If you recently created a new WordPress site, you may have noticed it inserts the text "Just another WordPress site" on your homepage by default.
Leaving this generic placeholder tagline unchanged makes your site look unprofessional and does nothing to convey your brand identity.
Customizing your WordPress site‘s tagline is a quick and easy way to establish your website‘s niche and purpose for visitors.
In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll explain what the default tagline means, why you need to change it, and how to optimize your website‘s tagline for maximum impact.
You‘ll learn:
- What the "Just another WordPress site" default text is
- 3 ways to easily change or remove the tagline
- How to create a catchy, effective tagline
- Best practices for taglines to boost your brand
- Advanced branding tips for establishing your website‘s identity
- Additional WordPress customization options
By the end, you‘ll have a customized tagline that makes your website distinctly your own.
Let‘s dive in!
Contents
- What Is the "Just Another WordPress Site" Placeholder Tagline?
- Why You Must Replace or Remove the Generic WordPress Tagline
- Method #1: Replacing Your Tagline in WordPress Settings
- How to Create an Effective, Catchy Tagline
- Method #2: Using the Site Editor to Change Your Tagline
- Method #3: Modifying Your Tagline with the Theme Customizer
- Troubleshooting: Old Tagline Still Appears
- Tagline Best Practices to Boost Your Branding
- Advanced Branding Tips for Customizing Your WordPress Site
- Recap: How to Easily Change the "Just Another WordPress Site" Tagline
What Is the "Just Another WordPress Site" Placeholder Tagline?
Up until recently, every new WordPress site came with the tagline "Just another WordPress site" automatically inserted into your theme‘s header area.
This generic text acts as a default placeholder tagline in WordPress.
According to WPBeginner‘s State of WordPress survey, 87% of WordPress users customize their site in some way.
However, 39% of users still fail to change this default tagline.
The placeholder tagline appears in:
- Your browser‘s title bar
- At the top of your homepage
- In your site‘s metadata
Here is an example of how this generic text commonly looks:
This "Just another WordPress site" text reveals that your website is powered by WordPress.
Some users choose to keep this tagline because they think it gives them search engine ranking benefits or credibility from being associated with WordPress.
But this is a myth.
Google does not give your site a boost for having this default WordPress tagline. And it offers zero SEO value.
Thankfully, as of WordPress 5.9, this generic placeholder text is no longer added to new sites by default. The tagline field simply remains blank when you first install WordPress now.
However, if your site was created prior to the 5.9 update, chances are this placeholder tagline is still visible on your homepage.
Let‘s go over why you need to change this default text…
Why You Must Replace or Remove the Generic WordPress Tagline
Keeping the "Just another WordPress site" tagline makes your website look:
✖️ Unbranded
✖️ Unprofessional
✖️ Unoriginal
This generic text tells visitors nothing about your:
- Brand
- Niche
- Products or services offered
- Website‘s purpose
Here are 5 key reasons you need to change your tagline:
1. Fails to establish your brand identity
Your website‘s tagline is prime real estate for conveying your brand identity.
A generic placeholder text does nothing to identify your brand or set you apart from competitors.
2. Looks lazy and uncaring
Leaving default text on your site gives the impression you were too lazy to customize your site properly. This reflects poorly on your brand.
3. Hurts credibility
Visitors will assume your business lacks credibility or professionalism if you cannot even be bothered to change a simple tagline.
4. Provides no SEO value
The generic "Just another WordPress site" text contains no important keywords or page-specific details. It does not help with search rankings.
5. Wastes the opportunity to connect with visitors
Your tagline is a chance to tell visitors what you‘re about. Don‘t squander this prime website real estate.
Now let‘s go over a few examples of effective taglines:
As you can see, an excellent tagline clearly summarizes what a brand offers or specializes in.
The tagline appears prominently on most websites, which makes customizing it even more essential.
Now that you know why you should change the default text, let‘s get into how to do it…
Method #1: Replacing Your Tagline in WordPress Settings
The easiest way to change the generic "Just another WordPress site" tagline is using your WordPress dashboard‘s Settings page:
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Log in to your WordPress dashboard by going to yourdomain.com/wp-admin.
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In the left-hand menu, click Settings → General.
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Scroll down to the "Site Title & Tagline" section.
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In the Tagline field, delete the default placeholder text.
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Type your new tagline in the box.
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Click Save Changes at the bottom.
That‘s all there is to it!
Here is an example of changing the tagline under General Settings:
To remove the tagline completely, simply delete the text and leave the tagline field empty.
Now let‘s go over some tips for creating the perfect tagline…
How to Create an Effective, Catchy Tagline
When deciding what to use as your new tagline, keep these best practices in mind:
✏️ Keep it short – Get your message across in just 2-10 words. Avoid long taglines.
✏️ Describe what you do – Summarize your brand, niche, or specialty.
✏️ Add your brand name – Reinforce your brand identity by including your name.
✏️ Use power words – Incorporate words that are bold, active, and descriptive.
✏️ Highlight your strengths – Use your tagline to feature your best attribute.
✏️ Mention benefits – What value do you provide? Focus on benefits over features.
✏️ Include keywords – Work in keywords, but don‘t over-optimize.
✏️ Be unique – Help your brand stand out with an original phrase or wording.
Let‘s look at some examples of excellent taglines:
Brand | Tagline |
---|---|
Nike | Just Do It |
De Beers | A Diamond Is Forever |
Samsung | The Next Big Thing Is Here |
McDonald‘s | I‘m Lovin‘ It |
These taglines are short, memorable, and convey a brand‘s identity or positioning.
When crafting your own tagline, tap into your creative side!
The most memorable taglines utilize:
- Clever wordplay
- Interesting adjectives
- A fun tone
- Double meanings
- Short catchy phrases
If you sell gardening supplies, "Seed to Sprout" incorporates creative wordplay on growing plants.
Pro Tip: Avoid using overused tagline cliches like "Trusted", "Experts in our field", "Client-focused", etc. Generic taglines won‘t make you stand out.
Once you have a tagline you love, head back to your WordPress General Settings and enter it into the tagline field.
Click "Save Changes", and your new tagline will now replace the old text sitewide.
Method #2: Using the Site Editor to Change Your Tagline
For WordPress sites using newer block themes, you can also change your tagline directly in the Site Editor.
The Site Editor allows you to modify your theme‘s header elements without needing to know code.
Follow these steps to change your tagline in the Site Editor:
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In your WP dashboard, go to Appearance → Editor.
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When the Site Editor opens, look for the "Site Tagline" block in the header area.
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Click on the existing tagline text to open the editor.
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Delete the old text and type your new tagline.
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Click Update to save your changes.
And your new tagline will now be live on your site!
Here‘s an example of editing the tagline in the Site Editor:
To completely remove the tagline, click the three dots in the Site Tagline block and select "Remove". This will delete the entire tagline section.
The benefit of using the Site Editor is you get a real-time preview of your new tagline before publishing.
However, the Site Editor is only available for newer WordPress themes using blocks.
Method #3: Modifying Your Tagline with the Theme Customizer
Many WordPress themes also allow you to change your website‘s tagline through the built-in Theme Customizer.
Benefits of using the Theme Customizer include:
- Live tagline preview before publishing
- Header customization options determined by your theme
- Tweak fonts, colors, and branding elements
To access it:
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In your WP dashboard, go to Appearance → Customize.
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When the Theme Customizer opens, look for the Site Identity panel.
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Expand the Site Identity settings to see options to modify your tagline and site title:
- Enter your new tagline and click "Publish" to save changes.
The Site Identity settings may be nested under other panels like Header, Title, etc, depending on your theme.
Explore all of the options in your Theme Customizer to take your customization further.
Now let‘s go over some potential issues with changing your tagline and how to troubleshoot them…
Troubleshooting: Old Tagline Still Appears
In most cases, entering a new tagline through the methods above will work perfectly. But sometimes problems can arise.
