M44

When most people come across a '404 Error Page' or 'The page cannot be found', they will either close their web browser or hit their back button. They then return to the search engine and look again for the particular site they targeted.

If you are a website owner who owns an online business site and someone reaches your 404 Error Page, then you have effectively lost a customer. The chances of that potential customer returning to your site could be slim. So, just what is a 404 Error Page and how can we overcome this problem?

'The page cannot be found', 'The requested url was not found on this server', are commonly referred to as 404 Error Pages. A 404 Error Page informs the searcher that the server cannot find the file being searched. If, for example, the searcher keys in your website address incorrectly, a 404 Error Page will be displayed. The same problem will occur if you change links or remove a linking page because the server will not be able to locate the old link.

Even though you have to accept the fact that sometimes your potential customers will strike a 404 Error Page when visiting your site, it is possible to capitalize on these pages. You could create a sales page, for example, similar to your other sales pages. Don't just place a bunch of links on the page, however, as this will chase away your potential customers. Include your web page header and make the page as attractive as your other pages.

Some ideas to use on the page are:

-Make a special offer at a discounted price.
-Have the page as a squeeze page.
-Make it an Adsense page.
-Redirect it to a related affiliate product.
-Offer browser alternatives, such as links to different pages or topics.

These are just a few of the many different ways to profit from 404 Error Pages.

As you can see, then, if you don't customize your pages, you can be losing out on money. Having something on those pages can really prove to be beneficial.