Creative 404 Error Pages – 30 Examples to Boost Your Creativity
We all dread having our visitors encounter a 404 error. No one wants to turn off a visitor by letting them go back just because they typed an address that didn’t exist on the server anymore. 404 error page, what is it by the way? We all know that 404 error pages are displayed by website servers when they are not able to find a particular webpage requested by the user.
Such occurrences are not ominous from viewpoint of website’s credibility as it is a norm that web pages have to be moved to other locations or be entirely deleted. To put up a great impression on the visitor you need to tackle the situation smartly by displaying a creative and pleasant webpage as default for all your 404 requests. Let’s take a look at some of the most creative 404 error pages that will give you a hint of the creativity of the website they are used for.
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Aviation Reviews
Many TV sets have offered this image when a channel is inaccessible. The idea isn’t unique but it is cool in the sense that online media has borrowed an idea from electronic industry which sends a familiar message that currently nothing can be done to get you to the page. Idea is bold as it has to be when presenting aviation reviews.
iStockphoto
One of the major stock photo websites on the internet displays a beautiful message. It is trying to compel the user not to leave the website and it has every right to do so for it offers millions of other photographs to be viewed.
Frye / Wiles
One can expect a web designing company to be creative enough to generate new ideas for the clients and Frye/Wiles is up to the challenge. I haven’t got any website designed by this company but the 404 page just leaves no room for a second thought for the page that is not found.
Pattern Tap
They are user interface designers for the websites and their 404 page is a true reflection of their business. It also reassure the visitor that the fault doesn’t lie with him/her. The page is not available and you need to move on.
Wefollow
They give the message which just follows the theme of the website. They follow the figures related to numerous celebrities, businesses and entrepreneurs on Twitter.
Spore
Spore offers games in which you have to create and guide the creature. Their 404 page is a great example of their creativity as the number is written using twisted colorful microorganisms that are shown up by zooming in.
Acro Media Inc
The website owners are involved in online promotion of businesses by creatively designing and running online marketing tools and strategies. Their 404 page depicts a cool dude who has no answer for your requested page. Given they are real service providers; it’s a nice way to show the inability of addressing impossibilities. Along with that they keep the visitor interested by giving the links to other pages of the website.
ClearSpring Technologies
They are well known for connecting the businesses and professionals to the social network. The name clear is beautifully translated into a plain blue color on the 404 page and means that the web server has no clue of what you are asking.
Disney Club Penguin
A couple of penguins draw your attention to the page. The penguins are obviously lost and looking for a path that would lead them to their destination.
Studio7Designs
We all know how ominous a bearish trend in stock markets is and the 404 error page for Studio7Designs presents exactly that. Not to forget their effort to give it a look of a homepage.
Springload Web Design & Development
The kiwi company develops with great artistic and creative touch. It is no wonder that they have designed a gorgeous 404 error page for visitors. They encourage and help you in getting out of this mess as you won’t be able to see anything on the address you got. The green color and the movement of water through the shower fulfills the requirement of spring.
WebMotel
The name of the motel reminds me of the horror movies and novels which mostly involve crimes being done to or by people living in the restaurant or hotel. The visitor is rightly shepherded to the right direction with a click here link.
TakeOffEh Travel Guide
They have placed a fitting page for the 404 error. The lovely depiction of a traveler who is emptying out his suite case but can’t find the required thing illustrates the effort the web server has put in to find out the page for you but couldn’t find one.
Wakoopa
Here a social network helps you find the required software program for different platforms. But if you are trying to get to an unreachable page it is shown that they can’t filter it out for you even after zooming in the minute details.
Dropbox
We use dropbox to share our files, so if we try to find something nonexistent, an empty box appears that seems to have been dropped to have that little piece stripped off. It’s a perfect idea for the website theme with an unreachable page.
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I am Will Wilkins
Here is a website of a project developer who is involved in developing different themes. And he presents a theme of what happens when you take the road to prompt a 404 error page – there is no way forward.
Club Kayak
Paddle sports which include canoeing and kayaking are discussed in this Florida based online community. And what a beautiful depiction have they given of a 404 page that can’t be reached because the visitor’s ship has been trapped on a port as it breached the docking rules.
NextWave Performance
For anybody who is involved in process design and analysis, this webpage is a treat to watch. They show the process flow of which actions visitor took to reach a 404 page. The same visual description also gives suggestions for getting out of this situation.
ChelmsfordPublic Library
When you are out to search an already issued book from the library you will most likely find its place in the shelf empty. In a website scenario you might have targeted any other thing and found out this page but it’s difficult for a website owner to maintain different 404 error pages for different queries. Anyhow it addresses majority of the unreachable book requests with a beautiful illustration.
Lark News
Here is a news website which gives interesting interpretations of different ideologies on the page reserved for the 404 error.
The Hypertext D20 SRD
The D20 system has certain sets of rules and uses different tools and the website acts as a support for the rulebook. However a certain action of a worker, prompting 404 page, has stalled the work and there is no way out except to click the links to other pages of website.
HootSuite
They offer a great tool to manage all your social networks through one place. For unreachable pages they hijack the frustration of the visitor by calling such url an owl. The owl shown here also gives an amusing expression.
Google Wave
Probably the most clear depiction of the situation being faced by the visitor. Google’s wave has receded and it will take sometime to be back up. Meanwhile the visitor can only bask on the beach and enjoy the heat of the sun.
Mail Chimp
Here is another direct depiction, this time of the words broken link. Of course, your browsing activity isn’t linked up but you might have come to this now removed page from some external or internal link.
Jumping Jack Rabbit
First warning the rabbit that there is danger ahead or in other words there is no use retrying to reach for this page. An advice to go home wraps a link to go to the homepage of the website.
IconFinder
Their business is to provide icons to different designers and web developers but here is an interesting image of robot that has broken down as a result of the unanswerable query.
FactorD
FactorD studio is justified in presenting a frightening scene for some movie or drama. This is how scary the notion of presenting the 404 error page is for the server.
CSS-tricks
Cascade style sheets are important in developing web pages and they give a glimpse of what could be behind this cool page designated for a 404 error request.
DigitalMash
Obviously we can’t break the internet but here is some derision to the user – probably a bit rude but obviously the mistake is implied here to be of the visitor for not typing in the proper address.
Oroza
Simplicity and creativity combined with apology. It’s a perfect description of keeping things simple and interesting at the same time.
Sick Designer
See the perfect translation of the website theme where all the blame is being given to the visitor. The designer hasn’t got to be that sick for s/he is creative enough to present this masterpiece.
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