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# How to stop writing generic 404 pages
- URL: https://www.unbore.com/how-to-stop-writing-generic-404-pages/
- Published: 2026-03-05T03:22:14.000Z
- Updated: 2026-03-06T15:25:49.000Z
- Description: Turn your 404 error page into the most entertaining part of your website instead of the most annoying one.
- Author: Shlomo Genchin
- Tags: Copywriting

73% of people who get a 404 error will leave the website.  
Just like my exes, I can’t make them stay. But I can try to make them leave smiling.  
Here’s a little writing exercise I did. 👇

## 1\. I Collected Generic Phrases

• Error 404  
• Something went wrong  
• We couldn’t find this page  
• This page no longer exists  
• What you’re looking for isn’t here

## 2\. I Added Relevant Topics

��� Social Issues  
– Inside Jokes  
– Competitors  
– Enemies  
– Slogans

## 3\. I Mixed Phrases & Topics

![phrases on left side connecting to topics on right side](https://storage.ghost.io/c/56/7c/567cd7c2-834c-4b5b-a024-a798f2ebbdf8/content/images/2026/03/1-6.jpeg)

## And here are the results:

![Purina We couldn't find this page, but maybe we can still find a home for Sparky](https://storage.ghost.io/c/56/7c/567cd7c2-834c-4b5b-a024-a798f2ebbdf8/content/images/2026/03/2-6.jpeg)

We couldn’t find this page + Social Issue

![Burger King ad What you're looking for isn't here, unless](https://storage.ghost.io/c/56/7c/567cd7c2-834c-4b5b-a024-a798f2ebbdf8/content/images/2026/03/3-6.jpeg)

What you’re looking for isn’t here + Competitor

![SpaceX error rocket science joke](https://storage.ghost.io/c/56/7c/567cd7c2-834c-4b5b-a024-a798f2ebbdf8/content/images/2026/03/4-1-1.jpeg)

Error 404 + Inside Joke

![Oatly something went wrong and it's not the dairy industry](https://storage.ghost.io/c/56/7c/567cd7c2-834c-4b5b-a024-a798f2ebbdf8/content/images/2026/03/4-2-1.jpeg)

Something went wrong + Enemy

![De Beers group diamonds are forever, webpages are not](https://storage.ghost.io/c/56/7c/567cd7c2-834c-4b5b-a024-a798f2ebbdf8/content/images/2026/03/5-1-1.jpeg)

This page no longer exists + Slogan

A bit of creativity can turn your 404 error page from the most annoying part of your website into the most entertaining one.