How to Create a Custom “404 Not Found” Page In Squarespace
Picture this: You click a link, and instead of landing on the page you were expecting, you get hit with that dreaded "Oops! This page doesn’t exist!" screen. Ugh, right? Well, that’s exactly what we’re talking about today!
Squarespace makes it super easy to customize that page, but so many people totally skip over it. You might be wondering, “why does it even matter?” I mean, the person clicking that link isn’t going to find what they were looking for either way, so why bother, right?
In this blog post, I’ll break down how to create your customer “404 Not Found” page for your Squarespace site, and why it’s important.
Why Should You Customize Your “Not-Found” Page?
Envision this: Someone lands on your website, expecting to find something awesome (of course they are!). But instead, they hit a "Page Not Found" message. What do you think they're going to do? Yep, bounce right off your site and move on with their life. If you want to keep people engaged, the last thing you want is a generic, boring error page that sends them running. But if you customize that page? You just might convince them to stick around. Woohoo!
"But I don’t have any broken links!" – I know, I know, you’re probably thinking this. You’ve checked your site, right? No broken links. Well, here’s the thing: if you post links all over the internet (like on Pinterest or your social media), some of them might be a little… dodgy. And there’s a pretty solid chance that someone, somewhere, is going to land on your "not found" page. It happens.
So yeah, it takes almost no effort to make that page a little more appealing, and trust me—it’s worth it.
What Should You Put on Your Custom “Not-Found” Page?
Let’s talk about your current "Not Found" page for a second. Right now, it's probably that default Squarespace error page that says something like “404: Page Not Found.”:
And while that’s better than a blank screen (thank you, Squarespace), it’s not exactly doing you any favors. The whole point of a "Not Found" page is to get your visitors to stick around, not hit the back button. So, here’s what you can do to make it better:
1. Add an Eye-Catching Heading
Instead of just "404 Page Not Found," try something a little more human, something that might make people stick around for a second:
“Uh oh! You might be lost, but don’t leave just yet!”
“Whoops! We can’t find the page you’re looking for, but hang tight…”
“Hey there! You’ve landed on a page that doesn’t exist (sorry!) But check this out…”
2. Add a Search Bar
Give people a chance to find what they were actually looking for. Add a search bar, like, right there. You can use the Search Bar block in Squarespace, and trust me, it helps. Throw in something like, “Use the search bar below, or the main navigation above to find what you were looking for!” People will love it.
3. Add a Contact Form
Can’t find what they’re looking for? Great! Give them an easy way to get in touch. Put a contact form on the page, so if they’re desperate, they can drop you a line. Believe me—this works. I’ve had people reach out to me directly from my 404 page!
4. Keep It On Brand
Remember, this page still represents your business, so keep it on-brand! Add your logo, some cool images, and a clean design. But don’t overdo it! You still want to keep things simple so the search bar and navigation are clear and easy to find.
How Do You Set Up Your Custom 404 Page?
It’s so easy, it can be done in just a few steps! Here’s how:
Head over to your Squarespace site and add a new Blank Page in the Not Linked section.
Call it something like "404" or "Not Found."
Design your page! Add a search bar, a contact form, and anything else that will keep your visitors engaged.
Once you’re happy with your page, go to Design > 404 Page, and choose your shiny new page from the dropdown.
Don’t forget to hit save, and voilà! You now have a custom 404 page. You did it!
And that, my friend, is how you turn a boring, basic error page into an opportunity to keep people on your site. Congrats!
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