The 404 error message is an HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) standard status code. This "Not Found" response code indicates that although the client could communicate to the server, the server could not find what was requested or it was configured not to fulfill the request.
The 404 "Not Found" error is not the same as the "Server Not Found" error which you see whenever a connection to the destination server could not be established at all.
The default 404 error page as shown on Internet Explorer is given below.
According to a recent poll conducted by the web masters, only 23% of visitors that encounter a 404 page make a second attempt to find the missing page. The rest 77% of visitors will not make any effort to find a missing page whenever they encounter a 404 error. So, customizing such an error page on your site will increase your chances of keeping those visitors on your site. A custom error page will be an added feature and advantage to your website. It shows that you care for your visitors and made an attempt to catch them.
Besides, there are many problems with the standard error page. They are:
* It doesn’t convey any information to your visitor about why he was shown the error page
* It fails to match with the other pages of your site
* It doesn’t help the visitor in any way and the visitor feels lost on your website.
To avoid these problems and provide your visitor with a better user experience, it is always ideal to customize a 404 error page.
A good 404 error page conveys a right message and leads the visitor to where he intends to go.
* It has an error message written in plain language so that even non-technical users will find it easy to understand. The tone of the message is slightly apologetic.
* It has an error message that tells what went wrong without admonishing the visitor:
o Explains the user why the URL could not be found
o Lists the most common mistakes in accessing the files on the site
o Lists the consistent naming conventions used on the site
o Provides spell check functionality for the failed URLs
* It allows the visitor to go to other important links of the site:
o Tempts the visitor about what’s popular.
o Links to main page or help files or a site FAQ
o Displays not more than 10 links
* It has a link to email the webmaster or a form to submit the broken links.
* It has a search field linked to the site's search engine and a list of links similar to what was entered.
* It has no ads displayed.
* It avoids redirection of 301 and 302.
Note: There is no need for you to do all of these things on a single error page. But following these simple tactics will help your visitor to stay on your site.
Download Here:
0 Comments:
Post a Comment