(Standard 404 Pages are dead-ends for users. By customizing a 404 page, a website can re-engage users.) |
m (Standard 404 Pages are dead-ends for users. By customizing a 404 page, a website can re-engage users.) |
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=== What Problem This Solves === | === What Problem This Solves === | ||
- | Standard 404 Pages are dead-ends for users. By customizing a 404 page, a website can re-engage users.<br> | + | Standard 404 Pages are dead-ends for users. By customizing a 404 page, a website can re-engage users and greatly reduce site abandonment.<br> |
+ | === When to Use This Pattern === | ||
+ | '''Existing websites:''' Use this pattern when you are undergoing any type of content review (formal or informal). | ||
- | + | '''New websites:''' Custom 404 pages should be part of the content deliverables for site launch. | |
- | + | '''Tip:''' To quickly find a 404 page, enter websitename.com/404 | |
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=== What's The Solution? === | === What's The Solution? === | ||
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Effective 404 Pages accomplish the following: | Effective 404 Pages accomplish the following: | ||
- | + | *Communicate/reinforce a brand's voice | |
+ | *Redirect users to meaningful site content | ||
+ | *Reinforce a site's primary call-to-action | ||
+ | *Give users the ability to contact the company directly (if relevant) | ||
+ | *Include the top navigational menu to give users a map back to familiar territory | ||
+ | *Do not blame the user for making a mistake | ||
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=== Why Use This Pattern === | === Why Use This Pattern === | ||
- | Effective 404 pages can greatly reduce site abandonment. | + | Effective 404 pages can greatly reduce site abandonment. |
=== References === | === References === | ||
- | #To come | + | #To come (Be wary of many of the "great 404 pages!" sites out there. Many are design-heavy with little to no usefulness. See Project Fedena example below. |
=== === | === === | ||
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Grade: A+ | Grade: A+ | ||
- | [[Image: | + | [[Image:Emma_404.jpg|thumb|left]]<br> |
<br> | <br> | ||
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'''SAP 404 Page''' | '''SAP 404 Page''' | ||
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Grade: C | Grade: C | ||
- | [[Image: | + | [[Image:Sap_404-mediocre_404_page.jpg|thumb|left]]<br> |
<br> | <br> | ||
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'''Project Fedena''' | '''Project Fedena''' | ||
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Grade: D (Well-designed. Not at all useful.)<br> | Grade: D (Well-designed. Not at all useful.)<br> | ||
- | [[Image: | + | [[Image:Project_fedena_404-not_useful.jpg|thumb|left]]<br> |
- | '''Bonnier Corporation 404 Page''' (Publishers of Popular Science, Spa and Saveur, among others) | + | |
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+ | '''Bonnier Corporation 404 Page''' | ||
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+ | (Publishers of Popular Science, Spa and Saveur, among others) | ||
Grade: F | Grade: F | ||
- | [[Image: | + | <br> |
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+ | [[Image:Bonniercorp_404-awful_404.jpg|thumb|left]] | ||
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+ | === === | ||
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+ | === === | ||
=== Categories === | === Categories === | ||
- | + | Editorial Patterns |