9 awesome 404 error pages
Whilst it’s best not to have any broken links on your site, it’s important to have a 404 error page just in case a user tries to reach a page that is unavailable or no longer exists. A great 404 page informs the user of the situation and gives them options to reach other content quickly and easily. It’s also a great opportunity to be creative – and to disperse any user frustration at reaching the broken link – with fun imagery, humour and brand messaging. A well-designed 404 error page help keeps users happy and on your site for longer.
Here are a few of our favourite designs from across the web:
1. Cats Protection
With an irresistible cat face in place of the ‘0’ in 404, this error message says that cats can’t find the page and encourages users to sponsor a cat or donate to the charity instead.
2. Penguin
Alongside a quote from an author and a thank you to the user for their “remarkable, unyielding” patience which is a “shining example to the rest of us”, this 404 error page also encourages users stay for a while and “contemplate the penguin”.
3. Disney
With an image of Mike Wazowski from Monsters Inc, Disney tells the user that they’ve picked the wrong door because the character can’t “lay my eye on the page you’ve been searching for”.
4. Firebox
This adorable dog is accompanied by a message saying that the 404 error is “nothing to do with a dog running riot in our server room” and that the missing page “probably wasn’t that good anyway”.
5. Innocent
This error page encourages users to check out an 808 jam video, which is “twice as fun as a 404”.
6. eharmony
This page promotes disperses user frustration with the good news that there are “half a million singles who are available” and encourages users to join the site.
7. Moz
This simple but effective 404 error page design states that the organisation’s mascot/tool Rogerbot is lost and encourages users to search for what they need.
8. Weetabix
This is another simply designed 404 error page but with clear messaging that the “page has skipped breakfast” referencing the brand’s purpose.
9. Battersea Dogs and Cats Home
With yet another cute animal picture, our final 404 error page message reminds users about the charity’s purpose – highlighting exactly how many dogs and cats are in need of rehoming.
If you’d like help with 404 pages or enhancing the performance of your website in any other way, please get in touch.
