5. Didn’t Load Flag

14.5.1 Using the Didn’t Load Flag

Didn’t Load is used to indicate technical problems that prevent you from viewing any LP content.

Use the Didn’t Load flag when:

• The MC of the landing page is a web server or web application error message and there is no other content on the page: no navigation links, no home link, no SC, and no Ads. See here for a Wikipedia page on different types of error messages.

• The landing page is completely blank: no MC, no SC, and no Ads.

Assign the Didn’t Load flag based on the landing page, not the result block.

Here is an example of a Didn’t Load landing page. You cannot tell that the landing page doesn’t load by looking at the result block.

Query and User Intent	Result Block and LP, Flag, Needs Met Rating	Explanation
Query: [douglas		This page displays a generic
instruments]
		404 message. There is no
User Location: South		MC, SC, or Ads on the page.
Bend, Indiana		This result merits a FailsM
User Intent: Navigate to		rating and the Didn’t Load
the homepage of this		flag.
website.

Here are screenshots of other types of landing pages that should be assigned the Didn’t Load flag: D1, D2, D3.

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Additionally, use the Didn’t Load flag for

• Malware warnings, such as “Warning – visiting this web site may harm your computer!”

• Pages that solicit certificate acceptance requests.

Here is an example of a malware warning:

Here is an example of a certificate acceptance request:

14.5.2 Needs Met Rating for Didn’t Load Results

All result blocks must be given a Needs Met rating. If the landing page truly doesn’t load, assign the Didn’t Load flag and rate the page FailsM. True Didn’t Load pages are useless.

Sometimes the page partially loads or has an error message. Give Needs Met ratings based on how helpful the result is for the query. Error messages can be customized by the webmaster and are part of a well-functioning website. Sometimes these pages are helpful for the query.

Query and User Intent	Result Block and LP, Needs Met Rating	Explanation
Query: [boys pink snow		The MC has an error
shoes]
		message, but the LP has a lot
User Location: South		of SC. However, the page has
		no information about boys pink
Bend, Indiana
		snow shoes and is unhelpful
User Intent: Find		for the query.
information about or		Do not assign the Didn’t
purchase boys’ snow
		Load flag.
shoes.

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Query and User Intent	Result Block and LP, Needs Met Rating	Explanation
Query: [bible passages]		In spite of the customized “No
		results found” message on the
User Location: South		LP, it has links to all passages
		in the bible, organized by
Bend, Indiana
		book. It would be very helpful
User Intent: Find		for most users.
specific passages in the		Do not assign the Didn’t
bible.
		Load flag.