How to Convert Abandoning Visitors into Loyal Customers using Broken Links?

Whenever anybody reaches to your site via a link (say referral link), or maybe through organic Google search, they are looking for your home page, or the landing page that has the details about the stuff/offer that caught their attention in the first place. But have you ever wondered what happens when this highly enthusiastic visitor upon trying to reach your site, lands up on an error page?

Yes right! They will bounce off without willing to ever come back. Don’t panic! Almost every site faces this broken link issue, and has creative error 404 pages created already for that. But then even the most creative 404 design won’t help you convince most of your bouncing traffic to stay back! Eventually, you will lose your possible conversions!

But how is that going to solve the issue? Whenever you site visitor accidentally lands up on the error page instead of reaching the intended page, you can escort them from there to your landing page which they failed to reach previously. GENIUS right?

If your campaign and strategy have finally managed to address the anxiety of your client, then they want to get that offer or information ASAP, and they get majorly disappointed if they are disturbed with these broken links. Thankfully, there are some amazing tricks that can help you get that leaving traffic back to your site. 

Do You Know What ‘404 ERROR’ Page?

It is nothing but an HTTP status code that indicates that you can’t reach the page you are looking for, due to some broken link error. 

Either the URL for the destined site is mistyped or the URL no longer exists (this happens when you delete old web pages without using 301 redirect) on the server, as a result of which, this error page greets them. 

Here we can do or add something pushy that kind of gives our site a second chance. If people see a basic error page, that has no further clue of what the next step is to be taken, then people will normally X out of the window and will never even try again! So you will be missing out big time on sales.

So, check out the following fantastic ways to redesign your error page, so that your broken links also generates you backlinks:

1. Add a Search Box there:

Providing a search box is a clever option that is still used by people to discover what they are looking for. From our personal experience, we have ourselves opted for the search bar for doing an on-site search to find the content we are looking for. So, basically, search bar shortens the visit and helps you find what you want even faster. 

Instead of a blank boring 404 page, you can add this amazing search box, that will make people realize that there is no end to their search yet, and they can still hunt what they are looking for. This way the visitors who are genuinely interested in giving you conversion will go an extra mile and find your webpage.

Also, this way you can collect a lot of relevant data that can help you in targeting in the future. How? When a visitor will land your error page, he/she will try to use the search box and search for the things they are looking for, thus giving you the key phrases/ search terms. All you have to do is head to your Google Analytics, and find those search terms. These will be the most popular on-site searched for your campaign/product/service. Now you can even turn these searches into links on your error page next time or you can always create amazing content around those searches. This way you can drive more sales and make your website look a little more professional.

2. Add a Lead Magnet:

Lead magnet plays a key role in online business because the majority of people do not purchase your product/service upon their first visit. When they see your content spread everywhere, they would go through it and still might not give you their information just like that. So you have to create something even catchier that works like a hammer on the hot iron. That is achieved with the help of a lead magnet. Remarketing also works well, when it comes to driving leads using a lead magnet.

We know, a lead magnet is anything that is of some worth/value/use to your audience. For example, e-book, coupons, free trial packs, etc. are such lead magnets, you can easily capture emails of the visitors and then target them to convince them to make conversions. 

We know how Swiggy does this. They offer 5 flat 50% off coupons to the new sign-ups. And after that they keep enticing their traffic with more and more incentives, thus convincing them into making conversions. So, in the gist, try to capture more and more emails, by offering such lead magnets on your 404 error page, so that instead of bouncing back your audience gives an ear to what you have to offer. 

3. Offer Incentives or More Offers:

It is difficult to get people’s attention, and it is even more difficult to get them to make a purchase. According to the Forbes list, almost 98% of the visitors do not convert on their first visit. And if the remaining 2% land on your error page then the chances of getting a conversion drops down further. But you get a chance to redeem those people who accidentally reach your error page by offering them a coupon or discount before they leave the site.

This way of driving sales from exit intent also helps a lot in retaining your audience. Imagine if they reach your website’s error page using a broken link, then they get a 40% discount on their purchase and free shipping! Off course they will try their best to redeem that! 

Make sure you enter attractive text on your CTA and decide what your offer will be. Also, don’t just give the offer away without exchanging their email and information. You can also add a redirect URL there that drives your traffic to the products page of your site.

4. Direct them to Home page:

A typical 404 page will only shoo way the visitors, but an error page that drives people to the products and services that they need will help you keep them. Add simple navigation for your products that will be a game-changer for your site. People will feel enticed and entertained with the products on display (if they are of their use/ interest). They might not find exactly what they were looking for but they may be baited by the services/ products on the navigation, which will keep them for a longer duration on the site, and might also make them give you a conversion! 

Either add a navigation bar or simply redirect the audience to your home page, that further will take them to the pages they wish to see. Try to use as many 404 plugins as possible for better results. 

5. Use Interactive Graphics that Guide:

If you feel like not many-a-times your traffic will be reaching to a 404 page, then you can also make a less marketing-oriented approach to keep your audience engaged. Try to make a lasting impression on users’ so much so that they feel like coming back to your site.

Facts state that “It only takes a few seconds to make a lasting first impression”, so try to be your customers’ favorite with your creativity. 

Keep humorous content on your site, or the content that is very cool and trendy to make your visitors feel that you are no boring, non-happening organization. Make your themes attractive and animations captivating, so that people watch it themselves, like it so much, that recommend it to other people as well. Imagine!! People loving your error page! Why would they not like to see what you serve in the main pages?  

Also, you can add amazing videos on your 404 pages, so that people do not feel bored or irritated, instead find some purpose in your site’s presence. For example, a company in the UK has put their Dog’s story on their 404 pages, with his pictures playing in the slide form. So whenever anyone reached their, they feel awestruck more than irritated to know how their pet plays.

You can even communicate your unique brand story or play the content that makes people feel like you are no novice! Share insights, updates, and many more things!

In a Nutshell:

Every site works way too hard to get their audience to listen to their message. If they succeed in doing so, they deserve a conversion or a lead that believes in what they have to offer. But all of this going down the gutter, if a broken link happens and they instead land up at a boring error page. With the above-mentioned tricks, you will definitely be able to retain your sales and to know more such happening tips and tricks join Orionators School Of learning. OSL is Asia’s fastest-growing digital marketing school that can help you know the A B C of digital marketing. Join us to know the magic tricks that can help you rank atop by guiding you to drive your diligently created data in the right way.