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should always be named index.html (or index.shtml, index.cfm, etc.). This allows for shorter URLs as users can "chop off" the file name and still get to the page (e.g. craftedcstomgifts.com defaults to craftedcstomgifts.com /index.html)
URLs, file names, and file extensions cannot contain uppercase letters, spaces, or special characters (e.g., & or $, # etc.).

File should only contain letters, numbers, underscores (_), and dashes (-)

Now that you know the basics of file naming you can start to think about strategically naming your files to improve your ranking in the search engines.
Some tips on SEO friendly file names are:

Use your keywords in file names! Don't use generic names like "services.html" or "products.html" actually use your keywords. This will help users find specific pages they are searching for.
Dashes make for better file naming, at least for Google SERPs. This means http://www.craftedcustomgifts. com/images/easter-figurine-pil low-set.jpg is better than http://www.craftedcustomgifts. com/images/easter_figurine_pil low_set.jpg.

In summary, when you are creating new files or pages:
1. Think about the relationship the pages will have with the rest of the website.
2. Think about what the user will be seeking when they look for the information contained in the particular page and make the title is an obvious indicator of the sought information.
3. Be descriptive but simple when picking file names.
4. Stick to only lowercase letters/ dashes.
5. Think about the overall structure of the site when the new file is added and determine if you need to create any subdirectories

If you follow the tips above and make the names/ structure of files obvious to the user then you will have an easily navigated user-friendly webpage in no time!

Learn more about this author, Talina Norris.
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