404 Error Web page – The miraculous tool to increase your website traffic

So, you need visitors to your website and you’re tired of using the age-old strategies. Well, today I’m here to give you the magical wand for increasing traffic to your website. Have you ever encountered the 404 error page? Of course, you did. When surfing the Internet or looking for some information, you often misspell a website address or end up with a broken link on a site. This results in display of the 404 error web page. If you’re a typical Internet fanatic, rushing with a cup of hot coffee in hand and frantically moving the mouse, then you’re sure to land up with a 404 error page.

While this is definitely an irksome experience for the visitor, the good news is that there are different ways to turn this error page in your stride. Even though these pages generally tend to drive traffic away, you can actually use them as lucrative sales tool. Creating a customized 404 error page is a fairly simple process. This will help people in locating the information that they’re actually looking for. What’s more, it encourages them in exploring the site further. Since a 404 page is a standard HTML page, it’s possible to customize it the way you like. Here are a few helpful tips for creating an effective 404 page, which will help draw visitors to your website.

 

• Convey the message loud and clear that the page they’re searching for cannot be found. Consider using a language that’s inviting and friendly. 
• Add a warm greeting message and make your prospective consumers feel special, instead of chasing them away with a huge “error” message across the page.
• Make sure that the 404 page has the same look and feel as the other sections of your website. 
• Think of supplementing links to your most likes posts or articles, in addition to your website’s home page. 
• Consider apologizing with free gifts for the error. This could be in any form – gift cards, free reports or eBooks. Settle on a gift item that’s beneficial to you as well as your visitors.
• Redirect them to your subscription page. Make sure that you give them a reward for subscribing. Also include helpful information and important resources in your mailings. 
• Regardless of how attractive or helpful your custom 404 page is, you don’t want it to be there in search engine results. In order to stop 404 pages from being ranked by Google and other popular search engines, check that your web server gives a real 404 HTTP status code when somebody requests a missing page. 
• Consider adding something witty to the page to alleviate the mood and influence your visitors to look around for more. You may use happy, cute or funny faces to bring a smile on their face. However, remain professional in your approach and know your limits.
• Make sure that you add the essential page links to your website, so the visitors know where to go. Give brief explanations on how they’re going to benefit from that and what you have to offer.