How to edit a 404 error page in Squarespace
What is a 404 page not found error
A 404 page is where someone ends up when you click a dead link on your site.
There are a few main reasons why a visitor might end up on a 404 error page.
you’ve deleted content and the page no longer exists
content has been moved to a different page or the URL has been changed
a person misspelled or mistyped the URL
As you can see, it’s bound to happen and when it does you want to flip it into an opportunity.
Your goal is to make sure they don’t leave and hopefully find what they are looking for.
Why customize your 404 page
Worst-case scenario, someone lands on your default 404 page which looks like this.
Unfortunately, it isn’t very helpful and doesn’t do the user any good.
The only option it gives is to go to the homepage or click through to your /search page.
This is why we want to create a custom page.
We want to let people know they are on the right site, but something went wrong and we want to make it right. It’s also an opportunity to add a little personality and some humor.
Since this would otherwise be a dead-end, it also gives us a valuable SEO opportunity.
What should be on a 404 page
Keep it functional.
Headline or text that explains in simple language what’s going on. Remember this isn’t where they expected to land so let them know it’s a mistake but reassure them they are on the right site.
Instead of linking out to a search page, include it by embedding a search bar.
Finally a clear call to action giving them a way to get what they came for.
How to create a custom 404 page
Start with a blank not linked page.
Edit your content.
Give it a unique page title
You can get some design inspiration from the examples below.
How to change your 404 page
From the Home menu go to Design > 404 Page and select your custom page from the dropdown.
Useful Design Tips and Best Practices
There are 2 main approaches to these pages. One is super minimal and bare bones. The other is a bit more jazzy.
Have fun
Geek out. Go crazy. Be unapologetically, apologetic.
Be bold
Use funky graphics, animations. Custom background image. Anything eye-catching.
Keep your header and footer
Some designers opt to leave this out, turning the 404 into a squeeze page with only a few ways out. I recommend keeping your header and footer links in place so users have another option.
Add a search bar
Search bars are a really easy way to help someone find what they’re looking for.
Use a form so they can send a message
If the page isn’t on your website anymore or there’s something unclear, a contact form helps by allowing someone to get in touch with you directly.
Use a summary block to link to popular content
Summary blocks are a great way to pull in content from other parts of the site that you want to feature.
Use for blogs and products.
Keep it simple
Don’t go too crazy. Don’t clutter the page with too much.
Hide your 404 page from search results.
Check the “Hide this page from search results” toggle in the SEO tab of page settings to avoid a potential “soft 404” error. Basically, Google potentially flags these pages because they are indexable but say there’s nothing there.
Examples
Here’s a few examples of 404 pages in Squarespace
Squarespace