404 pages

(Created page with "404 Pages, also known as Error Pages or Not Found error messages, alert users that the content they were looking for could not be located on a specific server. These page can be ...")
 
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404 Pages, also known as Error Pages or Not Found error messages, alert users that the content they were looking for could not be located on a specific server. These page can be customized.
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404 Pages, also known as Error Pages or Not Found error messages, alert users that the content they were looking for could not be located on a specific server. These page can (and should) be customized.
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=== What Problem This Solves  ===
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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>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; ">What Problem This Solves</span>
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=== When to Use This Pattern  ===
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Standard 404 Pages are dead-ends for users. By customizing a 404 page, a website can re-engage users.  
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'''Existing websites:'''&nbsp;Use this pattern when you are undergoing any type of content review (formal or informal).  
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Describe the problem from the perspective of user or business needs.  
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'''New websites:'''&nbsp;Custom 404 pages should be part of the content deliverables for site launch.&nbsp;
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=== When to Use This Pattern  ===
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'''Tip:'''&nbsp;To quickly find a 404 page, enter websitename.com/404
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404 Pages should be part of any content review. For new websites, custom 404 pages should be part of the content deliverables for site launch.&nbsp;
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=== What's The Solution?  ===
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; " />
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Effective 404 Pages accomplish the following:  
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; ">What's The Solution?</span>
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*Communicate/reinforce a brand's voice
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*Redirect users to meaningful site content
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Edit this. Describe the solution, in detailed steps and with accompanying images if necessary.
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*Reinforce a site's primary call-to-action
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*Give users the ability to contact the company directly (if relevant)
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*Include the top navigational menu to give users a map back to familiar territory
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*Do not blame the user for making a mistake
=== Why Use This Pattern  ===
=== Why Use This Pattern  ===
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Effective 404 pages accomplish the following:
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Effective 404 pages can greatly reduce site abandonment.
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- Communicate/reinforce a brand's voice
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=== References  ===
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- Redirect users to meaningful site content
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#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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- Allow users to try their search again
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=== Examples Gallery  ===
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Edit this. Describe the user and business benefits for this pattern, with links to evidence or additional research data if available.
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'''Emma email marketing 404 Page'''
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=== References  ===
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Grade: A+
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#A list of interesting external links, if applicable
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[[Image:Emma 404.jpg|thumb|left|Emma 404.jpg]]<br>
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=== Examples Gallery  ===
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'''SAP 404 Page'''
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Grade: C
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[[Image:Sap 404-mediocre 404 page.jpg|thumb|left|Sap 404-mediocre 404 page.jpg]]<br>
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'''Project Fedena'''
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Grade: D (Well-designed. Not at all useful.)<br>
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[[Image:Project fedena 404-not useful.jpg|thumb|left|Project fedena 404-not useful.jpg]]<br>
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'''Bonnier Corporation 404 Page'''
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(Publishers of Popular Science, Spa and Saveur, among others)
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Grade: F<br>
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Edit this. Upload images of this pattern in use, if available. Otherwise, delete this section (and heading).  
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[[Image:Bonniercorp 404-awful 404.jpg|thumb|left|Bonniercorp 404-awful 404.jpg]]
=== Categories  ===
=== Categories  ===
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Use the categories button on the toolbar (last icon on top row) to insert one or more categories for this pattern.
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[[Category:Editorial|Editorial Patterns]]

Latest revision as of 17:41, 4 February 2011

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