When it comes to school website design, it’s tempting to just focus on the navigation, the logo, and the photography -- but that little tagline, with its oftentimes small, but prominent spot on the homepage, deserves a shoutout.  So we thought we’d give them a little attention: we looked at Finalsite’s 200+ international client websites and picked 12 that really stood out.

But, before we reveal our favorites, let’s do a little marketing review. We all have our favorite taglines:  Nike - Just Do It; Apple - Think Different; and Coca-Cola’s Refresh Yourself, Ice Cold Sunshine, and my favorite, Coke is it! 

Should your school have a tagline? 

The Balance Small Business has an informative article on taglines with concepts that can be applied easily to school marketing.

 A short, memorable description that—hopefully—becomes something like a public earworm, getting stuck in people's brains. Taglines are created and intended to leave a lasting impression during a short encounter  A tagline offers information that can be easily remembered. In the end, it should help the audience understand the bigger picture and leave them enticed and wanting more. 

In this article from Inc. Magazine, 10 Tips for a Remarkable Tagline, some tips include:

• Keep it Simple
• Communicate with Clarity
• Require a Double Take

What makes your school stand out?

With over 10,000 international schools, what differentiates your school from the other schools?  Do prospective families get a special feeling when they land on your homepage? 

Tracy Tigchelaar, Finalsite Senior Advantage Consultant, has over 20 years helping schools with branding and strategy.  She advises schools:  “In this competitive international school market, you need to determine what gives you the edge over their competition.  You need to be able to clearly communicate what is unique about your school and differentiates you from the school down the road so that you stand out and are top of mind. A good tagline or positioning statement should reflect your brand promise and immediately resonate with prospective parents - as well as existing ones. "

And so, with that in mind, here are the top 12 international school website taglines:

"A World Of Opportunities"

Frankfurt International School

"Be All You Are"

The International School of Kuala Lumpur

"Educating global citizens for a changing world"

The American School Foundation

"Educating Champions of a Just and Sustainable World"

Copenhagen International School

"Learning to Love, Loving to Learn"

Seisen International School

"Empowering students to create solutions for tomorrow’s challenges"

International School of Kenya

"Educating for complexity"

International School of Paris

"Respect, Responsibility and Reaching for Excellence"

The International School in Genoa

"Embark on a voyage of learning"

International School of Hamburg

"Simply Exceptional"

The American Baccalaureate School

"Shaping the Lives of those who will Shape the Nation | Formando las Vidas de aquellos que Transformarán la Nación"

Santiago Christian School

"The International Choice"

Anglo-American School of Sofia

Key Takeaway

In this busy and growing international school market, standing out from the competition is only going to get harder.  But these 12 schools, stand out for visitors as well as current parents. From the moment you land on their websites -  you know immediately what they stand for, what makes them unique, and what they are “selling”.  As a parent of three, I find this important and impactful and suggest more schools look to better define and share who they are and what they stand for.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

As part of Finalsite's marketing team, Debbie has worked with international schools for the past 8 years while living in both Asia and Europe. From conference planning and presentations, to association events, and client success stories, she helps schools understand how they can maximize their web presence while partnering with Finalsite. In her free time she enjoys traveling and attending events at her children's international school in Berlin, Germany.