Before you can compile your content strategy, you need to pre-plan (something we cover in depth in our new white paper email series Content Marketing Strategy: How to Maximise Your Digital Content to Grow Your Business). And part of this pre-planning includes developing your content marketing mission statement.
What’s in a Content Mission Statement?
Joe Pulizzi, the Founder of Content Marketing Institute (CMI), says that a content marketing mission statement pieces your content marketing purpose and goals into an answer to the question “Why does this exist?”
“People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it.”
– Simon Sinek
A content mission statement should include three main things:
- Your Target Audience: Who you’re talking to
- Your Content Types: The information and media that you’re qualified to share
- The Audience Outcomes: Why they should care about what you say
For example, according to the same article from CMI, the online and print magazine publisher Inc.com has a content mission statement that says:
“Welcome to Inc.com, the place where entrepreneurs and business owners can find useful information, advice, insights, resources and inspiration for running and growing their businesses.”
What to Do with a Content Mission Statement
Once you’ve created your mission statement:
- Publish it where your audience can find it easily
This transparency will help set expectations and promote signups.
- Share it with your team to get everyone involved
This will help to keep your team pledged to your higher purpose.
- Use it to help you decide what content to create (or not create)
This works as a kind of litmus test to keep your content in line with your goals.
