Troubleshooting HTTP 404 Error
When a web page does not exist on a website and a visitor tries to access, resulting in an error (an error saying: Error 404). To enhance the error message, webmasters can create a custom message. This allows for example to link to the home page and explain to visitors why they agreed to this error. There may even be a link to return to the previous page. This tutorial can easily create such a page.
You must remember that these errors are not always under your control, so for that so you should always create the error page. It is also recommended that this page must contain a brief explanation of the possible reason for the error next to the logo of the page and links to Home, site map, help, etc. This is because the visitors coming on your site must not go and get informed about the issues. They must also get more options to deal with current situation by visiting other links.
Always keep an page and remember that a common error page for all is not recommended. It is true to an extent that some of the errors are out of control and the user must understand the same to extent for the goodwill of your website. Similarly a clear concept for those errors which cannot be rectified should also be constructed. The best example is of deleted data. The user must understand the data is deleted here and there is no solution available for the same.
You must identify each of the errors and create specific pages for that which can help users keep him going away from the site and you will also have the record of number of users who are visiting the error page. This helps you to get statistic of users and pages when the site falls.
What are the most common reasons for HTTP Error 404 :
Broken Link : The first one is Broken link. This error has no good reason and under every condition this must be corrected. This error is caused by a neglect of the person responsible for maintaining the site, it usually happen when you move pages or files in place and are not updated links to other pages on the same site that point to them.
Search Result Broken Link : A second reason for the same can be a broken link from a search engine: Some search engines index sites automatically every 2 or 3 weeks, so if you are responsible for maintaining the site move, delete or rename a page and the search had a link to her index will occur again a broken link to the search engine automatically re-index our site.
Page Expire : The third reason is that if sometime the pages expire or move. There is also no good reason behind this error and it must be corrected soon.
URL: The fourth reason for getting this error is at the time of writing or copying a URL. This error can be controlled by providing simple and consistent URL. Sometime due to typing mistake or entering wrong url can cause this issue also.
Forms : Fifth reason is can be due to Data entry on a form. A form, often maintaining a website, mistakes are often unintentional and in some cases, the scripts that control the forms are deleted, moved or renamed. When we click on Send Information on our site, this script calls a script and if not found, error 404 will appear.
Expired Session : And the last but not the least reason can be expired session. This error occurs when the requested page is under a secure server or within a user session. If your session ends must re-enter the username and password.
Some Points before making a 404 Error Page
If possible set the view of site map on the 404 page. This allows the visitor to find themselves lost on the interface of the site and start to conquer the web pages by using other links. This error occurs when the server could not handle the request due to the fact that file access was denied. Error 404 (File not found) occurs when a user requests a Web server document which does not exist on disk. That is, when a user requests a nonexistent file.
This is the most "popular" of all the errors. You can observe the occurrence of such errors in the error log file and consider it - keep track of which documents on the server "not found" and to correct incorrect references in your html-documents. Also, links to non-existent documents may lead to other sites.
Do not use complicated error pages. This might prevent the visitor to search for other links on the webpage they will quiet fast to other sites. If possible the error page must automatically redirect the user to the home page.
For webmasters who master a complex language such as PHP, it may be possible to develop a sophisticated script that parses the URL error in order to root out the keywords. These can then be used to search and offer the most relevant pages according to research from the Internet. Although I do not know of websites that have used this method, I think this is one of the most ergonomic solutions and it totally customize this error page.
It really makes sense if you can highlight the most popular pages of the website in question. This is particularly an advantage on a blog, because there is no specific purpose for the visit of an Internet apart from the reading of interesting articles. In addition, your most popular pages have managed to please a wide public, this means that the subject or title is quite seductive. By providing these links to the 404 page, this will encourage users to click and thus leave the 404 page.
Finally, we must not lose sight of that site visitors are used to design the pages as usual. The 404 error should not escape the rule requires that the graphic identity will be kept to disturb anyone. In addition, if the menu is always present, it allows the visitor to redirect itself to a page considered as valid.
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SEO on HTTP 404 Error Page
Remember that even 404 error pages are indexed in search engines like any web site pages. So just do not put more interest in just designing an unique 404 Error page. Here is one of the most important SEO tip that can help you to optimize the 404 Error page from SEO point of view. The more links to this error page and it will improve the ranking of this page. Some of the webmaster perform a practice of PagerRank Sculpting via this. Based on the popularity of the error page they distribute the links on webpage which requires PageRank . That must be avoided.
Creating a HTTP 404 Error Page
Some believe that an error should be approached with a bit of humor touch. But that depends on your views that you want an creative page of just an plan explaining the error. It is just an psychology where you want to create an impact on users mind. I believe in developing a much profession Error page. But anyhow an error is an negative impact on a website doesn’t matter how flashy your Error page. By nature of the error pages web servers are known as 404 not found.
You can find online different screens "Error 404" because the web servers allow customization of the message, so that the administrator of each site to suit the overall aesthetic of the rest of your pages. Accompanying this article you can see some of the most caught our attention.
There are sites that choose to use a text-only page, but is much better to make a simpler version. You need that if your site contains a search engine, include it on page 404. Depends on the theme of the error page site can be taken in a humorous or serious, but should always serve their purpose, first and foremost, tell the navigator where he stands, which can then inform the possible error and finally, give the necessary options to regain the lost path. The theme is free, but must be approached responsibly.
There must be an http 404 error page customized for each site (possibly also for errors 403 or 500). For this page, the addresses of images and other links are given in absolute (full URLs). Justification: When looking for a page in a subdirectory that does not exist, the reference paths page address of error is that directory.
Steps to Create an HTTP 404 Error Page:
- You can also generate the error page itself and inform you as the visitor on a much more pleasant way about the error. Let’s begin with a Sample Page on your system. You can also use this further on your pc.
- Create a new folder on your system and name it anything you want. Like ExampleA. Then go to the Htaccess file respecting the period. Look for the file, it is a plain file that can be edited via Notepad. Right click on the file and then choose Open With > Notepad.
- Create ErrorDocument 404 / ExampleA / xxxxxx.htm. If your system refuses to alter the file then transfer the same from web and then make changes the file. You can also modify the file on the server.
- Create the file xxxxxx.html as an HTML document. This is the page that will be displayed in case of failure. I will recommend you to create some proper content here as per some points mentioned above.
- Now you have to work on the server. After that when you are done then you will have to transfer the file via FTP to the new folder with the two test files at least. Now place the file on your web server.
- If you can see the file placed properly on your server then are maximum probability of working properly. Now for testing you can use your web browser for testing the same. You can type the url name /ExampleA/xxxxxx.htm and see whether the page is loaded properly or not with appropriate content in it.
- If everything has worked out so far, then you do the same with the main directory of your domain. Make sure that the path of the error page is proper. You just need to configure the exact directory of the page and done. If one already in the main directory. Htaccess file is there, then load this file on your computer, insert the additional line, and transfer the file back to the server.
HTTP 404 Error Page Tool :
Google Widget for HTTP 404 Error
You can find a Google widget to customize the 404 error . It is very easy to use and seems pretty efficient. Its main function is to provide a search box and try to offer an alternative to the wrong address based on the most similar URLs. Currently, this gadget is only offered free of charge by Google. Therefore there is no real support or assistance and official functions do not certify to be perfect. For those familiar with CSS, you can customize the design of this widget to respect the identity of the site.
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