The differences between them can seem blurry, especially given that you can find a lot of conflicting definitions online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this article, we\u2019ll explain:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- The most relevant definitions of content and editorial calendars in today\u2019s content creation climate,<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The differences between them,<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- When you should use each,<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- How you can use them together, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Which tools can help you manage these calendars.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
![\"Editorial](\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Editorial-calendar-vs-content-calendar-cover-1110x555.png\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nWhat is a content calendar?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
A content calendar is a tool for managing your content pipeline.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since content pipelines differ based on the type of content produced and the people making it, there are many different kinds of content calendars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, one-man blogs or YouTube channels have entirely different requirements than that of big company content teams. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, the one thing all of these content calendars have in common is that they provide a detailed overview of the state of current content production:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Who\u2019s working on a particular piece of content?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- What\u2019s their deadline<\/a>?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Who\u2019s the editor?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- What\u2019s the editor\u2019s deadline? <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- When is the content piece supposed to go live? <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Who\u2019s uploading it?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- What platform is it made for?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- What are the key instructions for this content piece (keywords, links, CTA, etc.)?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
A good content plan<\/a> provides answers to all relevant questions for all content that\u2019s in development at the moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n \n Content calendar template <\/span>\nPlan your blog posts, publications, articles, videos, and more with Plaky by CAKE.com. <\/p>\n
\n \n Sign up <\/a>\n \n Learn more <\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n ![\"Plaky](\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/templates.png\")
\n <\/picture>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n \n\n\n\nWhat is an editorial calendar?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
An editorial calendar looks at the big-picture approach your content will take in the coming months, quarters, or years.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
A good editorial calendar outlines the key topics that future content is supposed to center around at particular times \u2014 For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- In March, content will be centered around Women\u2019s History Month,<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- In the second half of October, content will be made in anticipation of Halloween, or<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- In the 4th quarter, content will be made to promote the new feature coming to the company\u2019s SaaS product at that time.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
The traditional publishing industry has been using editorial calendars like these for decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, page 17 of Forbes 2022 Media Kit shows their 2022 Print Editorial Calendar listing the six major themes planned to be covered in that year \u2014 For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- The Money Issue<\/em> in February and March, <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The Innovation Issue<\/em> in April and March, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The Self-Made Women Issue <\/em>in June and July.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
A good editorial calendar can also state the requirements for ads. The Forbes Editorial Calendar linked above outlines the ad size requirements for single page and spread ads, along with acceptable image resolutions, file preparation, preferred image formats, and upload instructions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A YouTube channel editorial calendar could state the acceptable sponsorship ad length and when in the video the ad will be shown. There\u2019s nothing wrong with being flexible here \u2014 but if you\u2019re specific about the type of ads you want to show in your content, this is where you should define the requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Differences between an editorial calendar and a content calendar<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Just by looking at the definitions, it should be clear as day that the content calendar and the editorial calendar aim to accomplish different things:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- The content calendar is workflow-oriented<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The editorial calendar is strategy-oriented<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
But, let\u2019s look at what other key differences they exhibit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
#1 Public or private access<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The content calendar is something that is not publicly available.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re running a personal blog, the content calendar is something that\u2019s available only to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The general public \u2014 clients, competitors, customers, media marketers, etc. \u2014 isn\u2019t privy to the contents of this calendar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re part of a content team for a company, it\u2019s something the team or any stakeholders<\/a> who have a say in your content marketing strategy can access.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But, even then, the content calendar is typically not shared among departments. It is an internal team document.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is just common-sense business practice \u2014 you don\u2019t want your competitors to know which of your employees are working on what at any given moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The editorial calendar, on the other hand, is often publicly available for viewing.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is done to allow outside media marketers to negotiate partnerships with you or the company you work for. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, the previously mentioned Forbes Editorial Calendar lists ad size dimensions and ad close dates (in their case, exactly 3 weeks prior to online launch dates).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Even if the editorial calendar isn\u2019t shared externally \u2014 perhaps because the content you produce serves the sole purpose of promoting your or your company\u2019s products \u2014 it\u2019s still shared internally. This way, you can coordinate efforts with other departments and ensure the content meets the company\u2019s strategic goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
#2 Complexity and simplicity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The simpler the editorial calendar is, the better.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can \u2014 and some do \u2014 make your editorial calendar a comprehensive spreadsheet, but we don\u2019t recommend it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The point of an editorial calendar is to communicate the themes of upcoming content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To this end, presenting it in a non-editable format like PDF or Google Slides and simply listing the themes you plan to cover by month, quarter, or year is often enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Internally, this makes it easier for the content team to communicate and coordinate their efforts with other departments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Externally, this is all the information third-party media marketers need to enter negotiations for partnerships. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Content calendars, on the other hand, can be as complex as you need them to be.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
We\u2019ve already listed some elements they have, such as assignees at all points within the content production pipeline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, for YouTube video production, this could include the scriptwriter, the editor, the voice-over artist, and the video editor, along with all of their deadlines and possibly key requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re running a one-man show, then you won\u2019t need a content calendar this complex.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Even then, a lot of independent content creators use content calendars as a checklist to schedule their content releases and accompanying promotional materials across different platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\ud83d\udca1 Plaky Pro Tip<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Video production requires specific management tools. Find out which ones work best for your content by reading this list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- 7 Best Project Management Software for Video Production to Try This Year<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
