BreadcrumbList is a Schema.org type for a chain of linked pages leading to the current one, such as Home, Docs, Integrations, Salesforce. Google uses it to display breadcrumb-style paths in search results. It is one of the simplest and most widely applicable types, since almost every page on a structured site has a place in a hierarchy.
The markup
Each step is a ListItem with a position starting at 1, a name and an item URL. Google allows the last item to omit the URL, since it is the current page. The trail should reflect a typical path a user would take, not necessarily the URL structure.
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "BreadcrumbList",
"itemListElement": [
{ "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Docs",
"item": "https://www.gorsefield.example/docs" },
{ "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Integrations",
"item": "https://www.gorsefield.example/docs/integrations" },
{ "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Salesforce" }
]
}How it appears in search
Google has changed how it displays URLs and breadcrumbs several times, and in 2025 it simplified mobile results so that many show only the domain. Breadcrumb display therefore varies by device and over time. The markup still helps Google understand site structure, and Search Console keeps a Breadcrumbs report to catch errors.
Example
Docs and integrations
Gorsefield, a data sync SaaS, has several hundred integration pages under its docs. Its docs layout renders a breadcrumb component and emits matching BreadcrumbList markup. When the team reorganizes categories, both update together, and the Breadcrumbs report in Search Console stays clean.
Common mistakes
Positions that skip or repeat
Positions must run in order from 1. Gaps or duplicates produce errors.
Including the homepage on every trail when it is not shown
Google allows either, but the markup should match the visible breadcrumb.
Questions
Yes. Google supports multiple BreadcrumbList items when a page is reachable through different paths.
