Did you ever reach a dead-end on the website while browsing? Have you ever searched for something online, suppose a chocolate cake recipe, to impress your guests with exemplary baking skills, but instead of finding a recipe, the link took you nowhere?
Have you ever read the Error 404-Page Not Found greeting message upon opening a link? Every time you encountered that link, you must have hit the back button in confusion and disappointment. But today, you will get to know the answer to all your questions about this 404-page error. Yes, we will discuss its purpose and importance for users and websites.
So, brace yourself up for the in-depth exploration of the 404 error code;
What does a 404 page do?
A 404-page error appears on the website when its page cannot be found because of the reason for it being deleted, incorrect URL entry, and broken or outdated links. You can compare it with the store that has changed its location, but before moving, it did not inform the users of the changed address. In this case, you will not see the web page you hoped to see. Instead, you will land on this 404 error message.
In the digital world, websites use 404 errors to inform non-availability of the pages that they are searching for. This error page is shown in default mode in a rather dull or technical way. However, many websites choose to customize it to give users a less frustrating experience.
Importance of 404 Page
You might be wondering why an error page matters that much. Is it a really important thing to consider? Yes, they are. Scroll a bit to know why so.
Gives Direction
404 error is nothing less than a guide that redirects users to the website’s homepage or suggests other related content instead of leaving them stranded in between nowhere. This way, the page keeps the users staying longer instead of leaving in frustration.
Uplift User Experience
Visitors get a negative experience when they visit a website only to get a dead-end, with no clear justification of why that is so. It gives a highly unprofessional and annoying outlook to the website. However, a well-designed 404 page softens the blow by adding a sorry message, humor, another link, or a search bar.
Improves SEO
Remember, the search engine algorithms do not like broken links or any missing pages. Here, HTTP 404 informs the search engine about the error, ultimately preventing it from getting de-ranked.
How to Fix Error 404 Not Found?
Here are some of fixing 404 error and giving it a good shape:
Be Clear and Informative
Tell your users directly and honestly that the page they are searching for does not exist on your website anymore. Make sure to avoid any technical jargon that is incomprehensible to common users. Write in simple and easy language. For example, it can be written: Oops! The page you are looking for does not exist.
Add Useful Links
To keep the visitor on your website, you can add links to the homepage, popular pages, or search bar. This also increases the chances of finding what they are looking for, helping users find what they need quickly.
Incorporate Brand Elements
Your website 404 page must be in consonance with the rest of your website brand elements. Therefore, it must include the color scheme, fonts, and tone of voice of your brand. It also reinforces the identity of your brand in your audience’s mind.
Be Creative and Humorous
Humor often gets you out of trouble by lessening the seriousness and frustration of the situation. For example, you can use funny images, jokes, or animations to make the error page seem less frustrating and more engaging.
Include a Persuasive Call-to-Action (CTA)
One must encourage the visitors to take action by asking them to explore others, subscribing to newsletters, and contacting support. By giving visitors a clear next step, one can not only make them stay longer on the website but also build credibility, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness.
Other Useful Things to Include:
- Make sure to make the design of the 404 page simple. The focus must be on functionality rather than on flashy elements.
- Add a search bar to the 404 error page to make the navigation of related content easier for the visitors.
- Suggest trendy pages, popular blog posts, or best products that users might find interesting and valuable.
- Monitor the analytics of the 404 page regularly to see if it’s working as expected. Conduct testing to detect broken links or missing elements that harm user experience.
Final Thoughts
404 page is not just an error message. If constructed strategically and utilized tactfully, it can open the gates of opportunity and high engagement for users. Through it, you can turn the frustrating experience into a delightful one.
Do you want to deal with all the broken links hampering the user-friendly experience on your website? Do you want to make your 404 page engaging, interactive, and less frustrating? Then, outsource your task to UnityDiv professionals. They have years of expertise in what they do.
