Editorial Calendar Template

An editorial calendar isn't just a schedule — it's a system for turning your content strategy into consistent execution. The difference between content teams that publish reliably and those that scramble every week isn't talent or budget; it's whether they have a working calendar that connects ideas to production to publication.

This template gives you the structure, the fields, and the workflow logic to build a calendar that actually gets used.

What Makes an Editorial Calendar Actually Work

Most editorial calendars die within the first month. Here's why: they're built as spreadsheets that track publication dates, but they don't track the work that happens before publication. An effective editorial calendar is a production tracker, not just a posting schedule.

The best editorial calendars do five things:

1. Connect each piece to a strategic goal and content pillar
2. Show the status of every piece in the pipeline
3. Assign clear ownership for each production stage
4. Provide enough lead time for quality review
5. Create a feedback loop that informs future planning

The Core Editorial Calendar Schema

Every row in your calendar should capture this information:

Field	Description	Example
Working Title	Draft title before SEO optimization	"How to Build a Content Calendar"
Final Title	Published title	"Editorial Calendar Template: Build One That Actually Works"
Content Pillar	Which pillar this supports	Content Operations
Target Keyword	Primary SEO keyword	"editorial calendar template"
Search Intent	What the reader wants	Navigational / Informational / Commercial
Content Type	Format	Long-form guide
Author	Who is drafting	Sarah / Freelancer: John / Averi
Editor	Who reviews	Marketing Lead
Brief Due	When brief is finalized	2026-03-01
Draft Due	When first draft is due	2026-03-08
Review Due	When edits are due back	2026-03-12
Publish Date	Scheduled live date	2026-03-15
Status	Current stage	In Review
CTA	Primary call-to-action	Sign up for free
Distribution Plan	Where it gets promoted	LinkedIn, newsletter, email nurture
Performance Notes	Added post-publish	2.3K sessions in first 30 days

Monthly Planning Structure

The Weekly View

Structure each week of your calendar to create a natural production rhythm:

Monday: Brief finalization and writer assignments for next week's content Tuesday–Wednesday: Active drafting window Thursday: Editorial review and revision Friday: Final publish prep, scheduling, and distribution

Month-at-a-Glance Template

MONTH: [March 2026]
PUBLISHING GOAL: [8 blog posts, 2 long-form guides]
THEME/FOCUS: [Q1 launch support: product-led content]

WEEK 1 (Mar 1-7)
- [Mon, Mar 2] Blog: Topic A — Pillar 1 — Author: ___ — Status: ___
- [Thu, Mar 5] Blog: Topic B — Pillar 2 — Author: ___ — Status: ___

WEEK 2 (Mar 8-14)
- [Tue, Mar 10] Guide: Topic C — Pillar 1 — Author: ___ — Status: ___
- [Fri, Mar 13] Blog: Topic D — Pillar 3 — Author: ___ — Status: ___

WEEK 3 (Mar 15-21)
- [Mon, Mar 15] Blog: Topic E — Pillar 2 — Author: ___ — Status: ___
- [Wed, Mar 17] Blog: Topic F — Pillar 1 — Author: ___ — Status: ___

WEEK 4 (Mar 22-31)
- [Tue, Mar 24] Long-form Guide — Pillar 3 — Author: ___ — Status: ___
- [Thu, Mar 26] Blog: Topic G — Pillar 2 — Author: ___ — Status: ___

IN PIPELINE (next month):
- Topic H [Brief due: Mar 20]
- Topic I [Brief due: Mar 25]
- Topic J [Idea stage — keyword research needed]

Status Tracking System

Use a consistent set of status labels so everyone on the team knows exactly where each piece stands.

Status	Meaning	Responsible Party
Idea	Captured but not committed	Strategy Lead
Briefed	Brief written, not yet assigned	Strategy Lead
Assigned	Writer confirmed, draft in progress	Author
Draft Complete	First draft submitted	Author → Editor
In Review	Undergoing editorial/SEO review	Editor
Revision Requested	Edits sent back to author	Author
Approved	Final draft signed off	Editor
Scheduled	Queued in CMS	Publisher
Live	Published	All
Promoted	Distribution complete	Distribution

Content Pipeline Stages

Think of your editorial calendar as having three zones:

Zone 1: Published (Past 30 Days)

Content that's live and being tracked for performance. Review weekly.

Zone 2: In Production (Next 30 Days)

Content with assigned owners, active briefs, and a publish date. Track status daily.

