My webmarks9 Great Examples of a 404 Error Page
If you're wondering, "how can I keep visitors of my website more engaged?" designing a fun 404 error page should be on top of your list.
Because what most visitors would do when they land on a 404 page is they would click the return button and go to a different site.
Don't let that happen to you.
Let these web design tips and examples serve you as an inspiration for how you can make this irritating experience an engaging and fun thing.
You'll manage to increase time to page, decrease your bounce rate, and retain your customers.
And once you design your perfect page, make sure you fix any outstanding 404 pages you may have on your site.
If you don't know how to do so, read our insightful post where we guide you into every aspect of the 404 error.
Apart from designing a 404 error page, consider redesigning your entire website to attract even a wider audience and increase your sales.
Never underestimate the benefits of creating a beautiful and eye-catching website.
Without any further ado, here are our top 9 all-time favorite examples of a 404 error page:
Did you know that the name "lego" comes from the two Danish words, "Leg" and "Godt," meaning "play well?"
Lego is a famous toy company that's best-known for its production of LEGO-brand toys. It's been around for more than 80 years and hasn't declined in popularity. Children seem to love playing with these brightly colored bricks and designing their worlds.
Well, it seems like the company's web design team also enjoys being creative. The website's 404 page is 100% on-brand and is made for people who don't understand tech terms like "404 error."
You'll be greeted with a Lego toy and a message that says: Sorry, we can't find that page! Don't worry though, everything is STILL AWESOME!
Below that message, you're presented with a link that will take you shopping.
So, if you're in the toy business and want to go simple, this is an incredible 404 error page to try.
Don't you feel that everything AirBnb does is super creative, informative, and convenient? Their 404 page doesn't fall short of what you would expect from a company like AirBnb.
It's a great example of a 404 page as it has a fine balance of creative and informative.
When you land on their error message page, you're presented with a cool animation of a girl dropping her ice cream. Creative!
On the left side, it nicely says: "Oops! We can't seem to find the page you're looking for."
They also have included links to other popular pages on their site to distract you from the irritating experience. From the 404 error page, you can easily go to their home page, help center, or search for homes.
Clever and effective!
If you're looking for an attractive inspiration for a 404 page, preferably to be both creative and informative, look no further than Bitly.
When you land on their error page, you'll be greeted by an animation of a puffy fish floating in a sea, upside down. Above the puffy fish, a bird is flapping its wings. The upper part of the page is bright pink, while the bottom of the page is bright blue. Hey, you can even play with the waves.
There's some text in the blue part of the page where visitors are informed of what has happened. It says: "Something's wrong here." And then you have detailed information about the error.
Below the text, you can see several links for different pages on the website, in case you want to read their blog or visit their homepage.
For some people, the ideal error page contains animations. For others, it's something simple. If your ideal 404 error page is a combination of funny and call-to-actions, 9gag is a perfect example.
When you land on the page, you'll be greeted by a hilarious gif which is something 9gag is famous for.
This page has one call-to-action, and that's to get you to download their app. The error message says: "404. There's nothing here. Find what you're looking for with our app."
Overall, it's a great example of a 404 page if you don't want to confuse your visitors but want to offer them a solution to their problem.
Do you want to create a 404 error page that will serve as a lead magnet? OptinMonster can serve as a fantastic inspiration.
The website does a great job of trying to convert visitors. On the top of the page, you have a search bar where you can quickly search for something else on the website. You also have options to return to the home page or get in touch with the company if you can't find what you're looking for.
Below that, you can download a guide. To download, you need to leave your name and email address.
Simple and clever.
Dribbble is where designers gain design inspiration, among other things. In this case, Dribbble can serve as an inspiration for designing a super-cool interactive 404 page.
Why should you use interactive pages? Well, interactive websites can offer visitors a more engaging and relevant online experience. You'll give them something to do on your 404 error page and, hopefully, increase your time to page and reduce bounce rate.
When you land on Dribbble's 404 error page, you can see an interactive element in the shape of the number 404. Each number is made up of smaller separate designs that are clickable. You can click on any design, and you'll be redirected to a page where you'll be able to see the design in full screen. It's undoubtedly a unique and remarkable way of redirecting your visitors.
Keep in mind that by adding an interactive element, your visitors might even get over their frustration of landing on an error page.
Don't you just love when a company is creative on-brand? That's the case with the video game holding company Blizzard.
When you encounter an error 404 not found on their page, you're greeted by a friendly Murloc who's supposed to guide you back to safety.
Clever!
Below the Murloc, there's a button "mmmrrgmgrrrgmml" that can take you directly to the homepage.
Convenient!
What's more, you can also find a couple of more links at the bottom of the page. Overall, this is a great example of an on-brand 404 not found error page that can inspire you to do the same with your website.
Your 404 error page can be a great chance to tell your brand's story. And what a better way than with creative words and fun design?
Look at Hubspot. Their 404 error page is on-spot. Upon entering the page, you can see a broken heart with a witty copywriting that reads: "Even the things we love break sometimes.
Thanks for your patience while we put the pieces back together."
The page has everything. It has cute images, a lovely message, and some useful links that can redirect you to another page of the website. Another thing they did on the page is to add a link where visitors can sign up for a free demo of the CRM platform. That's undoubtedly a smart way to lure traffic.
Watch and learn!
For those of you who don't know, Distilled is an online marketing agency. And their 404 page is an excellent example of a 404 error message text. With it, the company tells visitors what sets their company apart from the competition. They're experts at offering exceptional copywriting, producing attractive design, engaging customers, and providing a unique online experience.
When you land on their page, you'll be greeted by two dandy fellows, talking in a dated language to describe that you're lost. They also explain to you what you can do to solve your problem in a fun way.
It's a text-heavy 404 page, but 100% engaging!
Will you try any of these designs for your website?