Outdated, broken, or misspelled URLs are no excuse for presenting that dreaded ERROR 404 page to your potential and current customers! Not only does it frustrate the visitor, it’s a lost opportunity for the search engines. There is a simple answer. Yet many companies are still not taking advantage of a custom 404 or even more strategic, the 301 redirect.
Lets start with some definitions.
- A 404 is an error message indicating a page on the Web site could not be found. This is useful for some of those less important pages on your Web site which may simply be outdated.
- A 301 automatically redirects incoming links going to an outdated URL to the correct location. 301s are a MUST when redesigning your Web site or changing your URL. Think of the potential links in the search engines that would go away if they weren’t “redirected” to an actual page.
Today I want to focus on the 404.
There are many reason why a visitor might get your 404. Do what you can to help them get back on track. Use this chance to throw in some humor , but don’t forget to give your visitors what they need to get through the rest of your site. Your custom 404 must have:
- Your site map
- A link to the home page
- A search box
Talk to your Web developers about making sure one is set-up for your site. By neglecting your 404 page, you’re missing a valuable opportunity for customer retention.
Would you like to learn more? You may:
- Fill out our information request form.
- Review information found on our Web site.
- Or contact me directly at 216-674-1600 x 102
Tags: 301 redirect • 404 humor • error 404 • home page • search box • site map
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