Why Your Organization Needs a Social Media Mission (and How to Write One)

Most organizations have a mission statement, but do you have a social media mission statement? According to HubSpot, 67% of nonprofits have no social media strategy, policies, or goals documented. (Ouch—that’s higher than the 50% of companies without a documented social media strategy reported by Search Engine Journal). That means more than half of the organizations they polled are basically just “throwing it out there to see what sticks”—not a good use of time and money.

Why It’s Important to Have a Social Media Mission

Considering 74% of people say they use Facebook for professional purposes (HubSpot, 2017) and LinkedIn has over 500 million users. (LinkedIn, 2019), it’s worth making time for social media marketing in your organization—but you must have a mission.

In social media marketing (and branding and marketing, in general), people need to feel a connection before they interact with you. You need to give them a reason to interact with you: a reason to like a post, leave a comment, or come back to your page.

As Simon Sinek, author of Start With Why puts it: “People don’t buy what you do; they buy WHY you do it.” It makes sense to have a sense of purpose—or a focus on your WHY—in your social media marketing, just as you do in other aspects of your branding and marketing.

How to Create a Social Media Mission Statement

A social media mission statement helps you discover and express your organization’s social media WHO, WHAT and WHY: who you are speaking to, what you are sharing, and why they should engage with it.

1. WHO: Who is your audience? Who will be reading what you share? (If you don’t already have an ideal client profile, now is the time to write one.)
2. WHAT: What do they want to learn more about or read about? What can you share that will encourage them to interact? What will inspire them?
3. WHY: Why should they engage with you? Why are you the perfect person to provide this content to them? What benefits will they receive by engaging with you? How will it make them feel? What actions will they be inspired to take?
4. WHERE: Where can you find your audience? Which social media outlets do they use and how do they use them? (Doing some competitor research can make this part easier.)

According to HubSpot, 48% of nonprofits believe social media is very valuable, with 80% of nonprofits saying Facebook is their primary social network. Most organizations are already spending a good amount of time promoting their mission on social media. So, instead of being one of the 67% that are just “seeing what will stick,” take some time to think about and create your social media mission and make your interactions are more thoughtful and engaging.

Need Help Creating Your Social Media Mission Statement?

Email me for a copy of my Social Media Mission worksheet, which walks you through the steps of creating a mission statement.

I also have a Content Mission Statement Worksheet (PDF)—just send me an email for a free copy! 

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