Funny and Super Converting 404 Pages: Don't Let It Get Away!
Posted: Mon Dec 23, 2024 9:49 am
Content
What is this?
Why does this happen and what are the consequences?
How to avoid 404 error
What should this page be like?
Conclusion
The requested URL text was not found.
Just kidding! Don't rush to leave this page. We decided to telegram directory remind you of that feeling of annoyance that comes from a 404 error... What do we usually do in this situation? Close the browser page and continue searching for the information we need. Obviously, somewhere else. But we could have easily become clients, customers or readers of this site. If it weren't for this fatal 404 error…
We tell (and show!) how to reduce the bounce rate on your website and not lose potential customers with the help of a well-designed 404 error page.
What is this?
Error 404 Not Found is an HTTP server response code. If you don't mind diving into the technical jungle a bit, read the explanations in the next two paragraphs. If you don't, skip straight to the couple of headings below: everything is clear, fun, and creative there.
When a browser sends a request to the server: "open me a page named index.html!", a search for the required file on the server's hard drive is launched. If everything is OK and the file is found, the server receives a response with the code "200 OK" and voila! - we have the requested page in front of us.
But if for some reason the file is missing from the hosting server or does not respond to the request, the server receives the sad status "404: Not Found" and shows us a page specially prepared for such cases. Or the browser kindly provides its Zen version:
Why does this happen and what are the consequences?
The structure of the site changes: pages are deleted, products run out or migrate from one subsection to another. Links to your site on other Internet resources deteriorate over time and stop working. All this leads to errors.
As a result of frequent display of a page with the 404 code:
the bounce rate is increasing;
website conversion rate drops;
traffic decreases;
The site is losing positions in search engines.
Not a very bright prospect, is it?
Don't waste your advertising budget
The call tracking and end-to-end analytics service will show the effectiveness of each source in terms of “from click to sale”.
Get a consultation
How to avoid 404 error
Try not to change the URLs of already indexed pages, do not move products from category to category, and if you cannot do without changes in the structure, set up 301 redirects in a timely manner.
There are also cases when users themselves make mistakes when entering URLs manually. Therefore, no site is insured against accidentally displaying a page with a 404 error.
As the saying goes, "If you can't stop a mess, you have to lead it!" With cool design and funny content, you can always minimize the negative impact of showing this page. And, perhaps most importantly, return the lost visitor to the working pages of the site.
What should this page be like?
1. Attractive!
You don't need to hire an artist and draw monograms on it, but a page in the general style of the site is clearly better than a white monitor with a lonely inscription "404 Not Found". The first thing this page should do is to attract attention and keep the user for at least a few more seconds. The famous Coca-Cola did an excellent job with this task.
2. Understandable.
Don't make this page the same as most pages on the site. Remove the usual banners, menus and blocks, the only exceptions may be the header and footer. Don't put an automatic redirect to the main page. Explain in simple "human-readable" language what happened: the visitor must understand that he got to the 404 page.
Aviasales provides an excellent example of this minimalist approach: it explains what happened and offers a simple solution.
What is this?
Why does this happen and what are the consequences?
How to avoid 404 error
What should this page be like?
Conclusion
The requested URL text was not found.
Just kidding! Don't rush to leave this page. We decided to telegram directory remind you of that feeling of annoyance that comes from a 404 error... What do we usually do in this situation? Close the browser page and continue searching for the information we need. Obviously, somewhere else. But we could have easily become clients, customers or readers of this site. If it weren't for this fatal 404 error…
We tell (and show!) how to reduce the bounce rate on your website and not lose potential customers with the help of a well-designed 404 error page.
What is this?
Error 404 Not Found is an HTTP server response code. If you don't mind diving into the technical jungle a bit, read the explanations in the next two paragraphs. If you don't, skip straight to the couple of headings below: everything is clear, fun, and creative there.
When a browser sends a request to the server: "open me a page named index.html!", a search for the required file on the server's hard drive is launched. If everything is OK and the file is found, the server receives a response with the code "200 OK" and voila! - we have the requested page in front of us.
But if for some reason the file is missing from the hosting server or does not respond to the request, the server receives the sad status "404: Not Found" and shows us a page specially prepared for such cases. Or the browser kindly provides its Zen version:
Why does this happen and what are the consequences?
The structure of the site changes: pages are deleted, products run out or migrate from one subsection to another. Links to your site on other Internet resources deteriorate over time and stop working. All this leads to errors.
As a result of frequent display of a page with the 404 code:
the bounce rate is increasing;
website conversion rate drops;
traffic decreases;
The site is losing positions in search engines.
Not a very bright prospect, is it?
Don't waste your advertising budget
The call tracking and end-to-end analytics service will show the effectiveness of each source in terms of “from click to sale”.
Get a consultation
How to avoid 404 error
Try not to change the URLs of already indexed pages, do not move products from category to category, and if you cannot do without changes in the structure, set up 301 redirects in a timely manner.
There are also cases when users themselves make mistakes when entering URLs manually. Therefore, no site is insured against accidentally displaying a page with a 404 error.
As the saying goes, "If you can't stop a mess, you have to lead it!" With cool design and funny content, you can always minimize the negative impact of showing this page. And, perhaps most importantly, return the lost visitor to the working pages of the site.
What should this page be like?
1. Attractive!
You don't need to hire an artist and draw monograms on it, but a page in the general style of the site is clearly better than a white monitor with a lonely inscription "404 Not Found". The first thing this page should do is to attract attention and keep the user for at least a few more seconds. The famous Coca-Cola did an excellent job with this task.
2. Understandable.
Don't make this page the same as most pages on the site. Remove the usual banners, menus and blocks, the only exceptions may be the header and footer. Don't put an automatic redirect to the main page. Explain in simple "human-readable" language what happened: the visitor must understand that he got to the 404 page.
Aviasales provides an excellent example of this minimalist approach: it explains what happened and offers a simple solution.