default.asp or index.html?

Client has default.asp as home page - Any value in 301 to index.html?

[polishhill]

A client has a web site configuration in which their previous web designer made their home page "default.asp", though there is not any asp on the page (brilliant! i konw.)

So I was pondering changing it over to index.html, but I always get nervous when 301-ing a home page. Is there any search benefit to index.html over default.asp? Should I even consider doing this, or does it not matter?

Thanks!

[g1smd]

Q: default.asp or index.html?

A: Neither!

You should be using the URL http://www.example.com/ for the root of the site, and letting the server serve whatever file corresponds with that, without revealing what that filename is.

Indeed, on most of the sites that I deal with, any client asking for

(([^/]+/)*)(index¦home¦default)\.(s?html?¦php[45]?¦[aj]spx?¦cfm)

is redirected to the canonical slash-ended URL.

[polishhill]

Hey, thanks for the response! The server is currently functioning as you have recommended above. It is serving the file without revealing what the filename is... So I am guessing that your opinion is that it doesn't matter which file I use.

I knew this was transparent to the user, but wasn't sure if spiders could detect this info, (maybe from the HTTP header info xor backlinks to the home page from other, pre-existing pages on the site / external sources)... And furthermore, I don't know if SEs (primarily google) had a preference.

I guess that is my question. I have a strong understanding of the fundamentals of setting up a server for proper forwarding, just need to know if, properly forwarded, it makes any difference to use default.asp or index.html?

[Shaddows]

Sorry, I really don't follow your initial question then. If you are using the canonical version, where would a 301 come into it?

A rewrite does not require a 301, for example

[polishhill]

Well, the 301 would come in if I switched over from default.asp to index.html at this point. You can't just change the home page file name without a 301, regardless of how your server is configured. Google will kick you in the... I mean, let's just say, it's not good for rankings ;-)

[Shaddows]

301 is a server response for a resource request.

According to your previous reply, (and g1smd's post), you will be redirected (301 presumably) to http://www.example.com/ from either of your proposed file names.

The content served at http://www.example.com/ is the same, regardless of the file name.

As such, the file is irrelevant.

Or, to put it another way, Google cannot see what file you are using now, and will not in the future. Changing is therefore a personal preference