Users will inevitably find error messages as they browse the web – either they filled a form in incorrectly, or they tried to view a page that’s no longer there, or a website is temporarily down.
This is OK, as long as the error message or page that pops up helps the user to solve the problem rather than making it worse. Unfortunately, I’m often frustrated rather than placated by error messages, so I made a list of what to do and what not to do when you’re writing an error message for your website.
DON’T give me technobabble.
Statements like “Search string is empty” or “Parameter value syntax error”, even if true, don’t really help me work out what to do next.
Whatever the real problem is, it’s essential to protect me, the user, from technical language.
DON’T try to be funny.
Your website isn’t working properly for me. Now is not the time to be making jokes.
Angelfire’s 404 error message is a good example of how smug and irritating a jokey error message can be. Try it then imagine that what you were looking for was something really important.
The error message is where your relationship with your customer is most fragile, so it’s best to take the problem seriously.
DON’T apologise “for any inconvenience caused”.
This is now such a cliché that it should never be used, in any circumstance. Apologising “for any inconvenience caused” or even “for the inconvenience” is lazy, insincere and non-committal.
It’s important to show me that you genuinely are sorry something’s gone wrong, and are not just going through the motions.
DON’T tell me I’ve done something wrong.
Even when I have done something wrong, like enter an invalid postcode, I don’t want to be told that it’s my fault.
Don’t tell me my postcode is “invalid”. Don’t tell me that action was “not permitted”.
On a website, that old cliché that “the customer is always right” is more true than ever. Don’t assume that I will intuitively understand how to use your website.
Help me solve the problem – don’t tell me off.
DON’T make me repeat my previous actions.
I’m thinking mainly of forms here. If something goes wrong on a form, the last thing I want to do is start from scratch and fill in all my details again. And yet, that’s often what I find myself having to do.
The error message should tell me what’s wrong and make it as easy as possible for me to solve the problem – making me repeat myself or take a step backwards is likely to frustrate me and make me give up altogether.
DO tell me in plain language what’s wrong.
Translate any technical language into words an average user will understand.
“404 Not Found” = “We couldn’t find the page you were looking for.” Ideally, you should go some way to explaining what’s wrong (rather than just telling me there’s an error), but do so in my language, not in yours.
DO tell me what to do next.
If I experience an error message, I appreciate some advice on how to solve the problem – refresh my browser; wait five minutes then try again; click on an alternative link; specify a different password.
Ideally, every error message should have contact details on it so I can bypass the error altogether and talk to someone. An error message should be a junction, not a dead end.
DO apologise.
Unlike apologising “for any inconvenience caused” (see above), a genuine apology can go a long way towards placating a frustrated customer.
If something’s gone wrong, I really appreciate an apology – even if it isn’t actually your fault. It’s just good to know that you’re on my side – you’re sorry I’m having trouble, and you want things to get better.
DO address the issue afterwards.
Your website should have a log of all errors so that you can see what’s causing problems and take steps to make things better.
If 10 users in a row enter an “invalid” username, maybe you’re not making it clear enough how to fill in the form correctly.
If 10 people click on a link and get a “page not found” message, maybe you should do something about it.
See, for example, Dean Frickey on creating a useful 404 error message.
DO say something!
Tell me something’s gone wrong – don’t just give me a blank screen or a string of code.
This is just the beginning – a summary of what can annoy or placate a customer when something goes wrong on your website. I’m sure there’s more that could be – and has been – said elsewhere.