"While browsing a website this week," writes Paul Williams at MarketingProfs Daily Fix, "I clicked a link that seemed interesting. However, the site had changed file structure since the link was created, and the page was no longer valid. So, up popped their 'Page Not Found (404 Error)' page."

Everyone knows your 404 page should be helpful and visually interesting—something that doesn't leave online visitors stranded in a nondescript dead-end. And though this site's designers had gotten the memo about creative design, the page failed miserably at helping Williams find what he wanted. Even worse, its humor missed the mark.

Beneath the heading "Ever feel like you're in the wrong place?" this company's 404 page depicts an uncouth guest arriving at an elegant party in flip-flops and a loudly patterned shirt. "The idiot wearing the short-sleeved, orange, Hawaiian shirt at the Black Tie event is supposed to be me," notes Williams. "The site visitor."

The snarkiness is surprising. "I wasn't [snooping in] their bathroom's medicine cabinet," he exclaims. "I clicked on one of the main links on their site! Why are they making me feel like I did something wrong?"

There's a chance you left your 404 page up to designers and never saw it. So, to ensure your guests feel welcome at all times, Williams recommends you...

• Enter your company's URL, followed by a slash and some gibberish: for instance, www.YourSiteNameHere.com/icuraqtinvu
• Determine whether the resulting 404 page message and design fit your branding.
• Check for tools that help visitors find their way to the content they wanted to find.

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