404 pages

Building a website involves detail after detail, one of which is the famous 404 error page.

The 404 error is the standard HTTP response code that is created when a browser can't get what it wants from a server. This may have happened because a viewer has clicked on a dead link or has got lost online.

Often 404 pages return a very geeky message and one that can scare or distract a viewer. A solution to this is to create custom landing pages, that allow you to steer the viewer and regain their confidence.

creating your own 404 page

Your custom 404 page is a normal html document. It can have any name but the notes on this page assume that you are calling it 'custom404page.htm'. Since it is a normal html document you are free to put anything you like on it, but consider the following:

  1. Start with a simple friendly statement that the requested page could not be found and invite them to browse (or search) your site. Don't use the term 'Error' since this is likely to put visitors off.
  2. Use the same look and feel for the page as you have used for the rest of your site. Include common navigation elements if this is consistent with the rest of your site. It should include the URL of your site.
  3. Consider including a search box so the visitor can search your site for what they are looking for.
  4. Some web servers allow 404 pages to be defined for different folders/directories. If your web server supports this and your site is logically portioned into separate sections (within different folders) then consider whether it is worth having different custom 404 pages for each section.
  5. You probably won't want web-bots to spider your custom 404 page (they will only get there by following a broken link) otherwise for example your custom 404 page might be included in search engine results! To request any web bots to ignore the page include the following meta tag within the tags at the top of your page:

    <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow">

Written by undefined at 02/08/2010 21:44:50