Discover how to transform your Shopify 404 page into an opportunity with product recommendations. By showcasing relevant suggestions, you can keep customers engaged and seamlessly guide them to your store’s product pages.
404 pages are nightmares for eCommerce store owners, as they can disrupt the shopping experience and lead to lost sales. However, with the right strategy, you can turn these dead ends into conversion opportunities.
By adding personalized product recommendations to your Shopify 404 page, you retain visitors and encourage them to explore your offerings further.
In this blog, we’ll explore how to optimize your Shopify 404 page with product recommendations and keep your customers browsing, even when they hit a wrong link.
Let’s get started.
Key Takeaways:
- Shopify 404 pages can be turned into valuable opportunities by adding personalized product recommendations to keep visitors engaged.
- By using tools like the StoreFrog Shopify Product Recommendations App, you can easily customize your 404 page to drive conversions.
- Optimizing your 404 page helps redirect potential customers to your store, reducing bounce rates and boosting sales.
A 404 page, also known as a 404 error page or “404 not found”, is a web page that appears when a user tries to access a URL that doesn’t exist or can’t be found on a website.
This can happen if a user mistypes the URL, the link is broken, or the page has been moved or deleted. 404 pages inform visitors that the content they’re looking for is unavailable. Some websites create custom 404 pages to guide visitors to the Home page, suggest alternative pages, or add creative elements to keep visitors engaged.
The Shopify 404 page is essentially an error page that appears when the platform can’t find the page a user is trying to access. This issue can arise from several scenarios, which can disrupt the shopping experience if not handled effectively.
Here are some reasons that cause a 404 page in Shopify:
1. Deleted Pages: When you delete a product, collection, or blog post, any links pointing to those pages will lead users to a 404 page. This is common when removing old or discontinued products without setting up proper redirects.
2. Typos in URLs: if a visitor mistypes a URL and tries to visit the webpage, it will show a 404 error.
3. Unpublished Webpages: If a webpage on your Shopify website is moved to unpublished status, visitors trying to access it will see a 404 error page.
4:Domain or URL Structure Changes: When migrating to Shopify from another platform or modifying your website’s URL structure, any pages not properly redirected to their new URLs will result in users landing on a 404 error page.
5. Expired Links: Old links from emails, ads, or social media that point to non-existent or outdated pages will lead visitors to a 404 error page.
A 404 page is a lost opportunity in eCommerce. When customers land on a 404 page, they’re likely to feel frustrated or confused, potentially abandoning your site altogether.
However, by customizing your Shopify 404 page with helpful features like product recommendations or navigation options, you can turn this error page into an opportunity to re-engage customers and reduce bounce rates.
Follow the below steps to show product recommendations on the Shopify 404 page:
Step 1: Install StoreFrog Product Recommendations App
Log in to your Shopify admin account and install the StoreFrog Shopify Recommendations App.
StoreFrog is available in free and paid versions. If you are trying out or receive less than 50 orders a month, you can install the free version.
Step 2: Create a Recommendation Widget on 404 Page
- After installing the app, go to Apps > Search for “Storefrog Recommendations” from the installed apps list.
- Choose the 404 page to create the recommendation widget.
- Then, select the recommendation type from the given templates.
- We’ll select the Best sellers recommendations to show on the 404 page.
Step 3: Customize the Recommendation Widget for 404 Page
- Enter a title for the recommendation widget.
Choose a title that is engaging and redirects attention, such as ‘Discover Our Best Sellers’ or ‘Find Popular Products You’ll Love.’ Make sure it’s inviting and encourages users to explore more products while they’re on the 404 page.
- Then, from the Display Rules section, choose a user role to show the recommendations.
- Click on the Customize button to customize the appearance of the recommendation widget.
- Set the total number of products to display.
- Then, adjust the display style for different devices.
- You can also customize title alignment and font color.
- After making the necessary changes, click on the Create new recommendation button.
The recommendation will be live on your Shopify 404 page.
To remove or fix a 404 error in Shopify:
Check the URL to ensure it is correct.
> Verify if the page or product was deleted. If it was, either restore it or create a new one.
> Set up URL redirects by going to Online Store > Navigation > URL Redirects, and set redirects for broken URLs.
> Check your theme files to ensure there are no broken links.
> Review navigation links and update or remove any broken ones.
> Restore deleted items from the deleted section if needed.
> Check Shopify’s server status by visiting their Status Page for any ongoing issues.
> Use apps like Dr. Link Check to handle redirects automatically.
These steps will help fix or prevent 404 errors on your Shopify store.
A 404 error can occur for several reasons:
Broken links or URLs: Links may be outdated or mistyped.
Deleted products or pages: If a product or page has been removed, any existing links will lead to a 404 error.
URL structure changes: Changes to your website’s URL structure can result in old links becoming invalid.
Theme or app conflicts: Custom themes or third-party apps may interfere with URL handling
Yes, you can customize your Shopify 404 page to match your store’s branding. This includes adding helpful messages, links to popular products, or suggestions for navigating back to the homepage.
404 pages are typically seen as a frustrating barrier for eCommerce businesses. However, it presents a valuable opportunity to increase sales and create engagement on your website. By adding relevant product recommendations to your 404 page, you can guide visitors back into your store and increase the chances of conversion, even when they land on a missing page.
With tools like the StoreFrog Product Recommendations App, customizing your 404 page becomes an easy and effective strategy to engage potential customers. Instead of losing visitors to a dead end, use your 404 page as a platform to keep them interested in your offerings and boost your sales potential.
We hope this guide has helped you understand how to optimize your Shopify 404 page with product recommendations. If you have any questions, feel free to leave them in the comments below – we’re here to help!
