Why Every Photographer Needs a Custom 404 Page

You have probably landed on one without realising what it was. You click a link, or type a web address slightly wrong, and instead of the page you were looking for you get a blank screen with a message like Page Not Found or 404 Error. It feels like a dead end and most people do exactly what you would expect. They leave.

This happens on your website too. If you delete a page, rename it, or if someone types your address incorrectly, visitors will hit that same blank wall. And unless they know how to fix the URL themselves, they will be gone.

The good news is that you can change what that page looks like and what it does. Instead of a dead end it can become a helpful signpost that keeps visitors on your site and guides them somewhere useful. It takes about 10 minutes to set up and once it is done you never have to think about it again.

What Causes a 404 Page

There are a few common reasons a visitor might land on your 404 page.

They typed your web address incorrectly. Even a small spelling mistake after the main part of your URL will lead to a 404 page because that exact page does not exist.

You deleted or renamed a page on your website. Any links pointing to the old address will stop working immediately, including links you have shared on social media or in emails.

Someone else linked to your website incorrectly. You have no control over external links from other websites or old social media posts. If those links are wrong or outdated, visitors will hit your 404 page.

The honest truth is that you cannot eliminate broken links entirely. What you can do is make sure that when someone hits one, they land somewhere helpful rather than somewhere that sends them away.

How to Check Your Current 404 Page

Before you do anything else, go and see what your visitors currently experience. Type your website address into a browser and after the .com or .co.uk part add /anything at all, for example www.yourwebsite.com/xyz. This will show you your current 404 page. If it is a blank screen with an error message, it is worth spending 10 minutes improving it.

How to Create a Custom 404 Page in Squarespace

I can only walk you through this in Squarespace as that is what I use. If you are on a different platform simply search how to create a custom 404 page in and then the name of your platform and you will find straightforward instructions.

In Squarespace the process is simple. Go to Pages and create a new blank page. Set it as not linked so it does not appear in your navigation menu but is still accessible. Give it a clear name like 404 or Page Not Found.

On the page itself add a short friendly message letting visitors know the page they were looking for does not exist, and then give them somewhere useful to go. A link to your homepage, your most popular blog posts or your booking page works well. Keep it simple and on brand.

Once your page is ready, go back to Pages, scroll to the bottom of the panel and click System Pages. You will see your 404 page listed there. Click on it and select your new custom page from the dropdown. That is it, done.

What to Put on Your Custom 404 Page

Keep it simple and keep it friendly. A short apology, a couple of helpful links and ideally a button back to your homepage is all you need. You do not need anything elaborate.

A line like the page you were looking for does not exist but here are some helpful links works perfectly. Then add links to the pages that matter most on your site. For a newborn photographer that might be your newborn session page, your pricing page and your booking link.

The goal is simply to give visitors somewhere to go rather than nowhere. That is all a custom 404 page needs to do.

Here is what a custom 404 page looks like when it is done properly.

It is a small thing but it is one of those quiet details that separates a professional website from one that has not been thought through. If you have not set yours up yet, now is a good time. It genuinely takes about 10 minutes and once it is done it works for you quietly in the background without any further effort.