Have you ever really looked forward to something only to end up sorely disappointed? Like when you watch a new movie—especially one with a lot of build up— only to get to the credits and think, “Eh. It was okay,” or when you check out a popular restaurant only to find that your dish was not able to live up to your Instagram dreams. Stuff like this happen all the time, even online.
404 pages are the sub-par movie of the internet.
I don’t know anybody who likes stumbling upon a 404 page when they click a link to look for something. In many instances, they’re technically inevitable. But that doesn’t mean they have to be entirely annoying. There are lots of ways to make that 404 page of yours still helpful to the person who found it. Here’s how:
301 Redirects, 101
Before getting into 404 pages, it's best to first understand 301 redirects. Simply put, a 301 redirect means you are permanently redirecting your URL to another (for example: www.addressone.com points to www.addresstwo.com). If that definition is still too technical, think of a 301 redirect as a change of address. For website visitors who don't yet know about your new website address (URL), you need to find a way to redirect them or forward your information. This is exactly what a 301 redirect does - it tells the search engines that a page has gotten a permanent change of address.
How exactly does it work? The 301 redirect gets set up on the web server either by the company you're using for web hosting or by someone who can change a code in your website. Since both the new URL and the old URL use the same code, nothing gets lost from an SEO perspective. All your search engine rankings will remain the same, even if the new domain name is completely different than the old one (at Ekklesia 360, our Support team will teach you how to do this yourself).
In order to set up a 301 redirect, you can read a couple of our more detailed articles here and here.
404 Errors and Making Them Useful
If someone is trying to find your website and the 301 redirect was not set up successfully, the user will get a 404 error page. Users will also get this page when there are broken hyperlinks on your website, or when they mistype the URL. This page can cause a lot of frustration for people who come to your page looking for information, so instead of giving them a big white screen that says "not found," you should at least give them something for their effort. When someone is on a search to find something, a dead end will probably leave them annoyed. This is why it's better to give them some options, sort of like offering a detour. Here are some choices you can set up for your 404 page:
- E-mail us to let us know about the problem
- Search for the article in question
- Have a link to your blogs or articles for other useful information they might enjoy
By giving visitors a chance to take action, it will alleviate some of their frustration, and can reduce the possibility of them never coming to your site again. You will also want to ensure that your 404 page looks the same as the rest of your website. This will let the user know they did not get lost in cyberspace and that they are still on your site.
Offer an Explanation and a Solution
Besides giving options, you can also offer visitors an explanation as to why they received the 404 error page and try to provide a solution. Ask the following questions while offering solutions:
- Did you get to this page from one of our sites?
- Let us know so we can fix the link
- Did you get to this page from another website?
- Let us know so we can contact them and get it fixed
- Did you type it in yourself?
- Check for typos! Check the homepage to try and find it again, or get in touch with us and we’ll help you find it
Asking questions and offering solutions shows your visitors you care about them. It can also help a potentially negative experience turn into a positive one.
If Possible, Offer a Search Bar
By offering a search bar, it allows the user to continue searching for the information they were trying to find in the first place.
Provide a Feedback Form
By having your website visitor submit a feedback form, it gives them the option to explain the issue they are having instead of just simply staring at a blank screen containing a 404 error message.
Make it Funny and Lighthearted
Making your 404 page funny and lighthearted can make the situation less irritating to the person who stumbled upon it. Try some of these creative ways to let visitors know have encountered an error:
- “Oops! We couldn’t find that page!”
- "You just got 404'd. The page you're looking for does not exist."
- "Holy 404 error, Batman!"
- "Blessed are those who receive 404 errors."
- "Sorry about that! It shouldn't take a miracle to find the link you're looking for."
For more funny and lighthearted ways to create 404 pages, check out these 30 Brilliantly Designed 404 Error Pages.
