Have you ever brainstormed what you want your website to do for your business, or did you scramble to put something online because that’s what you should do? It seems the latter is true more often than not. We’ve all done it. Found a template we like. We begin writing content enthusiastically, load a picture or two, and move our way down the page. We get through the hero section and the features section of the template, and we run out of things to say. Or, we can’t stop talking about all the great things our company does, and the result is pages upon pages of content that we aren’t sure what to do with.

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Having a clear mission is critical to the success of your website.

The mission of your website will clarify its content. Only content that helps us accomplish our mission goes on the website. It really is that simple.

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How to write a mission statement for your website

Donald Miller (the Storybrand Guy) says quite emphatically that most mission statements “stink.” I think most people work very hard on their mission statements and are maybe a little offended by his comment. Why does he say this? Our mission statements rarely include a mission. There are primarily philosophical reasons for why we are on a mission, but they don’t actually clarify the mission.

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He suggests we include three financial objectives, a deadline, and a clear reason your mission is important. Whether you choose to use the SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time Bound) model or something else, your three financial objectives need to be measurable, achievable and have an actual impact on your business’s success. Give yourself a reasonable timeline to achieve them (organic growth on the internet is a marathon). Finally, state why it is important.

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Conclusion

Building a strategy requires a clearly defined mission. You've now started your journey to having a website that works, a website that invites new customers and delights existing ones.

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