Editorial Plan
An editorial plan sets the themes, goals, and content pillars a brand covers over a quarter, before any single post gets scheduled.
An editorial plan is the strategic layer above a content calendar: it defines the themes, campaign arcs, and content pillars a brand will cover over a set period, usually a quarter, and why each one matters to the business. It answers what are we talking about and for what reason, not yet which post goes out on Tuesday.
It matters because content without a plan drifts: teams chase whatever is trending and lose a consistent angle, which makes a brand forgettable. A good editorial plan ties each theme to a business goal, such as launching a feature, building authority in a niche, or supporting a seasonal campaign.
Write it quarterly, keep 3 to 5 recurring pillars, and leave 10 to 20 percent of slots open for reactive content. Review it against actual performance each quarter, not just intent, and retire pillars that consistently underperform.
Examples
- A quarterly editorial plan with 4 content pillars gives a team a clear answer when someone asks should we post about this random trend.
- A brand that reviews its editorial plan every 3 months drops the pillar with the lowest average engagement rate and reallocates that slot.
Related terms
A content calendar is a shared schedule that plans which post goes out on which platform and date, weeks or months ahead.
A core topic or theme your brand consistently posts about.
Posting frequency is how often a brand publishes on a given platform, and getting it right matters more than posting as much as possible.
The specific group of people you want your content to reach and resonate with.