Designing effective 404 error documents

From Stevesdomain.net

'HTTP 404 Not Found' reads the title.
'The page cannot be found' reads the heading on the page.

It's not pretty, or even clever. As web surfers, we have all collided with 404 error pages, and some endeavor to correct the error, like checking the URL for stupid mistakes that often happen. If we find we have not mistyped the URL, we probably close our browser or fly off to another site, never to return again. As Edgar Allan Poe wrote, "Nevermore!" This is a major problem for fellow webmasters.

The thing about default 404 error pages is it often gives only the error code and a short description, and if you were oblivious to the web site you were attempting to visit, the page reveals very little about the site, or a link to the home page so you can start again. Many webmasters circumvent this issue with what is known as custom error pages. These are pages that the webmaster creates to his or her liking, with the company logo intact and any dialog or links deemed appropriate. Other common error documents include 500 Internal Server Error, 403 Forbidden and 401 Authorization required.

This document refers to the most often hit error document on the Internet, the infamous 404 Page Not Found error. This error occurs when a user requests a page from a web server that does not physically exist (the page, that is). The most common culprit is a misspelled page extension or link, along with deleting a page from the server without updating any corresponding links to that page. Let us take a look at creating an effective 404 Page Not Found error document, and how to keep more visitors happy and, most importantly, coming back to your site.

THE SUPPORT FOR CUSTOM ERROR DOCUMENTS

If your hosting provider runs off of Apache web servers, then all you need is an .htaccess file within the root directory of your web site. Windows based web hosting companies, however, will often use IIS, or Internet Information Server, where .htaccess files are not supported. Many hosts will offer a control panel, allowing the webmaster to easily control their web site, modify settings, implement features any many other tasks. If you are unsure about whether or not your host runs off of Apache or IIS, check your control panel, if you have one, for a custom error document option. If your control panel does not contain the ability to setup error pages, or your host does not support control panels, consult with your host's technical support department and inquire about how to set one up. Since custom error document support through Apache is universal, the following will detail how to perform this action.

SETTING UP ERROR DOCUMENTS THROUGH APACHE

ErrorDocument 404 http://www.yourdomainname.com/custom404page.html

The above line of code contains three different parts. The first part, ErrorDocument, states that you are defining a custom page for one particular error code. The second part, 404, is the actual error code. The third is the location of the custom 404 page. All you need to do is change the location of your error document to your own file on your web server, and you are set. Be sure that the error document (ie: custom404page.html) is available on your web server. Save the file as '.htaccess', without the single quotes, of course, and transfer the file over to your web server, usually in your root directory.

Pop quiz. What do you suppose the line would read if you'd like to specify a 500 Internal Server Error page? Yes, that's right:

ErrorDocument 500 http://www.yourdomainname.com/custom500page.html

DESIGNING THE ERROR DOCUMENT

Now that we have the technical discussion out of the way, let's get into how exactly to effectively design a 404 error document page. Here are a few tips when furnishing your document:

Keep the design constant - That is, whatever design your web site supports, consider keeping that design when building your error document. This is not mandatory, however. If you have a good reason to stray from your design, then do so. Otherwise, keep it constant.

Use attractive dialog - Do not use the word error. Error signifies something is terribly wrong, and while that may be so, you should give that information to your visitor in a very friendly way. Instead, consider writing "Sorry, the page you were looking for is not available at the moment".

Include contact information - Obviously, you want to fix the error, so give the user every opportunity to e-mail you about the error. Some users will not bother to do so, but you still need to give them the opportunity.

• Keep the visitor moving - Often, 404 error pages are like road blocks, or brick walls that the user cannot pass through. You need to break through the barriers and allow the visitor to keep traveling through your web site. If your web site supports a search capability, include a form on your error document to let them search for the information they were originally seeking. At the very least, include a link to your home page.
  
  
• Give them a site map - When the user clicks upon a page that is no longer available, or was mistyped by the webmaster, consider adding a link to a site map page, or include your site map right on your 404 error document, so the user can get their bearings within your site, and can locate their desired content quickly and easily.
  
  
• Give them help - List tips on your error document page to help the visitor diagnose the error. For example, ask them to double check the URL in their browser's address bar. If it's correct, politely ask them to e-mail you to report the error. Also suggest that they visit your home page (or search utility) to find the information they are after.
  
  
• List some popular links - Provide the user with a few links to your most popular content areas of your web site, as it is more likely they were searching for that content than anything else.
  
  
  

As you have seen, error documents are more important than you may think. Merely having a custom error page shows you have put forth effort on your web site and want to help the user find the information they need. Error documents are easy to create and adds professionalism to any web site.