Why your company blog’s mission statement needs two parts

June 11, 2014

    Before you create your next piece of content, ask yourself: What’s in it for me and what’s in it for my audience.

    Every content marketing initiative needs a purpose. First, define the “why.” Why are you spending the time, energy and money it takes to maintain a company blog? (I’m assuming you’ve got the “how” under control. If not, give me a call.)  Now, most companies I work with understand they need to have a marketing mission, but they sometimes forget that there is another half to the story.

    The Reader Mission Statement

    To create a truly effective mission statement, you must also consider your audience. What’s in it for them? What problem are you solving? Are you teaching them something? Providing entertainment?  Your content marketing venture should strike a balance between meeting a company objective and providing truly useful content for your readers.

    Let’s stick with the company blog example. Who are you writing it for and what do you want to help them do or learn? Let’s say you’re a mobile advertising company. Your target audience is marketers. Your blog should keep them abreast of the latest in mobile advertising news, share best practices and provide actionable insights. This is your Reader Mission. Your marketing purpose is to highlight your own expertise, raise brand awareness while fostering customer loyalty, lead generation and SEO. (SEO is one of the biggest reasons why we always suggest hosting your company blog as part of your homepage, not on a separate site. If you publish consistent, original content, search engines will take notice. It’s a great way to gain organic traffic.)

    In short, it’s: What’s in it for them and what’s in it for us. As you consider new editorial topics, challenge yourself to always write with both missions in mind. Content marketing is about finding that sweet spot where your audience’s needs overlap with your marketing objectives.

    By Jacqueline Lisk