eCommerce Glossary: Editorial Calendar

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Importance Of Having An Editorial Calendar

What is an Editorial Calendar?

Content creators often have very busy schedules. They are usually working on multiple topics and might also be outsourcing some work. Therefore, it is important to organize all aspects of work so that no crucial detail is compromised. If you are working on different topics and have a number of projects to deal with, an editorial calendar can help you meet deadlines and make your work life easier.

A basic editorial calendar has lists of topics and their date of publication. But, a more detailed and comprehensive editorial calendar can also be created, depending upon your requirements. An editorial calendar can include ideas for content, possible dates of executing those ideas, a list of parties responsible for creating content, a client list, content delivery methods, as well as your personal targets. You can organize all of your work on an editorial calendar and form charts or lists that will help you focus better.

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How to Create an Editorial Calendar

Creating an editorial calendar is fairly simple if you know what you wish to organize. Before you finalize a method for creating your editorial calendar, you must review it to see if you have included all the necessary aspects. An editorial calendar must have the following sections:

  • Full list of content
    This list will not only consist of completed content but also possible topics for content to be worked on in the future. It can also include topics that need to be reworked or edited.
  • Names of people responsible for content creation
    Alongside the content topics, you should add the names of those who are working on the content. If you have several teams of people working on different topics, you can just put the name of the team leader beside the title of the content. If you have outsourced work, then you can add the names of editors, graphic designers, or agencies. This will let you know who to contact in case you need some changes to be made or have more information to provide.
  • Dates for content creation and publication
    It is best to plan when you wish to create and publish content, at least a few weeks in advance. Your editorial calendar should show you the dates of content creation and the dates of publication clearly. This way you are able to plan other work without getting it clashed with anything else.
  • List of delivery methods
    Once you have listed what content you wish to create, when you wish to create and publish it, you must list the ways to deliver the content. The channel for delivering content will depend upon your target audience and the nature of the content. You can deliver a part of your content as a blog post and then include the rest of it in an e-book. You can also deliver it to your audience through social media platforms. List these delivery methods besides each content title. You can also leave space to include more details or change the method if you figure out a better channel for delivering the content.
  • Call to action after the publication of content
    Once you have published your content, you must decide on what your next step will be. After publication, if your content is good, then it will be immediately consumed by your clients. This gives you an opportunity to go further or build upon that content to generate more traffic. Therefore, you should figure out a call to action that will engage your audience in a much better manner and increase your brand image. Create a list of possible ways of doing so and include that in your editorial calendar.

Once you have all the aforementioned details, you can start organizing your editorial calendar.

Define Content Cycle, List Methods of Production, Determine Publish Schedule, Organize Your Efforts

4 Steps to Organize Your Editorial Calendar

To do that, you will need to follow just four steps.

Define Content Cycle

A content cycle can be for a few weeks, months, or even an entire year. Choose a cycle that suits you and decide what topics you wish to work on during that period. While determining the topics, it is important to keep in mind buyer perspectives so that you are able to create content that will appeal to your target audience.

List Methods of Production and Distribution

If you are creating your own content, then this list will be very short; however, if you are outsourcing work, then include all contact details of the teams or individuals working on the content. Once that is done, list ways of distribution for each topic by checking the most popular ways of engaging with your clients.

Determine Your Publishing Schedule

Deadlines are important, and they will help you to stay on top of the work. Delays can affect your brand's reputation and therefore, keep reasonable deadlines, especially if you have outsourced any part of your work.

Organize All Lists

After creating all lists separately, bring them together, and organize them to form an editorial calendar. Give a working title for the content you are creating, along with a short description. Then include the deadlines and dates of publication. Add tags, meta tags, meta descriptions, and keywords so that you are able to cross-check easily once the content has been created. List out methods of promotion and include a space for tracking the progress of content creation.

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Is An Editorial Calendar Helpful?

An editorial calendar helps you to know what you are working on or what you have to work on in the future. This does help a lot as you do not have to check multiple spaces for updates on your work.

If you are working on more than one topic, you might even lose track or get confused about the details. An editorial calendar prevents that from happening and reduces the possibility of human error. This allows you to get your work done easily, and that is definitely helpful.

Your editorial calendar is specific to your needs. You do not have to make it very tidy and minimal. It can get complicated and messy and still do its job. You can create your editorial calendar on an Excel spreadsheet; you can simply list out the relevant details on a notebook or even use tabs on a whiteboard to keep track of your work. There is no set format of an editorial calendar, and as long as it includes the basic information about your content and helps you stay focused, it is valid.