Error states and empty pages are situations where the user does not get the content they expected – a page that does not exist, a search with no results, an empty basket, filters with no matches, or an error when submitting a form. Most websites handle them with a curt message, which ends the visit. Yet this is the moment when the user's attention is at its highest, and all it takes is to offer them a way forward. On an error page, state clearly what happened, without technical codes, and add a search box, links to the most visited sections, and a contact option. For an empty result, offer to loosen the filters or show similar items. For a form error, explain which field is the problem and why. Review your error states regularly – they tend to be a forgotten part of the website.
See also: Soft 404, Form optimisation, Friction in the conversion process.
