Creating Custom 404 Pages
404 error pages are a fact of life. But webmasters often construct 404 page not found in such a way that it does not help the visitor find what they are looking for. This is a waste of their time and yours. Some 404 page designers will even include a humorous message with no further information. Dead end error pages are a good way of loosing website traffic and visitors. At the very least it would be best to include a search box. One way to hold on to these visitors and potentially make some sales is to not only include a search box but a site map. This is especially useful if you have moved or deleted content. Many visitors will use one or the other and possibly find helpful content. Never leave your traffic stranded. Be considerate and helpful to your visitors at all times.
Another technique is to use a redirect written in javascript; but this only works if the browser
has javascript enabled. Place code between the head tags:
<script type="text/javascript"><!– window.location = "http://www.yoursite.com”//–></script>
You also use html to redirect. Place this code between the <head> and </head> tags.
<meta HTTP-EQUIV="REFRESH" content="0; url=http://www.yoursite.com/index.html">
Once you have created your custom error page or added redirect code then upload to the server. You can also login to your domain/webhosting account and use their text editor and then save it to the server.
The code can redirect to the moved page, relevant material or once again a site map.
These techniques will help keep visitors on your site and the better your content the longer they will stay.
Webhosts usually include a generic 404 error page but it’s up to your to customize it and use it to your advantage.
Another situation where a 404 page not found can appear is if there is a problem resolving with the host/server and the site is down for some reason through no fault of your own. Over the course of a month depending on your site traffic levels it is possible to have hundreds or thousands 404 errors. Use 404 error pages to get a return on website investment.
Good 404 and redirect pages prevent loosing valuable links from search engines and from those that have your link on their site.
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