A few months ago, we revamped our LinkedIn banners with our new tagline: You can’t do epic sh*t with basic branding. The feedback was off the charts. People loved how bold and catchy it was.
Not to toot our own horn here, but toot toot. Our tagline is memorable, sticky and stops people in their tracks—and that’s what makes a great tagline. A strong tagline isn’t just a snappy phrase—it’s the heart and soul of your brand, boiled down to an unforgettable line that people can’t help but remember (and talk about!).
But coming up with a sweet and sticky tagline that checks all those boxes is not exactly a piece of cake. For the past few weeks, I’ve been helping some clients come up with awesome taglines for their websites, so I thought I’d put together a how-to-guide with some of my best tips for crafting a killer tagline for your brand.
7 Tips to Write a Tantalizing Tagline
Tip #1: Know Your Brand Like the Back of Your Hand
Before you can whip up a killer tagline, you need to know your brand inside out. If you’ve been on our email list for a minute, you’ve heard us say this a million times. You need to get clear on your brand identity. You need to be able to answer questions like:
- What makes you unique?
- What do you stand for?
- What’s your brand personality?
- If your brand were a person, would they be the life of the party or the dependable friend who always brings snacks?
Dive deep into your brand’s essence. List everything that makes your brand tick.
Tip #2: Keep It Short, Sweet, and Snackable
A tagline isn’t the time to show off your epic writing skills. Think bite-sized. Short, sweet, and to the point. Aim for no more than ten words. (Yes, I said TEN.) Less is more, friend.
Tip #3: Make It Meaningful
Your tagline should pack a punch. It needs to convey your brand’s promise, the magic you deliver, and the value you bring. “Just Do It” is a call to action for athletes. “Think Different” is Apple’s way of saying you’re a visionary. Figure out the essence of what you offer and distill it to its core. Make it something your audience will feel in their bones.
Tip #4: Be Clever, Not Cheesy
There’s a fine line between clever and corny, and you want to stay on the clever side. Puns can be fun, but don’t force it. A little wordplay is great, but if it feels forced or makes you cringe, toss it out. Think about word combinations that make people smile or think, “Wow, that’s smart!” without making them roll their eyes.
Tip #5: Test, Tweak and Test Again
Once you’ve got a few contenders, don’t just sit on them. Test them out. Say them out loud. Write them down. See how they look and feel in different contexts. Share them with trusted friends or colleagues (not just your mom, unless she’s your target audience). Get feedback and tweak accordingly. A little adjustment can make a huge difference.
Tip #6: Make It Timeless, But Not Boring
Your tagline should be like a little black dress—timeless and versatile. Avoid trendy buzzwords that will make it feel dated in a year. You want something that stands the test of time and feels as fresh in five years as it does today. But timeless doesn’t mean dull. Infuse your tagline with the personality and energy of your brand. It should be something that excites you every time you see it.
Tip #7: Own It and Love It
Once you’ve crafted that perfect tagline, own it. Love it. Use it everywhere. Your tagline should be the rallying cry for your brand, the mantra that everyone in your company lives and breathes. It should be front and center on your website, in your marketing materials, and in every piece of content you create.
In fact, we’re having ours printed on t-shirts for our upcoming DBK team retreat! Whatchu think?
Here’s the thing: your personal brand needs to have some personality. And one of the best ways to infuse personality into your brand (and stand out in the sea of digital pollution) is through a clever and catchy tagline.
Creating a tagline that sticks like velcro in a sock drawer is an art and a science. It’s about knowing your brand, boiling it down to its essence, and finding the perfect words to express it. When you nail it, it’s like magic. A few simple words that capture the heart and soul of your brand.
Pssst! Have you taken the Brand Quiz yet? It’ll help you uncover the essence of your brand. If you haven’t done it yet, I highly recommend you find 10 minutes and take the quiz. 🙂
