The 404 error is one of the most common HTTP status codes that a user can find when browsing a website. There are several reasons why the server can return this error to visitors. Perhaps it is because the visitor is requesting a resource that has never existed on the site, the page has been deleted or an error has been made when inserting the URL into the browser.
In many cases, you choose to direct the pages to the correct URL to eliminate the amount of
404 errors the page has. While this is an excellent way to optimize the usability of the website in general. However, this is an error that can be shown on certain occasions that are already out of your control, for example, if the user searches for a resource that simply does not exist within the site. On these occasions, it is good to consider some options to optimize and take advantage of the error page 404. In this article, we mention some alternatives.
Add related links to the initial search
Although this is a standard page on many websites, it is not pleasant for visitors to run into this error when they browse. For this reason, we look for a way to minimize the damage and place a message and graphic that is consistent with the brand and that makes the user forget the error he just found.
An effective way to improve the user experience is to personalize this page so that links related to the user's search appear. Whether the user has not placed the correct word in the search bar or simply the keyword has not received any results. In this case, placing links related to that word can be of great help to your users and prevent them from leaving the page disgusted.
To implement this method, you need to have experience working with code or in any case ask the
app developers for help to incorporate this feature into the site. By doing so, the possibility of conversion and prolonging the user's visit are increased. As a result, the bounce rate decreases, a good indicator that your website is offering a good user experience.
Add important navigation links
While it is common to place an ingenious message, a photograph, and a button to return to the home page, you can go further and place other links that are helpful, such as the main menu sections of your website. In this way, the visitor saves a few seconds of navigation because he avoids going to the home page and looking for the section or page that interests him most.
It is essential to identify which are the most popular or most useful pages for your users. Although it makes sense to place the main sections of the menu, in certain situations, it may be more effective to choose sections of the sub-menu that are more visited or popular. This is how you offer an alternative to users and if you have investigated the most popular links or sections on your website, there is a high probability that the user will not leave the page after determining that the resource does not exist.
Place a list of links of popular or recent entries
This is a beneficial strategy if your website is a blog or if you have an attached blog section. It is about selecting the most popular entries, either since the creation of the blog or those that have been part of a monthly ranking. If they are relevant topics, then they can be part of the list of featured links for your 404 error page.
In this case, it is important to carefully choose the entries that will be displayed on the page. You should consider the topic, the number of times it has been viewed, shared and the number of comments it has. You should also analyze whether the subject in question is still relevant. It is preferable to choose recent topics or that is still relevant, to offer the user information that they value.
Place links of free resources
If you offer free content on your website continuously, page 404 is also a medium where you can promote this content. Users like free content, there is no doubt about that. Perhaps, upon entering the homepage they had not noticed that you offer download of resources or free content and it is on this page that they find out about the resources you offer to the community.
Like the list of popular entries, you must carefully select the content you offer for free, particularly if you usually do it continuously and have a lot of resources to choose from.
In conclusion
The 404 error page is a common HTTP status code. At some point, certain visitors to your page will be shown and in some situations, it cannot be avoided. What you can do is to dropped links, optimize the search bar and take advantage of the opportunity offered by this type of error to improve the user experience of your visitors.
Remember that it is not necessary to use a single technique at the same time, you can combine some of them. For example, offering free resources and including entries may be the ideal solution for your blog if you usually share resources.
