It’s never ideal when a user receives a 404 error. This informs visitors that the page they’re looking for is unavailable, which can happen for a variety of reasons. For instance, it may not exist, the server may be down, the URL could be broken or it might be that the page was moved and wasn’t redirected. In fact, it could just be that the visitor made a typo when searching for a page.
Either way, 404 pages can be problematic, as Google considers them a sign of a poor customer experience, impacting rankings as a result. However, there will always be cases of users landing on a 404 from time to time, even on some of the best sites around, and it is possible to turn this negative into a positive by producing a 404 page with a creative design.
This way, despite not finding what they were looking for, users click away with a smile on their faces. To demonstrate this, we’ve picked out some of our favourite examples of 404 pages across the web.
Carwow
Of course, we’re biased in this instance, but we think our colleagues over at Carwow have absolutely nailed their 404 page.
When landing on their error page, you’ll be presented with a motoring-themed mini-game akin to the Google Chrome dinosaur game. Users have to drive along the road without crashing into the oncoming obstacles, accumulating as many points as possible along the way. After three lives, it’s game over. At the time of writing, my high score is a pathetic 146. I’m determined to do better, but I don’t fancy my chances.
Star Wars
Although 404 pages are usually on the dark side of SEO, Star Wars’ website offers a light-hearted version to cheer up any fan who got lost when exploring the cosmos.
The team at Star Wars really played a blinder here. After all, if you’re going to soften the blow of a missing page, you might as well do it by referencing one of the franchise’s more memorable lines. Sure, you didn’t find what you were looking for, but at least you’ll know you’re safe from the wrath of this particular battle station.
Moz
It’s no surprise that fellow SEO specialists Moz would have a fun design up their sleeves for their 404 page. They really lead by example on this one, suggesting that their beloved mascot Roger got lost while guiding you through the site. If you’re ever in doubt about what your 404 page should include, incorporating your brand’s mascot is a pretty safe bet.
Lego
Lego builds on the examples set by Moz and Star Wars with their own creative 404 page. As well as featuring one of its most prominent characters and referencing its films, it also includes a punny little caption.
This leads us to another tip, clever puns and bits of wordplay can also be a fun way of enhancing your 404 page. See if there is a way you can do this for your products or services when designing a 404 page for your site.
Pixar
Pixar’s 404 page further underlines that this approach is a recipe for success. It utilises a fitting character from its repertoire of classic films to epitomise the feeling of landing on a 404 page. Use of characters, wordplay and references to its product – Pixar ticks all the boxes on this one!
Heinz
Old but gold, this version of Heinz’s 404 page is no longer in use, but we wanted to give it a shout-out here because of how effective it is. By filling an empty page with an empty product, it really showcases how using apt and creative imagery can lead to 404 page perfection.
Email Center UK
This one might be one of the best 404 pages ever. Like the Heinz example above, it’s unfortunately no longer live, but it’s so good we just had to include it. As compensation for encountering the error, the team at Email Center UK decided they would give you the chance to “fire” someone responsible from their development team.
Not only is it a fun design, but it’s actually pretty informative, too, as clicking on each name would give more information about them and the company.
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