A 404 page is an inevitable part of your web journey. You click on a link to a page and expect to find resources that are relevant and interesting. But bam, you encountered a 404 Page not found error and felt disappointed and annoyed.
A 404 page is an inconvenience for both the users and the site owners. But it is pretty difficult to avoid this. This is a common phenomenon for websites where the content is constantly updated or changed. It can also occur when a URL structure changes or the site is being redesigned. It can also happen if the visitors type the wrong URL address.
Stumbling upon a 404 page indeed gives you an unpleasant feeling. And at most times, we tend to neglect the 404 page when it comes to designing. But in reality, you should not underestimate its utility. By strategically capitalizing on 404 page designs, you can improve your conversion rate and increase the traffic to your site. If you are a research student, 404-page designs can be an excellent graphic design dissertation topic.
You may delve into this article to learn about some things you need to consider before designing your 404 pages and draw inspiration from excellent samples.
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Why should you focus on 404 page design?
There are various reasons for making your 404 page more appealing and user-friendly. Here are a few reasons:
- A well-designed and engaging 404 pages show that they care about the users and want them to have a positive experience with the brand.
- A functional error page design will provide a positive experience, which can reduce the frustration caused by landing on the error page and not finding the resources they expected to see.
- A fun 404 page will encourage visitors to go to your homepage and engage with your brand.
- By incorporating graphics or attractive images, you can take the user’s mind off the negative feeling caused by landing on the wrong page.
- When designed strategically, a 40 page has the potential to take visitors into your sales funnel.
Things to consider for effective 404 page designs
If you want to provide optimal user experience, the ideal situation is preventing error pages and ensuring that your users never encounter 404 pages. But errors are an inevitable part of web life. Therefore it is essential to have a backup plan that can improve the user experience. And using a creative and user-friendly design is one of the best ways to make the 404 experience satisfying and positive. So here is what you need to consider when designing awesome 404 pages.
1. Look into 404 example pages for inspiration
The 404 page was one of the most overlooked parts of your website and was often considered the least important page on the internet. But today, they have become a cultural phenomenon and a crucial part of your life on the web. You can find numerous 404 pages that are strategically designed. So, if you are short of inspiration and are wondering about designing a brilliant 404 page, you can look into these vividly designed 404 pages for inspiration.
2. Do not abandon your 404 page
It is likely true that your 404 page is the least visited page on your website. But this does not mean that you need not bother about the page. You should ensure visitors do not feel abandoned when they encounter the page. The page should resonate with the rest of your website and be well thought out. This means that you should put effort into designing and testing the 404 page like the other pages on your site.
3. Explain the problem
When designing the 404 page, make sure that you do not use technical jargon. Take note that not everyone is familiar with technical terms, and using jargon can confuse people who are not from a technical background. They won’t understand error messages like “page not found,” which can annoy the already frustrated audience. Therefore take a step further and explain to the users what happened in simple language. Keep the explanation brief, simple, and concise.
4. Offer your apologies
There can be various reasons for your error page. It may be your fault, or it can be the fault of your visitor for landing on a 404 page. But regardless of whose fault it is, ensure that you apologize for the inconvenience caused. The user doesn’t care whether the address they have typed is wrong. They want to know whether they can access the page they want.
When they encounter an error page, they get frustrated and will hold your site responsible for the inconvenience caused. So, start by apologizing. A little apology can compensate for the disappointment caused by the user’s encounter with an error page. Whether you operate a wholesale eCommerce platform or a small online boutique, little apology can compensate for the disappointment caused by the user’s encounter with an error page.
5. Make your 404 page functional
When users land on a 404 page, they first click the back button and exit your webpage. This is because they do not have any actions to take or anywhere to go from an error page. The only option usually given to them is to reload the page or go back to the previous page. It is best to make your 404 page functional to prevent users from leaving your website and turn a potentially negative experience into a positive one,
Make your 404 page functional and direct the users to the right sources. When designing a 404 page, you can consider adding the following compliments to make your page functional.
- Link to home page- One of the basic elements you can add to your 404 page is the home page link.
