404 Error Pages . week two
April 23, 2010 at 2:40 am
filed under findability, techniques, tips
Tagged research, web techniques
You’ve taken a wrong turn! Please try again! The dreaded error page on a website can be like the annoying busy signal on the other end of the line. However if the users are mistakenly directed to a customized 404-error page, their frustration will be lessened if they get a message that helps direct them to their intended destination. Customizing a 404-error page can give the user a message that reassures them that they are not off the site, but only a little lost. The page can also contain directions on what the user can do to get to where they were intending to go. The more useful and less frustrating an error page, the less likely the users will stray. Some ‘mistakes’ that can navigate a user to an error page include: broken links within the site, broken link directed from another site, and a mistyped URL. A More Useful 404 by Dean Frickey on ‘A List Apart,’ details the four major reasons that users are directed to a 404-error page. A site without a customized 404-error page is a barrier for users and will quickly frustrate them and turn them away. Instead of frustrating the user, the customized 404-error page can be a building block to an excellent user experience.
The first step to creating a creative 404 page is to integrate the look and feel of the website onto the page and to include a nice message that reassures the user that they have not left the site but are only lost. Also, it is best to include a brief explanation of the error and then provide actions for the user to choose from to navigate back to the site. The page should be kept as minimal as possible in order to lessen distractions and more confusion. The page should include a search bar and the link to the site map. In order to customize the error message itself and help the user find the page they were looking for originally, utilize JavaScript to search the blog posts for possible keywords in the mistaken URL and provide the user with suggestions on possible post titles and links. Find directions on how to implement the customized error message JavaScript in Ian Lloyd’s The Perfect 404 on ‘A List Apart’.
Not only is there code to customize the user’s error message, there is Perl-script that distinguishes the link that misdirected the user and sends a notification about the broken link and its source to the web master. Sending a notification when an error occurs allows the developer to easily, and quickly update the site and to stop more user frustration. To learn how to customize the 404-error page with the scripting necessary to send an email with a specific message about the error, read Dean Frickey’s A More Useful 404 on ‘A List Apart.’
Using customized 404 error pages within the site design keeps the users informed and directs the users back into the site and not away with frustration. Your site becomes more trustworthy and builds legitimacy with an effective user experience and with efficient developer responses to website errors.
Resources:
A More Useful 404 by Dean Frickey on ‘A List Apart’
The Perfect 404 by Ian Lloyd on ‘A List Apart’
404 – Not Found. Some Tips To Make Your 404 Error Page Work FOR You by Steve on ‘I Like Wordpress!’
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sheree ciappa
Hi Christine, Just a quick note. Last week for your research topic you labeled it week one. This week you have the title but not the week. Be consistent with the titles so either edit and delete the “week one” on the flash topic or add “week two” to this weeks.
Otherwise, it’s terrific. I like the design. Cheers.