Custom error pages.....

[RFH Customer: jigsawsrusdotcom]

We've just switched on a custom error page (well a redirect to our homepage actuallY!) via HELM as sometimes google etc. will cache a "crap" product page of ours and place a [potential] customer on a 404 page.

It now seems to work (i.e. we went for a 404 and got redirected to our homepage), but is there ANYTHING we need to be aware of with this process/method or is HELM the way to do it?

Thanks!

[RFH Customer: Reactivate]

If you can, make it a 302 (temporary) or 301 (permanent) redirect.

I use:
Response.Status="301 moved permanently"

That way the search engine spiders won't keep continually coming back to the out-of-date page, as you have told it it has permanently moved.

[RFH Customer: jigsawsrusdotcom]

If you can, make it a 302 (temporary) or 301 (permanent) redirect.

I use:
Response.Status="301 moved permanently"

That way the search engine spiders won't keep continually coming back to the out-of-date page, as you have told it it has permanently moved.

Thanks for the response.

I think(!) I understand but as these are all dynamic pages, if we delete a product (bearing in mind the DB does not re-use ex/past product numbers) then "that page" will always be a 404 as surely the SE page that is cached will point to a duff page and as it is a dynamically generated page the link from the SE will point to a NOW non-existant page (that once existed as it once refered to a once valid product)?

TBH, the fact that our webpages are cached in the SE's is GOOD for us and all I want is to send the [potential] customer to a "nice" page, such as our homepage, and not give them a nasty 404.

If I'm talking pants, or mis-understanding then please feel free to say so!!

[Staff: Warren Ashcroft]

From what I understand, the custom 404 page will still send a 404 status code, but just show a nicer page - in your case your homepage.

Search engines wont come back for 404s.

[RFH Customer: Reactivate]

From what I understand, the custom 404 page will still send a 404 status code, but just show a nicer page - in your case your homepage.

Search engines wont come back for 404s.

Just an update on this.
The custom error pages do not send any status codes.

Google sitemaps is forever telling me off, so I've manually added a line of code to send the correct status codes on each custom error page.

[Staff: Warren Ashcroft]

Correct, I looked into this a couple of days ago. By design the 404 custom error page will send back the standard 200 status code.