Stand Out With 404 Pages

You can communicate your brand’s story using:

• Web pages
• Designs
• Words

And, you can even communicate your brand using error pages like a 404 page.

In this article we will learn:

• What 404 pages are
• How they are used
• How to improve your 404 pages

What is a 404 page?

A 404 page appears when a searched web page can’t be found.

Reasons for web pages not being found include:

• Web pages being moved
• Web pages being removed
• Typing in the wrong URL

How can 404 pages be used?

A 404 page can be used to:

• Point visitors to a helpful page
• Show off your company’s tone of voice
• Communicate what your company does

Popular brands have achieved this in their 404 pages by using:

• Animations
• Entertaining copy

How to improve your 404 Pages

Keep your message brief and compact

To do this:

• Remove the header and footer navigation
• Give visitors fewer options to navigate to after finding this error

This way users can decide between a few links without no scrolling and being confused by too much information. 

Don’t forget to:

• Reduced the helpful links on this page is possible
• Have one link going to a page for users with similar intentions

For example, one link going to a page for different types of accounts 

Allows visitors to contact your support team

To do this:

• Having a link for users to give immediate feedback for the missing page’s content helps keep website users happy. 

Don’t forget to:

• Remove the link going to your homepage
• Instead direct users to pages that help contact your support team

Keep users engaged

To do this:

• Keep your 404 page brand friendly and relatable by linking to pages users would find interesting

Don’t forget to:

• Link to related or recommended pages based on what the user previously viewed
• Make sure to personalise every page for the user, even the error pages

Use a background video.

To do this:

• Make error pages effective by pointing users to find what they’re looking for
• Use conversational tones in the copy with search boxes to help connect with users

Don’t forget to:

• Use 404 pages to start a conversation with a lost prospective client
• Help connect and educate the user on your brands service offering by:
  • Pointing users to specific pages
  • Offering a way to interact
  • Promoting your video or services

Get straight to the point

Remember:

• To get the user’s attention, 404 pages don’t have to include images or animations
• Simple pages with navigation and search options helps users a lot more

Don’t forget:

• Too many options on a 404 page doesn’t help users decide where to go first
• If there are three same ways to contact the company, cut it down to one
• When users can’t find the page they want, decision fatigue quickly sets in
• So, simplify the choices on the page to help users stay engaged 

Point users where you want them to go

To do this:

• A list of recent or trending articles keeps users engaged with the website’s content
• The user will forget about the missing page when they find other content to read

Don’t forget to:

• Don’t make users go back to your homepage and try their search again
• Instead make the search bar higher above the fold of the 404 page 

Conclusion

Make your 404 pages as effective as any other website content page.

Make the most of error messages by using them to:

• Guide users to content
• Maintaining your company’s tone of voice

Now it’s down to you.

Tell me in which creative ways you have tackled 404 pages on your website.

Let me know in the comment section below.