Have you ever given any thought to your 404 page?

The 404 page is the error page that a server will display by default when a file (page) is not found on your Web site/server. You’ve probably seen your fill of these white pages with text that tells you to contact the webmaster.

Not Found

The requested URL /blahblah/blahblah.html was not found on this server.

Additionally, a 404 Not Found error was encountered while trying to use an ErrorDocument to handle the request.

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Apache/1.3.37 Server at www.blahblah.com Port 80

What is frustrating is when you click on a link in your e-mail or elsewhere and hit a generic 404 page. There are no navigation or links to help you find what you were looking that has been moved or is missing. Since you weren’t at the site/server that created that error, because you clicked in from elsewhere, you do not have the option of hitting your back button to go to that specific site’s home page to try and figure out where the info you seek may be.

So here’s what you do! You create a 404 page that looks like the rest of your site or even have it be a duplicate of your home page. Anything is better than the above default server error message — to me that is opportunity lost!

By having your custom 404 page be the same as your home page or a special page with navigation or messages that cater to what most folks are looking for on your site, you can capitalize on the fact they are already on your server to get them to stay at your site and find what they are seeking. This is simple and easy to do with an .htaccess file.

All you have to do is create a blank file and name it .htaccess . Then, include the name of your 404 file within:

ErrorDocument 404 /404.html

Upload your new .htaccess file to the root of your server or where your Web site page files are located. File names change, get removed or moved on your Web site all the time. By having a custom 404 page you are able to keep visitors engaged who click on outdated URLs in search engines and elsewhere.

What I’ve described here is just one simple way to take advantage of an .htaccess file. For a comprehensive overview of how to use this file for all kinds of nifty things go here:

Comprehensive Guide to .htaccess

At your service,
Judith

I’ve been Blogging for years. Have 4; with several others on my idea plate. I loved WordPress so much that I turned this very site entirely over to WordPress last fall. Wish I had done that sooner! At this moment in time, I would actually be hard pressed to recommend a static HTML site to any new client.

Why wouldn’t you want to take advantage of the easy of use, ability to manage your own content and exposure being on a CMS like WordPress offers over a static, brochureware type site? Brochureware… that term use to apply to small 1-5 page type sites that had just the basic introductory blah-blah-blah but no substance.

Now, I find I can’t help but include any static HTML site into that category that doesn’t allow interaction, discussion, updates and the client’s ability to be involved above and beyond e-mailing their “Webmaster” for inconsequential updates and tweaks to content that has not evolved since their site originally launched.

The online business environment has been heating up. Über competitive is an understatement!
This has always been an interactive medium; but one that site owners could decide as to how much they wanted to interact and still do relatively well. That no longer holds true.

You have to be involved, interact, network and be social or those sites (a.k.a. competitors) that do will get the traffic and new customers. See being social means engaging your site visitors and sharing your expertise and knowledge in real-time. Human beings are by their very nature social beings — as evidenced by all the online communities that now have everyone’s attention.

Sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, Stumbleupon, Twitter, Technorati, Sphinn, Digg and others, are changing how businesses are communicating with their market. If you still have a static HTML site — time to step it up!

If you missed my post on the 25 Social and Media sites you should consider participating at, check it out and get involved! This is a movement, a shift, an evolution that any serious business owner with a Web site needs to embrace moving forward. Be there or be square!

At your service,
Judith