How to Monetize Your 404 (ERROR) Page ( Site Design Module )

Nam Tran Ybarra @ June 25, 2008

Here is how to turn your Memberspeed 404 (error) page to be a virtual ATM.

Quik Setup Guide

1> In the Memberspeed Control Panel click on Site Design / Page Management

2> Click on the Change 404 Error Page button

3> Edit your for error page – save your page when you are done

4> Preview your creation by clicking on Site Design / Page Management > Edit Pages click on the Preview button

5> Test your 404 page by entering a URL on your website that you know doesn’t exist. If it works you are done. It the page doesn’t work. the most likely problem is a mod-rewrite issue. submit a ticket to MemberSpeed support if you are sure you did everything correctly.

If you have an active site that undergoes regular updates and changes, your 404 page is one of the most viewed pages on your website. Check your stats in your hosting control panel. You’ll be amazed at how many visitors see your 404 page. On some sites it is the most viewed page.

This happens because most web masters do not setup redirects for pages they remove. These removed pages are bookmarked by previous visitors, indexed into the Search Engines, etc.. they are bringing traffic to your site. Why let that free traffic leave without seeing your sales message?

While it is true the big 3 search engines will drop a deleted page quickly,  many of the lesser known search engines will leave you deleted pages in their indexes for years in some cases.

The most common thing a visitor sees went coming across a non-existent page is this…

Not only does this put negative questions about your site in your visitor’s mind, it tells the visitor you left something undone.  These visitors will quickly leave your site for a couple of reasons.

1> They did not find what they are looking for.

2> There is not link back to your site so they can continue to look through your site.

3> You never gained control of the sales process, these visitor have no reason stay on your site…

Never count on a visitor to use the back button!

There are many strategies to keep your visitors on your website when they are looking for something that doesn’t reside on your website.

The easiest strategy to implement is one where you have a statement similar to this:

I’m sorry the page your are looking for does not exist on this website, please try again.
To return to the Homepage Click Here

We have all seen pages like this. In addition to the above message why not entice your visitor back to site with a special offer, a discount, a one time coupon (we now have the coupon option with MemberSpeed), a extra bonus if they opt-in to your newsletter or some other invitation to act. the goal is to get their confirmed email address at the minimum.

I will often place a message telling the visitor the page they are looking for doesn’t exist. I uaually have a opt-in box with an incentive above my regular incentive to join my newsletter. I offer something forsale, an e-book or report at a very attractive price, sometimes I will pre-sell a complemenary product, my own or an affiliate program. You are only limited by your imagination.

My goals are:

1> capture a confirmed email address

2> make a sale

3> repeat the process with every “lost” visitor to my website.

Once setup – this is a set and forget money machine. It’s like having your very own ATM!

While it is nice to grab a quick sale.. it is much better to grab a confirmed email address and build a relationship, then you can sell over and over to the same visitor who is now a valued customer.

Here is an excellent example of a 404 page. This is the Memberspeed 404 page. Jeremy has incorporated all the points I mentioned into one action.. study it and then create your own

How to Add a custom template to the 404 ERROR page – new – added 7- 08

Do you want to create a custom 404 page that looks the rest of your website?

It’s not difficult at all!

Go the home page of your website, right click on your browser, view source, copy and then paste all of the code into your favorite html editor.

Scroll through the code until you find the content for your home page. Highlight and then delete it.

Now view the template, you should now have a template with no content.. (this may take a little trial and error if you are not experienced in editing code.)

Now place your 404 error page message and offer where you previously removed the content. View your new page. It may require some editing and tweeking to get it just the way you want it.

Once you are satisfied with you page save it. Now copy all the code from your new 404 template page. Open your browser and go to the MS Control center of your website, once there go to:

Site Design / Page Management>Edit Page>Change 404 Error Page

At the top of the edit box you will see a “source” button click on it, now paste your content into the edit box,  and save it.

After you save it, Click on the Edit Pages link in the menu, now click on the preview 404 error page button. if all looks good your done.

You now have a customized 404 error page that looks like your site.  Just remember, if you change anything in any of your menu / navigation bars you will need to replace / update your 404 error page manually as it is a static page and does not update automatically as does the rest of your site.

One option which I use ,is to not use the menus,  I only have to edit my 404 ERROR page when I want to change the offer.  (I delete the nav and menu links from my template)

FYI> The problem is the 404 error page does not recognize tokens hence the need to manually update.

Joe

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Filed under: 08.Site design