Do Good Design

“Websites for doing good, done well.”

Welcome to the new Do Good Design tagline. This was actually the second most popular choice, with 14 votes, compared to “Making the world a better place, one website at a time” that got the most, at 16 votes.

The top two taglines weren’t even my ideas — they came from you all! In fact, I’d like to send a gift to both people who wrote these. Unfortunately, Polldaddy doesn’t tell me who submitted these entries, but if it was you, get in touch so I can say thank you properly.

This whole process has been very in-depth, and having other people weigh in helped me clarify what we’re doing. I can’t tell you how helpful and encouraging it was to have so many people respond with their feedback and helpful suggestions.

Now if you’re wondering about how to craft your own tagline, or just want to know more about why I didn’t choose one of the others, let me share my reasoning.

Good taglines convey your brand

According to Small Business Marketing for Dummies, a tagline should convey your brand, your business’s selling point and approach.

“Websites for doing good, done well” sums up in the fewest possible words that Do Good Design is about two things: doing good, as in good deeds, and good design, as in websites that are well made.

Most of the other taglines don’t have anything in there about good design. They focus just on the doing good in the world part, which is very important but not the whole package.

“Making the world a better place, one website at a time” has a personal feel though, which I think is why so many people voted for it. We’re all tired of marketese, or feeling manipulated by slogans, branding and advertising. It’s nice to get away from that.

So I’m thinking of putting that phrase on the home page, or using it when I talk to people about what we do. As in “Yeah, we like to think we’re helping to make the world a better place, one website at at time.”

Good taglines are short

A tagline needs to be short.

While I love its personal feel, “Making the world a better place, one website at a time” is too long. It would wrap around awkwardly on the page, and might get ignored in email signatures (sure, they’re ignored most of the time anyway, but why make it worse?).

Though another criteria that the Dummies guide lists as being important in a tagline is that it makes you feel good or has positive connotations. “Making the world a better place…” has that for sure, as do the others about making a difference.

Other criteria for a tagline

A few more criteria that you might find helpful in crafting or evaluating a tagline:

• doesn’t sound like corporate speak
• doesn’t rely on factors that might change (”The only 5 star hotel in Fresno!”)
• easy to say out loud

So that’s it. I’ll now go to work changing my email signatures and website, and get to work on designing business cards. Thanks again for all your help and if ever I can return the favour, I’d be delighted.