Naming conventions

Using computer-readable keywords in file names can improve your search engine ranking. Be deliberate when you name pages, images, and documents.

Page name (appears in URL)

When you create new pages, follow this naming convention:

• Use keywords relevant to the page title. It's not necessary to have long file names packed with keywords - simple names are fine.
• Separate words with dashes (don't use spaces or join words together without dashes)
• Avoid repetitive words throughout a file path
• Avoid acronyms unless the acronym is broadly understood by your audience
• Lowercase the first letter of each word

Note: this applies to the page name, not the page title.

Practical examples

Renaming pages

We do not recommend renaming existing pages in an attempt to meet the above guidelines. Renaming pages will cause broken links, which will have a detrimental impact on your search engine ranking.

If you work with OIT on a website refresh or migration, we can assist with renaming pages as part of our engagement.

Images and documents

Because neither search engines or screen readers can physically see images, naming files intentionally can have a positive impact on both SEO and accessibility.

When uploading images and documents into Sitecore, use descriptive words in the file names to improve overall readability of your website. You may need to rename images you have downloaded from other sources, such as SMU's media library, as these files may have a default name that consists of a string of numbers and letters.

• Separate words with dashes to ensure file names are readable to search engines
• Use keywords that match the title or description. It's not necessary to have long file names packed with keywords - simple names are fine.
• Avoid acronyms unless acronyms are broadly understood by your audience

Practical examples