404 Error Page

Most users are not aware of what the 404 error design means.

let’s say A average user typed into google “What does a 404 error mean?”

This Is what google displays:
(The HTTP 404, 404 Not Found, 404, 404 Error, Page Not Found, File Not Found, or Server Not Found error message is a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) standard response code, in computer network communications, to indicate that the browser was able to communicate with a given server, but the server could not find what …)

All this mumbo jumbo… words that basically don’t make sense to the average person that doesn't study in the tech industry. The definition of a 404 page is as simple as this..

Web site users land on a 404 error page when they try to visit a non-existent page. For this reason, the page may have been removed, the server or internet connection may have been interrupted, users may have clicked a link that is not working, or an incorrect URL has been typed.

*when you realize 404 errors makes complete sense*

Here are some tips I found while researching on how to design a useful 404 page:

• It is clear to the visitors that the page they seek is not found. Use a friendly and friendly language.
• Make sure your 404 page has the same look as the rest of your site.
  Think about adding links to your most popular articles or publications.
• Allow users to report a broken link.
• Make sure your web server returns a true 404 HTTP status code so that it does not appear in search results when a missing page is requested.

Give an extra attention to the design

In this case your user is in a difficult situation and you should help him/her. Usually 404 errors are extremely emotional because the site you tried to access is not accessible, most of the time the design is trying to reflect the users feelings.
They most likely look like this…

These tearful figures communicate a sense of unhappiness, or wrongness.

I strive to create uplifting 404 error designs. That doesn't give that sense of disappointment when you land on that page. Instead Create a sense of assurance that nothing in catastrophic and the user just needs to find a different way to land on the right page. I also add buttons so the user would be able to do something, return to google or the homepage. Rather than delete the entire tab and start from the beginning.

Anyways, here are some funny 404 pages I found on Pinterest I think might make you laugh.