NFIB

Simple Solutions to a Common Web Site Problem, Part I
04/ 15/ 2002

Think of how frustrating it is to see "Server Error 404 - File Not Found" when you're trying to find a Web site. If you're like most people, you probably jump off the site, never to return again.

To ensure that you aren’t losing visitors and potential sales, it's important to make sure your company's Web site never has this problem. In today's and next week's Workshops, Jeffrey Moses shows why your customers might receive this message and gives direct steps for fixing the problem, even if you're not an expert programmer.

First, it's important to know if the message is being given to users. Check your Web site every day, and ask friends and family to do the same. Also look for indications that may show up on your server's error log. If your site's server is not configured to monitor File Not Found errors, ask the server's technicians to add the feature.

The most common reason for a File Not Found error is a breakdown among the hyperlinks within your site. Most sites work seamlessly at inception, but as new pages are created and existing pages deleted, the internal hyperlink maze may become distorted. Some search engines may have indexed particular pages that no longer exist or have faulty links. Some customers may have bookmarked a specific page that you deleted.

These type of problems can go undetected for weeks and even months. A Web site can open your business to the world, but not if potential visitors can't access your URLs. It's vital for the operator of a site to continually monitor accessibility, both external and internal. As with anything in life, it's far better to discover and correct a problem early on, before the problems expand exponentially.

In next week's Workshop, Jeffrey Moses continues this discussion by detailing steps to take when you become aware that users are receiving the File Not Found error message.

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