Error 404: Designing a page that wasn’t there
Error 404 is that annoying thing that happens every time you are trying to access a page that cannot be found — it either no longer exists, or the link you are trying to access it with might contain a typo.
Philosophically speaking, the task might seem a bit absurd: You are meant to design a page of something not there. You might be inclined to approach it with my original attitude: “Well, it is annoying, but there is nothing to do. No point investing too much in it or dwelling in pain. Just do it quickly and efficiently, like removing a bandaid — right off!” So you inform the user of the bummer and move on.
Make a lemonade
But then I thought about it again and realized the potential of a page that users weren’t originally meant to arrive to. It should be designed in order to inform about the problem, then distract from the original annoyance and at the same time serve both the business and the users while offering some extra value. It should not only inform the user of what seems to be the problem (“What you wanted doesn’t exist”) but also offer other steps to take from there and to enhance the brand’s identity. This way, you might very well turn a disadvantage into an advantage.
Where from here?
Some of the possible steps you can offer to your users to go from the 404 page are:
- Return-to-homepage button (a bare minimum offer)
- Search field to offer the user another go
- Links to important content
- Header of the website
- Footer of the website
- Help section
- Contact form
- Combination of the above
Well, isn’t this awkward
The awkwardness of the situation offers an immense possibility for entertaining, amusing, and inventive uses of the 404 pages that will emphasize the brand’s identity and field of expertise, and hopefully also delight and soothe the hurting user still recovering from their rejection.
Still, the usability is above all. The message that “this is not what you wanted” should be easily understood and you should show empathy with the user’s confusion.
Who aced it
Here I collected designs from companies who completely nailed it in my view:
My takes on 404 pages
And here are some of my humble attempts:
Takeaway
A 404 page is a great opportunity to emphasize your brand identity, to charm users by letting your humorous side shine through, and to direct them to a different content that will (hopefully) be there.
Sources:
