Could your 404 page be doing more to help?

There are lots of great blog posts out there showing imaginative 404 pages (the page that is shown when a broken link on your website means it doesn’t go to a real page).

But here's an unusual great use for your 404s – helping missing children.NotFound.org gives you a widget you can place on your site which will show a photo of a missing child every time someone lands on your 404, letting you help raise awareness.

The site was produced by Belgium based Famous for Missing Children Europe, who state that publishing pictures of children still tends to be the most effective way of finding them.

I think it's a fantastic idea - although the widget itself is a pretty nasty red and blue box. I know it shouldn't be about cosmetics, and it does stand out, but more people might be tempted to put it on their site if it was just a little bit kinder on the eye.