What is a 404 Error Page

404 Page Not Found Error

A 404 error is an HTTP status code that means that the web page you were trying to reach could not be found

The 404 Error indicates that while the Web Server is reachable
But the specific web page that you are looking for is not

What is a URL

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HTTP 404 Displayed

Here are some common ways in which you might see the HTTP 404 error being displayed

404 Error
404 Not Found
Error 404
HTTP 404
Error 404 Not Found
HTTP 404 Not Found
404 Page Not Found
404 File or Directory Not Found
The requested URL [URL] was not found on this server

Shows You Care About Your Customers

A 404 page should do more than show that a page is missing or for poor navigation on behalf of your website. Creating a better 404 page could help people navigate your website, and possibly they will stay despite the inconvenience. You can also track those 404 errors to reduce how often people see this page

Often, your website visitors can get turned around. And it is not always their fault. Maybe typed in the wrong URL or clicked on a broken link. Whatever the reason, you now have a confused visitor who was looking to view your website. You can help them find the page they were looking for, and the best way to do so is through a 404 Error Page

Your website.s 404 Error Page can get your visitors back on their journey. Some of the Biggest Internet websites use no 404 pages, or bad ones. No navigational links, no text, nothing that reflects any sort of message. Visitors are left even more disappointed in their encounter than before

There are some good 404 pages that go above and beyond. Well created 404 Pages can redirect your visitors away from being lost and confused and to a more helpful page on your website. A great 404-page does one thing above all else, make the visitors feel okay with not finding what they were looking for, even if only for a moment. And then will help direct them to where they need to go

While 404 pages vary greatly, the best ones all seem to do two things well:
Support the company’s overall brand and messaging
Successfully redirect visitors elsewhere on your website through clear navigation

Your 404 page can be an opportunity to show that your brand has humans than just a common automated message. Move beyond the generic “this page is unavailable” or "404 - File Not Found" page
RSH Web Services 404 page

Successful 404 Pages

Here are some ideas that 404 pages have used successfully

• Try some humor. A joke (even a corny one) can do wonders for alleviating awkwardness or inconvenience
• Happy and snappy
• Be Clever with your design and images
• How about sassy or something totally unexpected
• Sarcasm can also pay off
• Be Friendly. The friendliness can come from an inviting design or warm copy
• Be Thought-provoking
• Your 404 pages can even be educational
• 404 pages can offer up resources and links to other helpful pages on your website
• Anything that shows a sense of
“Oh hey, we’re really sorry about that. Let us try to fix it”

Create a Custom 404 Page with cPanel

With all RSH Web Hosting accounts, cPanel is available at no extra charge

To add a custom error page log into your cPanel account and look for "Advanced". Then click the “Error Pages” icon

On the next screen, you will see a list of all the different error pages. This feature allows you to create different error pages. Just select your domain name from the drop-down box and click the 404 error page to edit it

On the next page, you will see a blank page that you can customize. You can insert tags such as referring URL, visitor's IP address, requested URL, Server name, visitor’s browser and redirect status code

You can take advantage of all these features to provide more information to your visitors. For instance, we can enter the text below to customize the 404 (not found) error page:

You can customize any of the common error pages for the following HTTP status codes
401 (Authorization required)
403 (Forbidden)
404 (Not found)
500 (Internal server error)

Some Great 404 Error Pages

On a final note. Make sure those navigation links and tactics are just as efficient on a mobile device as they are on a desktop. Treat your 404 page as you would any other. In order for it to succeed, it should be easily navigable to a variety of users, especially in our now "Mobile First" world. Make sure the navigation on your pages are clear. The fix could even be as simple as changing descriptions on a page to paint a clearer picture for users

By creating a better 404 page you can transform your website into an unexpected but pleasant stop for any website visitor

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