How To Add 404 Pages To Your Websites That DON'T Suck!

If you're not including links pages and custom 404 pages in your website builds, you're leaving money on the table — and doing your clients a disservice.Check out my new offer: https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/sparks-group-mentoring/ It's a supportive group mentoring session for website designers and developers to bring their questions, roadblocks, ideas, and "is it just me?" moments.Welcome to another episode of Websites Made Simple with me, Holly Christie.In this episode, I'm talking about two of the most underrated pages in website design: the links page (your on-brand, SEO-friendly alternative to Linktree) and the custom 404 page.Both are quick to build, easy to position as a value add, and a genuinely great way to stand out from designers who aren't sweating the details.We get into:Why Linktree and similar tools can actually hurt your reach on social media platformsHow a links page on your own website works with your SEO and drives traffic where you want itWhat to put on a links page to make it genuinely useful — and how to make it your ownWhy most 404 pages are a completely wasted opportunityHow to design a 404 page that gets visitors back on track (and even puts a smile on their face)Why these pages should be built into your project cost, not offered as an upsellThe one quick check you can do on your own website right nowHow showcasing these pages on your own site helps attract the right clientsIf you want to impress clients, add real value to your builds, and start standing out from designers who aren't going the extra mile — this one is for you.Come and find out more at https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk or email me at hello@websitesmadesimple.co.ukSkip to the good bits:00:00 Stop leaving these pages out of your website builds00:30 Why Linktree and Linke hurt your social media reach01:02 Build a links page on your own website instead02:00 What to put on your links page03:10 Keeping links pages simple but effective on mobile04:30 Links pages, SEO, and sending traffic to your own site05:00 How to charge for links pages (don't make it optional)05:44 The problem with generic 404 pages06:20 How to check if your 404 page is customised right now07:20 Adding personality and fun to your 404 page08:14 Using 404 pages to redirect and re-engage visitors10:02 Start with your own website firstMentioned in this episode:Join my Sparks Group Mentoring Programme