We’ve written before about the fact that every company blog should prominently include an editorial mission statement. It’s just good policy. It helps the reader to quickly know whether or not you are going to be able to help them with their problem, and it helps you to better tailor your content marketing efforts so that you’re always working towards your own business goals and hitting the mark.
But actually sitting down to write an editorial mission statement can be hard. Boiling down your entire content strategy into a few sentences is a Herculean task, even for the best of professional writers, editors, and marketers.
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If you’re writing an editorial mission statement, it should be a short statement that explains the whole point behind your blog, sort of like an elevator pitch for your website. It should be framed in a way that answers the following questions:
- Who am I writing my blog for?
- What kinds of topics will my blog focus on/what kind of questions will my blog answer?
- If you will focus on a certain kind of media (video, text, infographics, etc.) you can spell that out as well.
Still stuck? That’s okay. Here are 9 examples of awesome editorial mission statements that you can use as inspiration as you brainstorm and write your own.
1. Digital Photography School
“Whether you’re a beginner needing lots of advice, a confident amateur looking for inspiration and ideas, or a professional photographer wanting to brush up on your digital camera know-how, dPS is for you!We have thousands of free articles on all kinds of subjects so that you can take your camera off auto, gain camera confidence and start sharing your amazing photos with friends, family and clients!”
2. Wikimedia Foundation
“The Wikimedia Foundation, Inc is a nonprofit charitable organization dedicated to encouraging the growth, development and distribution of free, multilingual content, and to providing the full content of these wiki-based projects to the public free of charge.”
3. Connecticut Weekender
“Connecticut Weekender is a website that helps CT residents and visitors find fun things to do. Through our events calendar and blog posts, we feature places to visit, activities to experience, restaurants to try, and events to brighten a boring weekend. There’s always something fun to do in Connecticut.”
4. The New Yorker
“In 1925, Harold Ross established The New Yorker as a lighthearted, Manhattan-centric magazine—a “fifteen-cent comic paper,” he called it. Today The New Yorker is considered by many to be the most influential magazine in the world, renowned for its in-depth reporting, political and cultural commentary, fiction, poetry, and humor. In addition to the weekly print magazine, newyorker.com has become a daily digital destination for news and cultural coverage by staff writers and contributors. In print and online, The New Yorker stands apart for its commitment to truth and accuracy, for the quality of its prose, and for its insistence on exciting and moving every reader.”
5. Student Debt Warriors
“Student Debt Warriors is a free resource for college students, graduates, and parents who are struggling to make sense of the complex world of student loans. Full of tips about saving for college, repaying debt, successfully managing student loans, and more, our goal is to help create a brand new generation of student debt warriors.”
6. Working Moms Only
“WorkingMomsOnly.com is the world’s leading website and newsletter for the empowerment of the working moms.
Our mission is to supply the tools that can give EVERY working mom the ability to lead a healthy, wealthy, and more blended lifestyle. To create a community where millions of working moms from all over the world come together in support and celebration of each other.”
7. Bankrate
“You have money questions. Bankrate has answers. Our experts have been helping you master your money for four decades.
Our tools, rates and advice help no matter where you are on life’s financial journey.”
8. Estee Lauder Stories
“See what’s happening now: new launches, hot tips and the latest trends—personalized for you. Always be in the know.”
9. Google Ads Blog
“News, tips and information on Google Ads”
Bonus: The Keyword
“The Keyword consolidates and replaces 19 of our existing official blogs, in English. Over time we plan to expand to include other languages, countries and more. And we’ll be retaining a bunch of our existing blogs for more specific audiences (such as our advertising and developer-facing blogs).”
The Bottom Line
Writing an editorial mission statement for your company’s blog is one of the easiest ways that you can make sure your content marketing strategy stays on track. An effective mission statement will let readers know whether or not your website is right for them (essentially acting as a first-stop gate in your funnel to qualify leads) and will help you ensure that you are always creating content that is working towards a specific company goal.
