You don't know you're lost, unless you know where you're going.

Last week at our weekly Showit team lunch we sat around the table talking about the beauty and brilliance of GPS on our smart phones. It wasn't that long ago that most of us had both a cell phone and a GPS device in our car for road trips, and before that printed out directions from MapQuest. And those printed out directions from MapQuest were a serious upgrade to the folded maps that you could pick up for free at your local AAA office. Remember how difficult they were to fold?

As we shared stories of being lost on the Autobahn, navigating the streets of New York and what a blessing GPS technology has turned out to be I remembered one of the worst parts of using printed directions off the internet; if you got lost but didn't realize it, sometimes it took quite awhile before you realized you were off track. And when you finally did, figuring our where you were wasn't always easy.
So what in the world does GPS have to do with why your blog should have a mission statement? The mission statement of your blog is a little like having GPS for your blog. It guides you step-by-step, turn-by-turn, keeping you on track as you blog and grow your audience. Sure you might take a scenic side-road every now and then, but knowing where you want to take your reader and having a plan for how to get there will make for a more enjoyable ride for both of you.

Knowing where you want to go helps to keep you from getting lost… and in the case of blogging, helps to keep you from being overwhelmed.

Last week we launched the Showit Six-Week Blogging Challenge and we challenged participants to write and submit a mission statement for their blog. We received so many wonderful mission statements and we wanted to share a few with you here:

The mission of my blog is to help couples navigate the planning of their wedding and also to help them enjoy their marriage with tips and ideas from my life experiences as a wedding photographer and a wife.

– Jeni Buchanen, Photos by Jeni

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The mission of our blog is to be a resource, as well as an entertaining outlet, for brides and moms alike. Our goal is to expose our readers to creative ideas and experiences with regard to pre- and post-wedded bliss.

– The JessFoto Team, JessFoto.com

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I want my clients, both present and future, to know who I am as an artist AND as I person and I will use my blog to help me with this goal.

– Alisha Marie, Alisha Marie Photos

Spending a little time “installing the GPS” of your blog and putting into words the mission statement of your blog will help you to lay a clear path for where you're headed.

A few important questions to ask yourself when writing a mission statement for your blog:

1. Who is my audience?
2. What is the most important takeaway I want readers to get from my blog?
3. What is the voice/feeling of my blog?

Elizabeth Langford

Elizabeth handles Community Relations for Showit. As part of the Showit Marketing & Community team she plans and creates events and experiences for Showit users, who are lovingly referred to as Showiteers. Elizabeth was a professional photographer specializing in engagements and weddings for six years. She loves to golf, read, camp and delights in being a wife and mom.