Maximising Benefits with an Effective Custom 404 Page
Once you understand the significance and benefits behind a custom 404 page, which we spoke about in the previous blog (here), you can understand why creating one is something worth investing in.
Here’s some ways to maximise its potential for your business and your clients:
- Keep It User-Friendly
The primary goal of your custom 404 page is to assist users in finding what they need, so having a page that is easy to understand and navigate is essential. Use plain language to explain the error and provide clear links or search options to help users continue their journey. You don’t want people to click away from your site because they felt confused by what’s occurred.
- Offer Helpful Information
In addition to apologising for the error, consider providing valuable information or suggestions. This could include links to popular pages, a site map, a search bar, or a contact link in case users need further assistance. The more helpful and informative your page is, the better the user experience. Keep in mind that you don’t want it too overwhelming, so keeping the information easy to understand, relevant and minimal (as in don’t link absolutely every option on your site, just the main sections you want clients to visit).
- Maintain Branding
A custom 404 page also allows another opportunity to keep your branding consistent. Incorporate your logo, colour scheme, and typography to ensure that your custom 404 page feels like a seamless part of your website. This helps reinforce your brand’s identity even in times of error.
- Monitor and Analyse
Regularly monitor your website’s 404 errors and analyse user behaviour on your custom error page. This data can provide valuable insights into how users interact with your page and what improvements could be made to enhance their experience further. You can work out what option is the most popular when clicking back into your site & how to direct people to where you want them to go instead.
- Implement a Sense of Humanity within Your Business
A custom 404 page can also be used to add a touch of humour, and be used as a way to humanise your business. Personalising it in a way that people can learn a bit about you without breaking too far from keeping things business related. Some of the coolest 404 pages have jokes about things breaking, space or robots. They break up the seriousness of the issue without taking people too far away from what’s happened.
Overall, while it’s technically not necessarily to have a custom 404 page, as most websites will display an error page; when taking into account the benefits that the 404 page can bring, it becomes essential. The ability to turn an error into something that benefits your business is always worth it’s price.