Here are fixes for common tagline issues:
Problem: Old "Just another WordPress site" text still appears on your site.
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Double check you saved changes in your WordPress dashboard.
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Clear your browser cache and test again. Old cached version could be causing it.
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Try viewing your site in incognito/private browsing mode.
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Contact your web host, as it could be a server caching issue.
Problem: Old tagline still shows in Google search results.
- Request Google re-crawl your URL in Search Console to pick up new tagline.
Problem: Facebook still displays your old tagline when sharing.
- Use Facebook Debugger tool to force Facebook to re-scrape your page metadata.
For any ongoing issues, reach out to your web host‘s support team for further troubleshooting.
Now let‘s go over some pro tips for creating a tagline that maximizes your brand impact…
Tagline Best Practices to Boost Your Branding
An effective tagline quickly communicates your brand identity and positioning.
Follow these best practices when creating your custom tagline:
🔎 Research competitors – See what taglines leaders in your industry use.
📝 Brainstorm ideas – Make a list of potential taglines and slogans.
🎯 Define your goal – What feeling or message do you want to convey?
❌ Avoid overused phrases – Be original. Don‘t pick a generic tagline.
✅ Use power words – Incorporate bold verbs like "create", "empower", "master".
🖊️ Be catchy and clever – Say what you do in a creative way. Eg. "Marketing tips without the fluff".
📊 A/B test options – Try out variations to see which tagline performs best.
🎨 Match branding – Ensure your tagline aligns with existing brand elements like logo and colors.
🔤 Keep it concise – Get your message across in 2-10 words. Avoid long taglines.
Your tagline should summarize what makes your business unique or special. Spend time crafting a tagline you‘ll be proud to feature on your site.
Let‘s look at a few more examples of creative taglines:
Brand | Tagline |
---|---|
Baskin Robbins | Count the Flavors, 31 of them |
Motel 6 | We‘ll leave the light on for you |
The North Face | Never Stop Exploring |
Dove | Real Beauty |
Now that you know how to optimize your tagline, let‘s go over some additional ways to establish your brand identity by customizing your WordPress site…
Advanced Branding Tips for Customizing Your WordPress Site
Your website‘s tagline is just one aspect of your overall brand identity and experience.
Here are some additional tips for customizing your WordPress site to match your brand:
🎨 Color scheme
Pick 1-3 brand colors and use them consistently across your site for elements like:
- Backgrounds
- Buttons
- Headings
- Logos
This creates cohesive visual branding.
👤 Voice, tone and messaging
Ensure all content aligns with your brand‘s personality and tone. Maintain consistent messaging.
🖼 Imagery
Use brand-appropriate images that reinforce your style and identity.
🅰 Logo
Display your logo prominently. Build recognition through repetition.
⌨️ Typography
Choose 1-2 brand fonts and use them consistently for all text elements.
🎹 Brand elements
Incorporate visual identity elements like icons, illustrations, patterns, etc.
Having a consistent visual identity helps you stand out while building trust and familiarity with visitors.
Take the time to think through your brand strategy and how to convey it through your WordPress site.
Let‘s recap what we‘ve covered…
Recap: How to Easily Change the "Just Another WordPress Site" Tagline
Here‘s a quick recap of everything we learned:
🔹 What the default "Just another WordPress site" tagline is
🔹 Why you must change or remove this unbranded placeholder tagline
🔹 3 ways to modify the tagline:
- WordPress Settings
- Site Editor
- Theme Customizer
🔹 Tips for writing creative, catchy taglines
🔹 How to troubleshoot tagline issues
🔹 Advanced branding advice for customizing your site
Replacing the generic WordPress tagline with your own customized text is a quick win for establishing your website‘s brand identity.
So put that prime homepage real estate to good use! Brainstorm tagline ideas that represent your business well.
Just remember to keep it short, descriptive, and original.
Now get out there and create an awesome tagline and website that showcases your brand!