Part one of this blog talked about the first three steps to creating an editorial calendar that works. As mentioned in the first post, the backbone of any content strategy is having an editorial calendar. This calendar needs to be strategically aligned to a set of goals, while serving the needs of your audience.
The first post also discussed the importance of identifying the right topics for your readers, establishing an editorial board that can provide timely feedback on your content and selecting a publication frequency that is realistic based on your resources. This post will discuss the remaining three steps.
The Six Steps
Identify Topics for Publication
Establish an Editorial Board
Select a Publication Frequency
Assign Roles
Create a Production Calendar
Gauge Content Effectiveness
Assign Roles
Establishing an editorial calendar is more than just identifying topics and a publication frequency. The entire editorial process consists of different activities, each with their corresponding roles. While some roles are carried out by the same person, especially in small teams, you will need to assistance from others if you wish to release new content several times per week.
In a professional setting, the roles below are typically performed by at least two individuals, preferably three. In an ideal world, an editorial team consists of the following roles:
Editor — This is the person responsible for establishing and managing the entire editorial calendar. The editor reviews all content before it is released for distribution. This person also coordinates the work of the roles below.
Writer — This is the content developer. You will need more than one writer if you’re publishing content in different channels simultaneously, several times per week. Writers should report to the editor. However, the editor and writer roles are typically performed by the same person in small teams.
Reviewer — This refers to the editorial board discussed in the first post. Reviewers are subject-matter experts who can help to ensure each piece is accurate prior to publication. In small teams, the editor and writer are typically responsible for fact-checking and ensuring the content is accurate based on research data.
Proofreader — The proofreader reviews the content before it is published to identify spelling, grammar and punctuation errors. It is always a best practice to identify someone other than the writer as the proofreader.
Production Coordinator — The production coordinator helps to distribute the content through its various channels. This person formats the content using an established template in a content management system. In small teams, the writer or editor typically performs this role.
Marketer — As the name implies, the marketer helps to promote the content to its target audience. In larger departments, the marketer role is divided among those responsible for external communications (i.e., social media, public relations, digital marketing, etc.). In a small team, this role might be assigned to the editor.
Create a Production Calendar
Now it’s time to start putting together the editorial calendar. When first creating the calendar, it is a good idea to start with the end date in mind. The reason for this is to help identify how far out you need to work to complete each piece, from content research and development to distribution and marketing. At a minimum, your calendar should detail the following milestones:
Content planning and research.
Development/writing.
Editing.
Content layout and production.
Distribution.
Marketing.
Each of these milestones should be assigned to a specific role/person with a start and end date. The editor will need to create and keep track of the production calendar and ensure all milestones are met by communicating with designated parties.
You will also need to choose a tool to keep track of the editorial calendar. This tool should be able to provide an at-a-glance view of the yearly calendar per distribution channel, as well detailed information per issue/blog posting/etc. This article lists several great tools to consider. If you are getting started, a simple Excel spreadsheet (that can be easily and seamlessly accessible by others if you’re part of a team) is all you need.
Gauge Content Effectiveness
The final step to creating an editorial calendar that works involves measuring and optimizing your content. All editorial efforts serve to achieve one or several objectives that are aligned to a key goal or initiative. Even a personal blog should be created to achieve a specific purpose.
To ensure you are measuring the right outcomes, you need to:
Select Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) — KPIs need to be aligned to your content goals and objectives. For instance, you could track and measure actions such as reader engagement, web forms completed, sales velocity, webinar registrations, etc.
Measure Routinely — Once you have selected KPIs, you need to collect data on an ongoing basis (for example, on the first or last day of every month) to determine your readers' level of engagement with each piece of content and other desired outcomes.
Optimize Editorial Efforts — After collecting KPI data, identify areas for improvement. For example: Which topics performed best? What are the optimal times for content distribution? If you’re segmenting your audience based on personas, are you delivering the right content, to the right person at the right time? These and other measurement tips are covered in this blog.
In Short
An editorial calendar is key in helping to formalize a content strategy. Without it, content development efforts become haphazard and lose momentum. When combined, the six steps serve as the North Star to guide your editorial efforts and ensure you stay the course. Following these six steps will also help to establish an editorial calendar that is both effective and aligned to deliver the most relevant content to your readers.
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