How To Make Your 404 Page More Interesting

In simple terms a 404 page is an error message that appears on your website when a server cannot find the page requested by a viewer on your website. This may occur due to a change or entering of the wrong URL, a page no longer existing or has moved to a new location, a link entered wrong or not linked correctly, etc. Basically it is a page that tells your customer something is wrong! We try to avoid these as much as possible on a website as they could result in a potential customer leaving your site for good but sometimes they are inevitable so it is good to have a 404 page that keeps your customer still engaged and wanting to stay on your site.

• An Apology

  An apology of some sort should always be included on a 404 page but it doesn’t have to be your typical “ WE ARE SORRY” line as this can be generic and frankly quite boring. Try adding a bit of your brand’s personality to your 404 page by making a joke of the error whilst also apologising. For example, if you are an Artist you could say something like “Ooops, looks like we painted over this page”, or an Electrician might say “Uh Oh, looks like we got our wires crossed”. Write something that fits your brand, eliminates any negativity your customer may have, and encourages them to stay on your site.

• Some Entertainment

  Now that you have “softened the blow” with your apology, it is now time to give your customer a little entertainment. This can be done in a few different ways but again it must always be fitting with your brand and encourage your customer to stay on-site.

• A funny image that represents both your brand and the error that has occurred.

• A funny joke that is related to your industry (ensure this isn’t offensive)

• A quick “Did you know” fact in relation to your business or industry. “Learn something before you go”.

• If you have the technical skills you could have a short game or puzzle for your customer to engage with before leaving the page.

Any of the above is sure to keep your customers entertained and keep them wanting more from your brand.

• A New Direction

  The final and, in my opinion, the most important thing to include on any 404 page is the next step you would like your customer to take. Telling a customer where you would like them to click or giving them the option to contact you directly, will make them feel like they are still welcome on your site and stop them from clicking out of the site completely. Ideally, you would give them a short list of various linked pages they may have been looking for originally when they stumbled upon the 404 page. If you’re a smaller business you could also include a message/contact box for them to fill out, just ensure you have the capacity to respond within 24-48 hours or you may lose them for good.

• Branding

  Throughout each of the above points, I have told you to stay true to your business’s personality and overall branding. That means you need to keep your fonts, colour scheme, messaging, tone of voice, and imagery consistent with every other page on your site. Sometimes people see a really “witty” 404 page on another website and decide to use it on their site too which just ends up being confusing and disingenuous.

Although a 404 page is showcasing there is a problem on your website, use it to your advantage to show off some of your personality and keep your customers engaged.

If you need help setting up a branded 404 page, please get in touch, we’d be more than happy to help!