The 404 error — aka File Not Found — is one of the common errors you encounter on the Internet. The majority of websites don’t have a custom 404 error page, but having a good one might help you avoid losing your visitor's trust and turn your visitors into loyal users. Sometimes it may not be your fault visitors landed on error pages, but being able to communicate and guide them back to the home page gives you a second chance to re-engage a visitor.
Here are some hints on what a good and well-designed 404 error page must contain in order to be truly useful:
• The 404 page should follow the design of your website, so that visitors know that they’re still on it.
• Explain the error that has occurred, and perhaps describe common reasons for the error (mistyped URLs, outdated content etc.). Since it’s such a well-known error code, including the number “404” in the summary will get the message across quickly.
• If your site has a search function, include a search box.
• Link back to your homepage.
If you don’t have an Error 404 page on your website or blog, you should really think about creating one soon. I've compiled a list of 42 of the more creative and even inspirational 404 Error Designs. Hope you enjoy it.
Here are the first 10 of them.
And if you still need some inspiration for creating the ultimate 404 page for your website, take a peak at this: 42 Inpirational, Well-Designed 404 Error Pages You Must Check Out