enabling BreadcrumbList Schema does not automatically place visible breadcrumbs inside your page design.
Similarly, displaying the breadcrumb shortcode or Elementor widget does not require the BreadcrumbList Schema option to be enabled.
Where to Configure Breadcrumbs
In WordPress, go to:
ByTheWeb > SEO Settings > Breadcrumbs
The Breadcrumbs Settings section includes:
- Enable BreadcrumbList Schema (JSON-LD) – enables ByTheWeb GEO’s breadcrumb structured data when ByTheWeb is managing the applicable SEO and Schema layer.
- Home Text – changes the text used for the homepage link. The default is
Home. - Separator – sets the characters displayed between breadcrumb items. The default is
». - Prefix Text – optionally adds text before the visible breadcrumb trail, such as
You are here:.
Save the SEO settings after making changes.
How ByTheWeb Builds the Breadcrumb Path
The breadcrumb path is generated dynamically from the current WordPress content and hierarchy.
For a standard Post, the path can include the homepage, the post’s category hierarchy, its category, and the post itself.
Example:
Home » Guides » WordPress » Article Title
For a hierarchical Page, parent pages are included before the current page.
Example:
Home » Services » Web Development
For a supported Custom Post Type, its post type archive is included when that post type has an archive.
For Categories, Tags, and supported Taxonomies, parent terms are included when a hierarchy exists.
ByTheWeb also builds breadcrumb paths for post type archives, WordPress search results, author archives, and 404 pages.
The current page is the final breadcrumb item and is displayed as the current location rather than as another navigation link.
Breadcrumbs on the Homepage
ByTheWeb GEO does not generate a breadcrumb trail on the WordPress front page or the WordPress posts page.
Because there is no deeper navigation path to represent on those views, the ByTheWeb breadcrumb shortcode also returns no visible breadcrumb trail there.
Enable BreadcrumbList JSON-LD
To generate ByTheWeb’s structured breadcrumb data, go to:
ByTheWeb > SEO Settings > Breadcrumbs
Enable:
Enable BreadcrumbList Schema (JSON-LD)
When enabled and ByTheWeb GEO is responsible for the applicable Schema output, the plugin creates a Schema.org BreadcrumbList.
Each step is represented as an ordered ListItem containing its position and name. A URL is also included when the breadcrumb item has one.
The JSON-LD is generated from the same breadcrumb path used by the visible breadcrumb feature.
Display Visible Breadcrumbs with a Shortcode
To display the breadcrumb trail visibly, add:
[ btwgeo_breadcrumbs ]
The spaces inside the shortcode brackets are shown only to prevent the Help Center from executing the shortcode. Remove the spaces when adding it to your own WordPress site.
The shortcode uses your globally configured Home Text, Separator, and Prefix Text.
You can override the separator for a specific shortcode instance. For example:
[ btwgeo_breadcrumbs separator="/" ]
This changes only the separator for that shortcode instance. The Home Text and Prefix Text still come from the global Breadcrumb settings.
Display Breadcrumbs with Elementor
If Elementor is active, ByTheWeb GEO provides a native widget named:
Breadcrumbs (BTW)
Add the widget to your Elementor layout wherever you want the visible breadcrumb trail to appear.
The widget provides a Separator control and styling controls for Link Color, Separator Color, Current Page Color, and Typography.
The global Home Text and Prefix Text continue to come from the Breadcrumb settings in ByTheWeb GEO.
If no breadcrumb path is available while editing in Elementor, the editor can display a placeholder indicating that breadcrumbs will appear on applicable live pages.
What Happens with Yoast SEO or Rank Math SEO?
When Yoast SEO or Rank Math SEO is the active supported SEO provider, that plugin remains responsible for the overlapping BreadcrumbList Schema.
ByTheWeb GEO does not output competing BreadcrumbList JSON-LD.
The overlapping ByTheWeb breadcrumb SEO settings are also disabled while the supported external SEO provider is managing them.
This avoids generating duplicate breadcrumb structured data while keeping ByTheWeb GEO’s non-overlapping GEO functionality available.
For more information, see Requirements & Compatibility.
Does BreadcrumbList Schema Use AI Credits?
No.
BreadcrumbList Schema, the breadcrumb shortcode, and the ByTheWeb Elementor breadcrumb widget are local ByTheWeb GEO features.
They do not require a ByTheWeb AI account, an API connection, or AI credits.
Troubleshooting
BreadcrumbList Schema is not appearing in the page source
Confirm that Enable BreadcrumbList Schema (JSON-LD) is enabled. Also check whether Yoast SEO or Rank Math SEO is active, because a supported external SEO provider owns the overlapping BreadcrumbList Schema.
The shortcode displays nothing on the homepage
This is expected. ByTheWeb GEO does not build a breadcrumb path for the WordPress front page or posts page.
The breadcrumb hierarchy is not what I expected
Check the underlying WordPress structure. Page parents, taxonomy parents, post categories, and available custom post type archives determine the path ByTheWeb can build.
I enabled BreadcrumbList Schema but cannot see breadcrumbs on the page
The JSON-LD Schema and visible breadcrumb navigation are separate. Add the breadcrumb shortcode or the Breadcrumbs (BTW) Elementor widget if you also want visitors to see the trail.