#3 Strategy and operations<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The editorial calendar can be likened to an architect, who dreams up a cool design for a building.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
The architect isn\u2019t concerned with how <\/em>the building (in this case content) will get made. They\u2019re only concerned with what the building should<\/em> look like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In other words, the editorial calendar is used to strategize future content around specific themes, products, features, or other business objectives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, it tells you that December is the month in which your content should be oriented around the Holidays or that you should publish your upcoming video game developer update blogs on the first Thursday of each month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The content calendar is the engineer who needs to take the architect\u2019s cool design and turn it into reality. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- This is accomplished by doing the following
Zooming in on this month\u2019s content,<\/li>\n\n\n\n - Creating a detailed plan<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Assigning tasks, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Managing the day-to-day operations<\/a> of the content team.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
This is why content calendars can take many forms, like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Lists,<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Spreadsheets, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Kanban boards<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
![\"Example](\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Example-of-a-content-production-Kanban-board-in-Plaky-1024x644.png\")
Example of a content production Kanban board in Plaky<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n How to know whether you should use a content calendar or an editorial calendar<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Let\u2019s say you\u2019re an independent content creator: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- You\u2019ve got a YouTube channel where you upload videos, <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- You\u2019ve got a personal blog that you update regularly, and <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- You also promote all of this content on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, etc.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
If you need a way to manage this workflow<\/a>, a content calendar is just the thing for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can use it to stay organized by assigning soft or hard deadlines for upcoming tasks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, as all YouTube watchers are aware, in addition to the standard content ad revenue that the platform inherently offers, content creators also seek sponsorships for their videos \u2014 you know, NordVPN, Audible, Raid: Shadow Legends, and their ilk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Having a publicly available editorial calendar that outlines the themes of your upcoming content can make it easier to secure these partnerships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Even if the media marketers don\u2019t look at the publicly available editorial calendar and instead contact you personally to discuss specifics, having such a calendar as a reference point can help you close the deal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re an impetuous content creator who can only give your best when struck by inspiration and unfettered by long-term plans, then you may not even need to use an editorial calendar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When it comes to content teams, the situation is different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Content calendars are used by team leaders to coordinate day-to-day operations and keep everyone on track. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the other hand, editorial calendars are used to communicate upcoming content themes and strategies, either internally or externally. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the case of content teams, both content calendars and editorial calendars are indispensable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How your editorial calendar and content calendar can work together<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The great thing about the editorial and content calendars is that they are not mutually exclusive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can have both.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In fact, many would argue that you should have both.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And, you don\u2019t have to do anything special to get them to work together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In most cases, you\u2019ll just manage both calendars independently.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, there are some tricky situations that you can overcome by using both calendars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, let\u2019s say you\u2019re the leader of a fairly sizable content team that\u2019s encountering some bumps in the road for their release schedule:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Perhaps it\u2019s summer, so many team members are on vacation,<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- It may be flu season, and many of your team members are on sick leave, or <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Maybe someone just quit. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Whatever the reason, the end result is that your content release schedule now looks like Swiss cheese, with lots of holes where previously there was only content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Perhaps one week\u2019s content flow is barely affected by this, but the subsequent week is on track for a major content drought.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
By using the editorial and content calendars together, you can reorganize the release schedule to maintain consistency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To do this \u2014 so that the Swiss cheese holes in your release schedule are at least evenly spaced out \u2014 you can take the following steps:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Look at the strategic goal of upcoming content, <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Prioritize upcoming tasks, and <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Spread out content releases.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
You could pivot to shorter pieces to maintain the usual release volume \u2014 or simply push back some content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In any case, the editorial calendar guides your decision-making process, and the content calendar works to accommodate this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n \n Content calendar template <\/span>\nPlan your blog posts, publications, articles, videos, and more with Plaky by CAKE.com. <\/p>\n
\n \n Sign up <\/a>\n \n Learn more <\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n \n <\/picture>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n \n\n\n\nTools you can use to manage your editorial calendar and content calendar<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
While we don\u2019t want to minimize the importance of editorial calendars, the fact of the matter is that they are very simple and easy to manage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As mentioned, editorial calendars can sometimes fit in a one-page PDF. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They are guidelines for what future content should be made, not how to make said future content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is why we argue that having a great tool for managing your content calendar is more important.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let\u2019s look at the elements you need to track to manage a content calendar used by a large content team \u2014 arguably, the most complex content calendar there is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It needs to provide several key elements that let you track:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Deadlines,<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Platforms,<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Assignees,<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Reviewers,<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Editors,<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- File sharing,<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Linking, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- In-task communication.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Smaller teams may need fewer of these elements, but that part is easy to scale \u2014 especially if you\u2019re using a powerful and customizable management tool like Plaky<\/a> by CAKE.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Plaky can conform to the needs of your organization, content team, or one-man content creation business, as it is fully customizable and supports unlimited tasks, users, and spaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This allows blog writers, video editors, and social media marketers to use task management pipelines that cater to their content on the same platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- This is accomplished by doing the following
- 7 Best Project Management Software for Video Production to Try This Year<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
- The Innovation Issue<\/em> in April and March, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The Money Issue<\/em> in February and March, <\/li>\n\n\n\n
![\"Plaky](\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/templates@2x.png)
\n <\/picture>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n \n\n\n\n![\"Content](\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Content-calendar.png\")