Blog Post | Feb 20, 2024
Editorial Calendar or Content Calendar? What's the Difference, and Do You Need One (or Both)?
While marketers often use the word content as a catch-all term for social media, video, and long-form, content calendars and editorial calendars have particular uses and benefits.
As marketers, we frequently discuss content, which can refer to anything from blogs and whitepapers to videos and all the assets used to make a social media post. It's probably no surprise that many of us use the terms' editorial calendar' and 'content calendar' interchangeably. However, just like there are significant differences between a 700-word blog post and a TikTok video, the functions of an editorial calendar and a content calendar are also very different.
Before we can provide you with a conclusive answer about which one(s) you need, it's crucial to understand their uses, limitations, and advantages.
Editorial Calendars Can Help You Set the Big Picture
You don't need to be a journalist to use an editorial calendar. Editorial calendars can give you a big-picture overview of your content marketing efforts and help you create a publishing schedule for complex items like blog articles, white papers, press releases, and long-form videos. Editorial calendars are usually planned up to a year in advance, and besides helping you plan and organize, they can help you stay aligned with your content strategy.
An editorial calendar is usually driven by events you can plan around. For example, you might develop a blog post to announce a new product release or create a video that wraps up your attendance at a big conference. Your editorial calendar may also be influenced by the actual calendar, such as holidays, seasonal events (e.g., back to school), or even observances such as National Heart Month or Black History Month.
Besides distributing it to your team, an editorial calendar can be shared outside your organization to help entice potential guest bloggers, invite coverage from news or professional organizations, and gain publicity/awareness that you can use to your advantage.
Content Calendars Can Simplify Day-to-Day Social Media Creation
A content calendar can be handy for planning your day-to-day social media activities. Where an editorial calendar looks at the big picture, content calendars tend to be more granular, providing information on where, when, and how often you post. Content calendars often include workflow details, such as key personnel, location of necessary digital assets, and deadlines. They can also include keywords and anything else to help your team create high-performing social posts.
Because of the level of detail, content calendars are usually only created a month or two in advance and may change frequently. They are almost never shared outside of your organization.
Why You Should Probably Use Both: It's All About Synergy
Many businesses work without having either a content calendar or an editorial calendar. But the real benefits come from having both and using them together so that your social media content amplifies your blogs, videos, and website content.
In addition to using social media to interact with an audience and build a community, it's a powerful tool for promoting your marketing content. When you synch up your editorial and content calendars, you can more easily create synergy by using your social media to drive viewers to your content and stimulate discussions that will attract a wider audience.
Let Us Help with Your Content Creation Needs
One of the secrets to marketing success is consistently producing a steady stream of fresh content, which can be time-consuming. But we're here to help. We've produced digital and traditional content for almost every type of company imaginable, from retail, hospitality, and the restaurant industry to B2B, fundraising, health care, real estate, and many others. We'd love to get on your calendar. Contact us, and let's plan some time to discuss your marketing needs.
Before we can provide you with a conclusive answer about which one(s) you need, it's crucial to understand their uses, limitations, and advantages.
Editorial Calendars Can Help You Set the Big Picture
You don't need to be a journalist to use an editorial calendar. Editorial calendars can give you a big-picture overview of your content marketing efforts and help you create a publishing schedule for complex items like blog articles, white papers, press releases, and long-form videos. Editorial calendars are usually planned up to a year in advance, and besides helping you plan and organize, they can help you stay aligned with your content strategy.
An editorial calendar is usually driven by events you can plan around. For example, you might develop a blog post to announce a new product release or create a video that wraps up your attendance at a big conference. Your editorial calendar may also be influenced by the actual calendar, such as holidays, seasonal events (e.g., back to school), or even observances such as National Heart Month or Black History Month.
Besides distributing it to your team, an editorial calendar can be shared outside your organization to help entice potential guest bloggers, invite coverage from news or professional organizations, and gain publicity/awareness that you can use to your advantage.
Content Calendars Can Simplify Day-to-Day Social Media Creation
A content calendar can be handy for planning your day-to-day social media activities. Where an editorial calendar looks at the big picture, content calendars tend to be more granular, providing information on where, when, and how often you post. Content calendars often include workflow details, such as key personnel, location of necessary digital assets, and deadlines. They can also include keywords and anything else to help your team create high-performing social posts.
Because of the level of detail, content calendars are usually only created a month or two in advance and may change frequently. They are almost never shared outside of your organization.
Why You Should Probably Use Both: It's All About Synergy
Many businesses work without having either a content calendar or an editorial calendar. But the real benefits come from having both and using them together so that your social media content amplifies your blogs, videos, and website content.
In addition to using social media to interact with an audience and build a community, it's a powerful tool for promoting your marketing content. When you synch up your editorial and content calendars, you can more easily create synergy by using your social media to drive viewers to your content and stimulate discussions that will attract a wider audience.
Let Us Help with Your Content Creation Needs
One of the secrets to marketing success is consistently producing a steady stream of fresh content, which can be time-consuming. But we're here to help. We've produced digital and traditional content for almost every type of company imaginable, from retail, hospitality, and the restaurant industry to B2B, fundraising, health care, real estate, and many others. We'd love to get on your calendar. Contact us, and let's plan some time to discuss your marketing needs.