Having a custom error page is highly underrated. One of my clients recently reported to me that their most viewed page was their error page. And if you drive a lot of traffic to your site, I wouldn't be surprised if your error page was highly viewed.
So why have an error page? There are several reasons.
- It's better than a blank page that says the page doesn't exist on the site
- Eventually a user will mistype a URL or visit a page that doesn't exist
- For usability and SEO purposes it makes sense to keep users on the site as long as possible
- Gives you a second chance to engage the user
- If your site relies on advertisements, it's a great place for an ad or sponsor
- For web site redesigns, it's important to help maintain time on site
However, it's not good enough to just have a message saying "page not found". You should attempt to explain why that page was not found (site redesign, wrong URL, etc.) and give the user another option (display a site map, link back to the home page, search, and so on). Otherwise they're likely to just move on to another web site.
Also, this is a great place to let your creativity shine. Hongkiat.com has a great post showcasing creative and informative 404 pages. You can also view my custom 404 page at www.ishmaelsanchez.com/whoops
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