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Apache/1.3.14 Server at www.yourdomain.com Port 80'. Does that look familiar? If you've ever accidentally tried to access a page that doesn't exist, possibly by following an outdated link or by misspelling the name of the page, you've probably seen something like the above appear on your screen. You might have attempted to correct the error by checking the URL for mistakes, but it is even more likely that you just clicked 'Back' and returned where you came from, never visiting the site again. For a surfer, encountering a '404 page' is a nuisance. For a webmaster, they can be far more problematic, causing a reduction in traffic which in turn means losing a part of the precious advertising revenues or sales the site's life depends on. You can minimize the amount of 404 errors by periodically checking your pages for broken links, but it is impossible to get completely rid of them. So, what can you do? The solution - Custom 404 pages =============================== The best way to avoid losing visitors to 404's is to replace the standard and unfriendly error message with a custom page. Fortunately the task is relatively simple and can be performed by anyone who owns a site that has its own domain name. As different server softwares handle things in their own ways, there is no single method of creating a custom error page that works with every system. The following instructions can be applied by those who have sites hosted under Apache, which is a very widely used program. If you don't know what software your host is running, contact them and ask. To start the process, use an FTP program such as CuteFTP to connect to your server. Search for a file named '.htaccess'. Should you find it, download the file to your home computer for editing. If the file is not there, don't worry, you'll just have to create it yourself. Grab a normal text editor and open the file, or if you don't have it, open up a blank file. Type the following into the first line of the file: ErrorDocument 404 http://www.yourdomain.com/404page.html After you're done, save the file as plain text and make sure that it is named '.htaccess', without quotes of course. The hard part is now over, all that is left is to create the custom 404 page (404page.html) that loads when a 404 error occurs. What should my 404 page look like? ================================== Of course, you can put anything you want into it, but if your purpose is to encourage your visitors to click further into your site instead of leaving, the page should obey some basic principles. 1. Don't give users a reason to panic. Including a large heading that screams 'ERROR' is likely to make the visitor feel that he/she has done something wrong or that your site is not working properly. A better approach is to first greet them with a warm welcome and then explain that the URL they were looking for could not be found, but should they browse around your site, they will surely find the information they need. 2. Make the page to look and feel similar to the rest of the pages on your site. Include your site's menu on the 404 page to give visitors a fast and easy way to continue exploring instead of clicking away. A well-designed 404 page with plenty of links is far more attractive than one that has just black text on a white background and a link to your homepage. 3. If you have the skills, consider adding a search feature on the page that allows people to search your site for matches. Often your navigation menu will provide a clue on how the user might reach the information he/she would like to see, but if it doesn't there is a great risk of losing the visit. Placing a search utility on the page increases the likelihood of the user finding the desired page and thus remaining on your site. After both the .htaccess file and the HTML page are ready, FTP to your server, upload the pages and enjoy your new custom 404 error page!
Here's your daily hosting industry briefing for Monday, July 10, 2006 Article Index: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
More Articles:1. What to Look for in a Web Host The first questions you have to ask yourself are: how much space and bandwidth do I need; do I want one site or several sites; how much will I have to spend; am I going to use an SQL database; how much uptime does the web host offer; does this site host spammy adult sites; what extras are offered; are there script limitations; do they provide a control panel; and if my site gets too big, what is the next level and how much does it cost? Let's take bandwidth for instance. If you are starting a b… 2. How to Choose a Quality Webhost By Jesse S. Somer If you are anything like me, you’d probably like to have a website on the Internet but you just have no idea how to go about it. All this talk of web hosting, bandwidth, disc space, and other jargon can cause one to say, “This is too complicated and technical, I just wanted to have a place to put all of my favorite skateboarding photos, cool information on ramp designs, and the best places to skate!” To get a website on the Web you have to go through a web host. The question is how do you find… 3. What do customers really want? It sounds so easy, yet the graveyard of business is littered with the tombstones of companies that never found the answer. Well, that's not entirely true; some companies had the answer, but couldn't articulate it in terms of products and services. Other firms had answers, too, but to questions that were not being asked. And, still others tried to re-define the question in time of change for the Internet services industry. Determining what customers want sounds like such a cut-and-dried propo… 4. Buying Low Cost Web Hosting When deciding on a web host, find a company that has flexible plans that can suit a variety of requirements. When your site is new you may not have a very good idea of the type of resources or services it will require. So there is no point in paying for more than you need. Be sure your host allows easy upgrading later on. If you need more storage space, or more bandwidth capacity, or add on features such as shopping carts or database capabilities, your host should be able to accommodate you with… |
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