Getting a 404 error page is always frustrating for the user, but there is something you can do to make it a less irritating experience. By creating your custom 404 page, you can reduce the user’s stress and actually provide them with some help and guidance. Here’s how to do it right!
What Is a Custom 404 Page?
A custom 404 page is an error page that is displayed to a user when they try to access a website or web page that doesn’t exist. This page is typically designed to provide the user with information about the error and may include helpful links or suggestions to help them find what they’re looking for. Custom 404 pages are a common feature of many websites and are often used to improve the user experience and provide a more professional and polished look for the site.
Why Custom 404 Error Pages Are Valuable
Custom 404 error pages are valuable for several reasons.
- First, they provide a more professional and polished look for your website, which can improve the user experience and make your site more trustworthy and credible.
- Second, they can reduce frustration for users who encounter a page that doesn’t exist by providing helpful information and suggestions about what to do next. This can prevent users from leaving your site altogether and guide them to the correct page or content that they were looking for.
- Finally, custom 404 error pages can be an opportunity to add a bit of personality to your site and to differentiate yourself from competitors. A well-designed custom 404 page can be a creative and unique way to engage with your users and make a positive impression on them.
Common Mistakes to Avoid With Custom 404 Pages
There are several common mistakes to avoid when creating a custom 404 page.
- Avoid using the default 404 error page provided by your web server or hosting provider. This page is often generic and unhelpful and can create a negative impression on your users.
- Don’t make the page overly technical or difficult to understand. The page should be easy to read and understand and provide clear and concise information about the error and what to do next.
- Don’t make the page too long or cluttered. It should be concise and to the point and only include the most important and relevant information.
- Avoid making the page too “salesy” or promotional. Focus on helping the user, not on promoting your business or products.
How to Create a Custom 404 Error Page
To create a custom 404 page, follow these steps:
- Decide on the content and design of your page. This should include helpful information about the error and may also include suggestions for what to do next, such as returning to the homepage or searching for the content they were looking for. You can also include links to other pages on your site and can add a bit of personality or branding to the page to make it more engaging.
- Create the page using HTML, CSS, or other web technologies. You can use a text editor or an integrated development environment (IDE) to create the page and test it on your local machine to ensure it looks and functions as intended.
- Upload the page to your web server, and configure your server to use the page as the default 404 error page. This typically involves adding a custom error page directive to your server’s configuration file and specifying the page’s location on your server.
- Test the page to make sure it is working correctly. You can do this by accessing a non-existent page on your site and checking to see if your custom 404 page is displayed as expected.
- Make any necessary adjustments, and continue testing until it is working correctly. Once you are satisfied with the page, you can publish it to your live site.
Why Is a Custom 404 Page Important for SEO?
Custom 404 pages can reduce the number of 404 errors on your site, negatively impacting your search engine rankings. When a search engine crawls your site and encounters a 404 error, it won’t be able to access the content on the page, which can affect how your site is indexed and ranked. By providing a custom 404 page, you can prevent search engines from encountering these errors and can help to ensure that your site is crawled and indexed properly.
Other than that, these pages lead to a better user experience, which is a key factor in SEO. When a user encounters a 404 error, they may become frustrated and leave your site altogether. This can increase your bounce rate, which is a measure of how many users leave your site after viewing only one page. A high bounce rate can indicate to search engines that your site is not providing a good user experience and can negatively impact your rankings. Providing a helpful and informative custom 404 page can reduce frustration and help users find the content they are looking for.
Finally, custom 404 pages can be an opportunity to add internal links to your site, which can improve the crawlability and indexability of your content. By including links to other pages on your site on the custom 404 page, you can help search engines discover and crawl more of your content and improve your site’s visibility in SERPs.