We have a hunch that a lot of you are using the internet a bit more these day. Call it clairvoyance.
But what if your search for content is fruitless? What if you scour the internet in search of information and land… where there is none?
This, fellow surfers, is a space reserved for the world wide web’s most notorious numerical error: 404.
The 404 error, sometimes also referred to as the “Page Not Found” error, is what you encounter when you follow a URL that directs to a page that is simply not there. This can happen as a result of a bad link, a typo, or if you visit a page that used to exist but now—for whatever reason—does not.
If you have your own website, having this page is generally built in by default, for the most part. But you also have the ability to customize it to fit your brand. Doing so is highly recommended, as it can help to redirect lost visitors, setting them back on the correct path, possibly with a smile on their face—if your customized page is clever enough.
We recently spent some time trying to find out what cool somethings we could turn up when aiming to find, well, nothing. Here are some of our favorite 404 pages from brands you know:
WordPress
Sometimes the best 404 pages deliver by having the simplest, snarky messages. Probably.
Merriam-Webster
This 404 page is smart. Abundantly clever. Relevant to its brand. Features lots of internal links. And did we mention abundantly clever?
Amazon
Unique on every refresh, this Page Not Found error features the dog days of 404 pages.
Slack
Few 404 pages are interactive. But sometimes when you find you’ve wandered down the wrong path, it’s time to stop and smell the roses. Or at least pet the pigs and chickens. No really—try.
Star Wars
The 404 is strong with this one. Always.
Spotify
The revolution is upon us. And we all know—one good turn(table) deserves another.
If you have an idea for your own 404 page, or need some help customizing it, give us a shout!