Do you need a custom MemberVault 404 page?

I was a little bit excited when the ability to create your own 404 page in MemberVault was announced. It's one of those "nice-to-have" quick wins that could make a difference to your user experience and even sales! 

It's also an area that can seem techy (but it really isn't) so I'll unpack what it's about starting with basics. I'll answer questions like:

• What is a 404 page?
• Do you need to create a custom one in MemberVault?
• How is a 404 page useful? 

Let's get straight in! 

What is a 404 page? 

It's a web page users see when they visit content that no longer exists. 

For example, you've created a page, or a blog post, or a product and you've shared the link to the world/your audience. Some time later, you delete that content. So, anyone who finds the link and clicks on it will end up on an error page because the content no longer exists.

This is what my MemberVault currently shows when the link is broken. It says "Sorry, there's nothing at this URL". 

It's basic but it's informative and functional! 

What's the MemberVault 404 feature all about? 

You can create your own custom error page in MemberVault. So instead of the message in the screenshot above, which appears above the list of your available products, you can create a separate page to override this.

This means that you're in full control of the content of your 404 page and can customise to your business.

To create one, go to Settings >> General and you'll see the 404 item on the page. 

In the 404 dropdown, select the MemberVault page you've created to replace the MemberVault Default 404 page.

Do you need to create a custom 404 page? 

The current default 404 page covers the essentials, which are:

• Tells the user what's happened
• Guides the user on what to do next 
• Is in-keeping with the branding

It does what it needs to do so I don't think you don't need to rush into any changes! 

However, if you're looking for easy ways to get more eyes on key content (simple funnel), or the idea of customising that page has crossed your mind in the past and you have the capacity, then it's definitely worth doing. 

Someone who lands on a 404 page is potentially a captive audience, albeit possibly confused! The point is, they're more likely to read and interact with the content. Could be to find out where to go next or to checkout a no-brainer offer you've teased them with, or to get in touch (maybe to tell you about the broken link 😅) 

Here are some of the benefits of creating a custom 404 page 

• Showcase your core offers 
• Add more of your personality 
• Highlight engagement opportunities 
• Capture leads
• Improve user experience 

Tips on creating your own 404 page 

This is one of those areas that a visual example will illustrate the possibilities much better.

Click on this link to see eBay's 404 page- https://www.ebay.com/ghgfdddfg

There's a bit of on-brand humour, a relevant picture, it's short and has hyperlinks to quickly direct the user to relevant places. 

I've seen others with video, animation, a random game, bolder humour, longer messaging, invitation to connect on social, product promo... hopefully you're getting the idea now. 

How to create a MemberVault Page (to use for 404)

Just realised that I've assumed you know how to create a MemberVault page. If not, to create a new page, go to Contents >> Pages, click Add Page and carry on from there. 

I'll pop some templates in the Maximise Your MV space so you can import into yours rather than creating from scratch. 

Over to you

What do you think of the custom 404 page feature? Will you be creating one? Or maybe you already have one - if so, I'd love to see it!