All school districts are looking for ways to make their school websites more relevant. They are designed to be the go-to resource for parents and community members as well as to serve as the primary marketing tool for your school.
So, let's discuss some fun and unusual ways to increase your website traffic while improving the effectiveness of your school communication and possibly your school enrollment.
Beyond yearbook quotes
Many high schools include a section for senior quotes within the pages of their yearbooks. Those funny yearbook quotes are enjoyed by students and parents. Some senior quotes are profound, others considerably less so and, in retrospect, students regret them 20 years later.
However, an exceptional senior quote can serve multiple purposes, including for school marketing purposes. Quotes that highlight school spirit, individual student growth, teacher appreciation, successful programs, and educational enthusiasm are tremendous examples to prospective parents looking for the ideal school for their own students.
Not only are quotes from graduates considered trustworthy, delivered by reliable sources who provide sincere, often heartfelt evidence for the best your school provides, but these quotes are the kind of marketing you can't pay for, so don't overlook them.
Make good use of those senior quotes each year by repurposing them in your school marketing, to strengthen your school brand, and to improve your online communications.
But first, help students come up with great senior quotes that you'll be proud to use and with which they'll be able to impress their peers.
Encourage inspired yearbook quotes
Senior quotations are a popular way to have them summarize their academic career (so far), thank teachers or peers, and express their individuality. However, this can be a stressful experience for students.
I remember feeling quite overwhelmed about it, knowing it would be in my yearbook forever and I certainly didn't feel I had anything inspirational to share.
But, school leaders can provide inspiration, ideas, and examples to those seniors to help eliminate this pressure (while possibly encouraging some higher-quality quotes in the process).
Here are a few examples to share with seniors that might help. Create a list of possible ideas to get them thinking about what has influenced them so far in their educational experience or made their school experience memorable. Include topics that are smart, inspiring, or funny.
Possible topics:
- Thank your parents
- Honor your friends
- Share a favorite song lyric or line from a poem that reflects your personality or values
- Give a shout out to a teacher
- Share some humor
- Inspire someone
- Thank someone who has inspired you
Consider providing links to sites and articles with memorable quotes used by others. As long as students give credit to whomever they are quoting, that is a perfectly acceptable option.
Encourage students to be themselves and be sincere. Remind your students that choosing a memorable quote or catchphrase can leave a memorable impression.
Create a few lists for the students to read and get ideas from. Here are a few of my favorites that I found online with a quick search.
Inspirational quotes:
- How can I sum up my amazing time here in such a short space?
- When the last bell rings, I might actually miss this place!
- If you're reading this, future me, put down this book and do something productive.
- Dear future self, 'Always remember who got you where you are today.'
- All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.
- Thanks for all the memories. I've had the time of my life. I'll miss you all.
- I’ve learned from the bad times and was humbled by the good. Thank you for all of the great life lessons.
- Thank you, teachers, for never giving up on me.
- Your future is only as good as the work you put into it.
- Futures don’t make themselves; you have to create them.
- Graduation is the first step of the next chapter of your life.
- Yesterday is what brought you to today.
Humorous quotes:
- "Remember to always be yourself, unless you suck. Then pretend to be someone else."
- "I want to thank Google, Wikipedia, and to whoever invented copy and paste. Thank you."
- "100 character limit for our senior quote? That seems unfair. We refuse to be constrained by these ru."
- “See kids? I told you I was sexy in high school.”
- “When life shuts the door, open it back up. That’s how doors work.”
- “Master has given Megan a high school diploma, Megan is freeeee!” -Megan

How can you use senior quotes on your website?
We have a few suggestions for how to use some of your best senior quotes, so see what works for you: