How To Craft a Unique 404 Page To Match Your Biz Branding
The first question you may have if you are not familiar with the “tech talk” is – what even is a 404 error page? And why do I even care to know about it?
To keep it simple, it is a web page that is displayed when a visitor to a website encounters a broken link, a deleted page, or even a misspelling in the URL used.
Instead of just getting a completely blank page, the majority of website platforms will create a 404 error page by default but they are often generic, with just a simple warning to tell the visitor that something has gone wrong.
However, it is possible to create your own custom 404 page to match your business branding – and you totally should!
What’s the purpose of a 404 error page?
The basic idea is to get visitors to not hop ship when they come across something unexpected and help them find what they were actually looking for.
The purpose of a 404 page is to inform the user that the page they are looking for cannot be found, and to provide guidance on how to find what they are looking for on the website.
Theme Default 404 Pages
Every good theme will have a default 404 page created to ensure visitors don’t get a blank page. However, most are very simple and are not going to win any design awards.
You can see the default Kadence Theme 404 page below:
Elements of a great 404 Page
A good 404 page should do the following:
Explain what happened.
Use clear language to explain to the user that the page they are looking for cannot be found.
Apologise
Apologise for any inconvenience the user may have experienced.
Provide guidance
Provide links to other relevant pages on the website, as well as a search bar to help users easily find what they are looking for.
Branding
Use branding elements to make the 404 page consistent with the rest of the website, such as logos or colour schemes.
Be creative
A good 404 page can also be an opportunity to show off the personality of the website and engage users with creative and quirky design elements.
The “Oops!” Message
Use a little humour to explain that they came across a broken link / deleted page.
Then, help them find what they’re looking for with things like:
- Search bar
- Most visited page links
- Popular blog posts
If you blog, it’s likely they were looking for a specific piece of content you’ve written. By putting your popular blog posts at the bottom of the 404 page, it can help visitors to stay on your site and keep reading.
Message Examples
Here are 10 quirky “oops” example messages that can be used as inspiration for a 404 page:
- Oops, looks like you stumbled into a black hole. Don’t worry, we’ll get you back on track in no time!
- Uh-oh, the page you were looking for has gone rogue. But we have plenty of other pages that are willing to play by the rules.
- We’re sorry, but the page you were looking for has been abducted by aliens. We’re doing everything we can to bring it back.
- The page you are looking for is on vacation. We hope it’s having a great time, but in the meantime, let us help you find what you need.
- Looks like you’ve discovered the digital equivalent of a ghost town. Don’t worry, we’re not haunted – we’re just updating our website.
- Sorry, but we’re having a bit of a technical meltdown at the moment. Our team of superheroes is working hard to fix the issue and get you back on track.
- We’re sorry, but the page you were looking for has gone into hiding. But don’t worry, we have a team of highly trained search and rescue dogs on the case.
- Oops, it looks like our website has taken a trip to the Upside Down. We’re working on getting it back to the right side up, but in the meantime, let us help you find what you need.
- The page you were looking for has been kidnapped by pirates. Don’t worry, we’ve assembled a team of highly skilled ninjas to rescue it.
- The page you were looking for is currently off the grid. But we have plenty of other pages that are happy to help you find your way
Looking for some 404 design inspiration?
I’ve compiled some of my favourite 404 pages to give you some ideas and real life examples.
https://www.pinterest.com.au/redlillyau/website-inspiration/404/
You can also do your own search, head to your favourite sites and type in some random letters at the end of the url. A 404 page should display! Review it against what I have mentioned above and see if you think they did a good job or not.
Making the most of accidental misfortune
Many businesses ignore their 404 Error Page, but it is a valuable opportunity to impress and engage with your visitors. By incorporating some of the ideas above, you can turn your website error page from a frustrating mishap from your visitors perspective, into an opportunity to make a great impression.