- A search bar- A search bar on the 404 page will enable the users to continue searching for whatever resources they want. This will allow the users to search for whatever they want on your website and make them spend more time on your webpage.
- Links to the most popular blogs on your website- You can incorporate some links to some of the most popular and interesting blogs on your site.
- Add call to action- Consider adding a download or sign-up button to make your 404 page functional.
6. Do not clutter
While designing, you might add all links, services, or products to your 404 page. But this will confuse and push the limits of already frustrated users. So, avoid overwhelming your visitors with links to your website’s nook and corners. Instead, consider adding some key links like the links to the home page, About Us page, or most popular blogs on your page.
6. Be creative with your 404 page
One of the factors that can make your 404 page more appealing is using emotional drops like ‘Oops!’, “Hmm,” or “Oh .’ You can also add animations or illustrations that can pique people’s emotions. This is a good way to make a frustrating error page situation interesting. This will also make your site more memorable to visitors.
7. Make your 404 page funny
While designing, try to make your page funny and entertaining. Understand that nothing is better at covering a disappointment or embracement than humor. So, try to create good jokes to wrap up your error message. Adding humor can make this frustrating situation tolerable and make people more forgiving. Even though your visitors couldn’t find what they were expecting to see, humor can put a smile on their faces and turn a negative experience into a positive one. Creating a humorous 404 page can make your page memorable and turn the negative experience into a satisfactory and enjoyable one.
8. Make your 404-page interactive
Try to make your webpage interactive. User toggles, mini-games, and other content to make your page interactive. Consider adding gamification elements to the page to make it more engaging.
For instance, the online tool Figma creates an interactive design. They designed 404 in vectors that enable the users to change its shape as they like.
9. Maintain branding consistency
Even though you might feel that a 404 page is useless, they are still a part of your website. Therefore put some effort into marinating branding elements like fonts, colors, logo, style, and resonates with your brand identity.
Awesome 404 page designs for inspiration
Here are some websites that have strategically used 404 pages. From brilliant branding to engaging humor, these 404 pages have grabbed the eyes of all users.
1. Lego
If you are looking for a 404 page that resonates with its branding and is very useful, then you should look at the 404 page design of Lego. It is one such 404 page that has successfully turned the potential negative user experience into a sales opportunity. In addition, the page incorporates an efficient Call to action button that takes the visitors to the homepage. But what makes the page memorable is its humor.
2. Spotify
The 404 page on the webpage of Spotify is crafted wisely and has brilliantly used custom graphics. Instead of simply conveying the page not found message, the designers have taken this opportunity to incorporate links to their FAQ pages. They also used the 404 page to promote their community page. This is an example of a well-thought-out page where they have added all the resources that will redirect the visitors to their site.
3. Pixar
If you are looking for a 404 sample page to draw creative inspiration, then the 404 page designed by the creative giant Pixar will serve your purpose. Like the animated movies of Pixar, even its fantastic 404 page will give a chance for grownups to taste the innocent and imaginative world of kids. They have used one of the most popular characters, “sadness’ from the movie Inside Out, which has effectively built the brand image. But the real success of this 404 age lies in its ability to make the frustration of encountering a 404 page into a satisfactory one by making the visitors smile.
4. Nike
Nike has also stepped into this creative world of 404 pages and has turned the potentially negative experience into a potential opportunity to sell its products. In their version of the 404 page, you will have to look closely to see the “we can’t find the page you are looking for” message. Just below this message, you will be able to see the best-selling products of Nike. If you own an e-commerce website, you can use this strategy to turn the frustrating situation of encountering an error page into an opportunity to sell your products.
5. IMDb
The 404 page of IMDb is designed in a specific way. There is no particular logo or illustration to capture the audience’s attention. Instead, they have used famous movie quotations and modified them to appeal to the targeted audience. Most IMDb users are cinema lovers and will be familiar with all the quotes from these moves. Their subtle branding and the funny and enjoyable user experience have made the 404 page a huge success.
Final thoughts
The 404 page need not always be frustrating and disappointing. It can be an opportunity to showcase your creativity and make your brand more memorable. An appealing and functional 404 page can help enhance your brand and boost conversions. So, understand the practicality of 404 pages and use them strategically to improve user experience.
