Comments on: Creating Social Media Content? Use an Editorial Mission

By: Now Is Gone Â» Fan-Generated Media Driving Sports Coverage

Now Is Gone Â» Fan-Generated Media Driving Sports Coverage — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 10:19:06 +0000

[...] Ultimately, the media serves its readership (though some will say they serve their advertisers). That’s why all publications worth their salt have editorial missions. [...]

By: Spin Thicket Comments

Spin Thicket Comments — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 15:58:48 +0000

[...] [...]

By: Geoff Livingston

Geoff Livingston — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 11:12:13 +0000

Thank you both. Yes, to me it is the war vs. the battle. It’s also a principle of service. Companies forget they are here to serve their customers…not the other way around. This happens daily, and the mission helps them keep their focus.

By: Andrea Morris

Andrea Morris — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 16:14:15 +0000

I completely, totally, absolutely, unequivocally, 100% agree!!

Without getting too bogged down in an overused analogy – it’s a battle vs. war outlook. If your consultant is shortsighted and seeking success in the short run through pop-shot projects, you’re overall brand won’t be as strong.

If on the other hand you carry an editorial mission, it’s a strategy that can navigate you through rocky waters and ease decision making.

By: Ronna Porter

Ronna Porter — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 14:04:08 +0000

Hi Geoff,
I completely buy into what you are saying, and the value of using something you call an editorial mission. I have taken the same sort of approach throughout my career – to pin down exactly what the organisation wants to say, in what sort of tone of voice, and ensuring that statements are justifiable and credible, but also differentiating, desirable to audiences, and used with enough clarity and regularity that the messages reach their destination (relatively) unhindered by ‘chinese whispers.’ Its true that social media contexts raise additional points for consideration.

Sometimes the appropriate name for this was a ‘branding strategy,’ a ‘messages architecture,’ or a ‘positioning statement’ – among many others I’m sure – depending on the current need. What matters more than the name is the approach taken to decide what you want to achieve, and what you need to do and say – over the long term – to achieve your goals. A controversial point I know, that organisations have businesses to run and responsibilities to shareholders, employees, and other groups, but this shouldn’t stop them being able to ‘get’ social media, and join in the dialogue accordingly.

What tends to get in the way of this, particularly in larger global organisations, is the difficulty to get any unity of objectives in the first place! Therein lies the real challenge.

Ronna