What is a 404 page? In short, it's an error page. If you use the internet, you've probably landed on one before. It means the page that used to live at that URL isn't there anymore. Either the site deleted it, or the URL changed and the page now lives somewhere else.
404 errors are nearly unavoidable, and the good news is they don't hurt your search rankings on their own. Google expects pages to come and go. What matters is how you handle them.
When a page has moved, redirect it. If you changed a URL or replaced an old post with a new one, set up a 301 redirect from the old address to the new one. Visitors land where they meant to go, and search engines pass the old page's value to the new one. In Squarespace, you can do this under URL Mappings.
When a page is truly gone, let it 404. It's tempting to send every broken link to your homepage, but that's the opposite of what you should do. Google treats those redirects as "soft 404s," and visitors get a bad experience:
They land on your homepage when that's not what they clicked, which is confusing.
They don't get the information they were promised and don't know why, which is frustrating.
Make your 404 page work for you. A custom 404 page turns a dead end into a helpful detour. Include:
Links to your homepage, your most popular blog posts, your main services or products, and your contact page.
A search bar, if your site has one.
A little personality. Mistakes happen, and a bit of humor is a great way to make visitors smile and show off your brand.
Check for broken links now and then. Google Search Console lists the 404 errors it finds on your site, so you can fix the ones that should be redirected.
Mistakes happen! 404 Pages can be a great way to get your website visitors to laugh and infuse some of your brand’s personality. Want to find the best 404 page EVER for inspiration? Here are some great examples:
DoorDash
The on-demand prepared food delivery service’s 404 Page shows an astronaut lost in space (and eating some ramen). This cute page let’s you know that you followed a bad link, but also ties back to the brand with the food imagery.
Dribble
This website is self-promotion and social networking platform for digital designers and creatives. If you arrive at their 404 Page, there is an option to search for a design or designer and also a fun tool that let’s you search by color. It make so much sense for their brand and encourages visitors to stay on the site.
Kings Dominion
The amusement park in Virginia kept their 404 Page simple and proves that you don’t need much! They made a joke about wandering off park grounds. Although, this design could be much more clear for website users that may not understand 404 Pages.
AirBnB
The online marketplace for lodging and tourism experiences keeps it simple and clear. They have a cute animation of a girl dropping her ice-cream and then provides helpful links to help you find what you’re looking for.
Have fun with it! This is a great way to get creative and show visitors that your brand has some humor.
