December 21, 2024

404 Error Pages for Your Viewing Pleasure

No one likes seeing the dreaded error page on a website. It usually occurs when a link is bad. Error pages, also known by their street name as 404 pages, are depressing. They make you feel sad and confused and angry at the web designer. Perhaps all of this is irrational, but it happens. As a way to defuse any ill feelings, many web designers came up with a simple yet smart solution– customizing a 404 error page. As simple as it may seem, a customized error page will make a visitor feel like you care about their user experience on your website.

Error pages are easy to create, so there’s no excuse to avoid them. Even with the most solid website, you never know when someone might mis-spell a URL link and hit a page that doesn’t exist. Be prepared when that happens to you, even if by no fault of your own. Let these great error pages be your inspiration to creating your own.

Do you know of any cool 404 pages we’re missing?

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Jacqueline is an award winning writer for hire and brand authority. Find her on her website, and follow her updates on Twitter and Google +.

50 Comments

  1. Daniel Long Reply

    There are some really good ways to show an error 404 page int his collection. They are all very inspiring and have a massive impact. Some of the pages are almost too good, that you would want to accidentally stumble across them so you can view them. Definetly something to take into consideration when making a 404 page…

  2. Sathish Sampath Reply

    Hi,

    Excellent collection. Few things are really inspiring. Came in a real good time, when i revamp my site. May be i should also put something like this to hold the people hitting broken links

    Thanks a lot

    sathish sampath

  3. Ian Harding Reply

    Oh wow, thanks for listing my 404 design in your collection (“Hang in there”, iStockphoto.com – 7th down from top). Lots of great page designs in there with humorous messaging.

  4. Jason Reply

    Hehe, the uh oh spaghettio one was by far my favourite, almost fell off my chair. I’m surprised there isn’t a ‘you’ve been rick rolld 404’.

    Some very creative stuff though, has inspired me to invent one myself 😀

  5. Matt Reply

    There are some really great 404 page examples here but I noticed on a number of them, despite their novelty, it wasn’t immediately clear why you aren’t at the page you expected to be at, and how to find your way to somewhere else on the website. I think it is vital to make it clear how to get to the rest of the website as well as clear that the page can’t be found so that a novice user understands.

  6. Ashely Adams : Sticker Printing Reply

    Creative indeed…..LOL!!!! How would you react to a 404 message that says: “What the…?” or “You’re Screwed”….I liked the chicken ones also….And I would enjoy an error message that says: “You Broke the Internet” (Wish i could really break it. LOL!!)

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