First, what exactly is 404 error page? Have you at any point experienced the error “Not Found (404)” on any site? Do you know you have a chance of converting those internet crawlers into prospects who arrived on your error page? This article will enable you to explore and use 404 error page for your good.
Maybe you haven’t setup the Google Analytics to track the 404 error page. Here is an official blog setting for any of the website. If you are familiar with web protocols then you might know that the web works on HTTP Protocol. The web server will restore a proper HTTP status code for each of yours entry or request. There is four essential HTTP status code that you may need to know and they are 200 Found, 301 Moved for all time, 404 Not discovered, 500 inner server error. The 404 error not found and 500 inside server error is two of the most showed status codes.
The main contrast between 404 error and 500 error is that a web server will only show the relegated error page in the event of not discovered 404 error while there is no server output shown if there is an occurrence of 500 error as the web server is encountering some error or configuration errors would be displayed. A 404 can happen for an assortment of reasons like the guest is requesting an asset that never existed on your site, asks for a page/asset that you have erased, or asks for a resource with an error or grammatical error in URLs of the website. There are a few situations where you need to erase those obsolete pages, posts, and media assets. What’s more, having 404 errors, for this situation, is a characteristic procedure. You can say it is the basic necessity for the website developers to ensure they code a 404 error page.
In a few cases where people have done much of research throughout the time that they ensure that the displayed error a static 404 page while if the designers are skilled enough they usually embed it with highlighted home page icons which will eventually reroute the user to your website.
How exactly can you do with your 404 error pages? How can you make them better? How can produce output from those error pages? And many other questions would be answered below, make sure you are focused. So, here are the four ways you would be able to your static 404 page into more intuitive one.
- 404 page with most searched links by users
- 404 page with best free offers or deals
- 404 page with interactive links or information
- 404 page with promoting links
01. 404 page with most searched links by users
This is the way in which you can recognize what your guests were looking for on your site during their esteemed visit as it is the key. Serving the client with the correct connects to best-coordinating assets would most likely the best client encounter you can express to your guest. So the real question is how can you find out what is user searched for and how would you suggest your additional links based on that data?
Indeed, the arrangement may look complex at first yet it’s not all that tricky to create. If you are a skilled developer then you must realize that you would be able to ask for asset string and make a regex check against that asset you have on your site.
For example, you are putting forth speaker repairing administration for all larger part of the sound assembling brands. Bose X 1 speaker, for example, is there in your inventory. Be that as it may, a guest goes to your site with Bose X10 as an asked for the asset. There is no speaker named as Bose X10, so normally, it must not be on your list. The conceivable thing to show on your 404 page is list all the BOSE speakers you repair. What’s more, if conceivable make those BOSE X arrangement speakers list first on that website. This may be an ideal route for a client to explore to a legitimate page despite being arrived on a 404 page. Odds of changing over that 404 page are high. You helped him explore to the real page. The user will be really glad as he did not waste his time on error pages. This also helps in building traffic using organic users.
2. 404 page with best free offers or deals
We should consider that demonstrating the most applicable offer is not exactly workable for your site but it is the tempting way to lure the users. This may be the best alternative, to begin with. It requires less coding and designs as the page is an error page. At the point when a guest arrives on your site’s 404 page, demonstrate to them a message that you are sad that the asset he/she is looking is not accessible. Make sure it does not sound or look likes a formality.
Soon after the expression of remorse content demonstrates to them the best offer running on your site. It may resemble offering 5% or 10% rebate on your most blazing running item or offering them something significant for nothing in return of an email. This may be an ideal approach to keep every one of those guests drawn in with other item or offerings who arrived on 404 page!
03. 404 page with interactive links or information
You can simply show the route on the 404 error pages. Be that as it may, there are exceptional risks that a guest goes to your route board, distinguish the page he would need to visit and arrive on that page! The dominant part of them simply clears out. You can have a 404-page plan in such design that contains all the critical connects to different assets of your site alongside an unmistakable 404 error message. Make sure you show and highlight the interactive links with vibrant colors. This may enable a client to comprehend that he arrived on the wrong page but it will also make sure that the user is not annoyed. Annoyed users do not revisit websites.
04. 404 page with promoting links
It’s damn straightforward, simply have the connections you need your guests to visit on 404 pages. I wouldn’t recommend going this way alone. Advertising links can backfire as user use Adblock which blocks any online advertisement. So make sure you blend of proposal 03 and 04 together so that they can work effectively. Keeping the connections on the pages you truly need to advance on 404 page will enable you to grow various visits on those pages. The drawback is that you are creating more unconcerned visits that may add to high skip rate. Error pages are harmless as they are helping in promoting links free of cost.
Sam is an aspiring business consultant in Australia and proud founder of Logicsofts company which has an aim to help small businesses to grow online.
Hi, I had a hard time reading this article because your social media sharing buttons overlap the text on tablet. Both contact button and sharing links are very annoying and not great user experience.