Zone 3: Planned (Next 31-90 Days)

Content that's been prioritized but not yet briefed. Review and advance weekly.

Zone 4: Backlog (90+ Days Out)

Ideas and opportunities being held for the right time. Review monthly.

This four-zone model prevents a common failure mode: teams with massive idea backlogs but empty near-term pipelines. If Zone 2 ever has fewer than 2 weeks of content, that's a red flag.

Content Mix Planning

By Format

A healthy content mix gives readers different entry points and serves different stages of the funnel.

Format	% of Output	Purpose
Long-form blog (1,500-3,000 words)	40%	SEO, depth, authority
Short-form blog (700-1,200 words)	25%	Topical coverage, frequency
Pillar pages / ultimate guides	10%	Anchor SEO, lead capture
Case studies	10%	Bottom-funnel proof
Data reports / research	5%	PR, backlinks, authority
Interactive / tools	5%	Conversion, links
Video / audio	5%	Brand, reach

By Funnel Stage

Stage	% of Content	Content Types
Top of funnel (Awareness)	50%	Educational guides, how-tos, trend pieces
Middle of funnel (Consideration)	30%	Comparisons, use case guides, frameworks
Bottom of funnel (Decision)	20%	Case studies, ROI guides, product tutorials

Note for startups: In the early days, lean more heavily toward TOFU to build traffic. As you get traction, shift more toward MOFU and BOFU to convert that traffic into leads.

Quarterly Calendar Planning Workflow

Run this process at the start of each quarter:

Step 1: Review Last Quarter (Week Before Quarter Ends)

• What performed best? (By traffic, leads, shares)
• What underperformed? Why?
• What pillars are underserved?
• What keywords are you ranking on page 2 for? (Quick wins to prioritize)

Step 2: Set the Quarter's Theme and Goals

• Primary business objective for the quarter
• Content goal that supports it (e.g., "Build out Pillar 3 with 8 new posts")
• Key campaigns or product launches to support

Step 3: Keyword and Topic Mining

• Pull 30-50 keyword opportunities
• Map to pillar and funnel stage
• Prioritize by: search volume × business relevance ÷ keyword difficulty

Step 4: Build the Quarter's Content List

• Aim for 110% of your production capacity (some pieces will slip)
• Assign tentative months, not specific dates yet
• Flag any pieces with long production cycles (guides, research) to start early

Step 5: Build Month 1 in Detail

• Assign specific dates
• Write briefs for the first 3-4 weeks
• Keep months 2-3 at the theme/topic level

Repeat Step 5 at the end of each month as you roll into the next.

Editorial Calendar Integrations

Your editorial calendar should live where your team actually works. Here's how to connect it to your broader content stack:

If you use Notion: Build a database with all the fields above. Use filters to create views for each team member, each status, and each pillar.

If you use Airtable: Create a Grid view for planning and a Calendar view for scheduling. Link records to a separate Briefs table.

If you use Google Sheets: Create one tab per month, a "Pipeline" tab for all upcoming content, and a "Published" tab for tracking performance.

If you use Averi: Your editorial calendar is built into the platform. Content briefs, queue management, and publishing are connected in a single workflow — no copy-pasting between tools.

Common Editorial Calendar Mistakes

Publishing without a buffer. Always maintain a 1-2 week buffer of approved, ready-to-publish content. Life happens. Builds happen. Teammates leave. A buffer keeps you consistent when chaos hits.

No clear owner per piece. "The team" owns nothing. Every piece needs a named author, a named editor, and a named publisher. Diffuse ownership = missed deadlines.

Treating the calendar as sacred. An editorial calendar is a plan, not a contract. If a better topic emerges, a keyword spikes, or a competitor publishes something you need to respond to — adjust.

Planning too far in advance. Quarters planned in detail 6 months out will be wrong. Plan month 1 in detail, outline months 2-3, and hold months 4-6 loosely.

Forgetting distribution. Every row in your calendar should have a distribution plan before the piece is published. "We'll figure it out later" is how great content gets buried.

How Averi Manages Your Editorial Calendar

In Averi, your content queue is a live, strategic calendar — not a passive spreadsheet. When you create a piece in Averi, it's automatically filed into your queue with a pillar tag, target keyword, and production status. As you move pieces through the workflow (draft → review → approved), the calendar updates in real time.

Averi also suggests what to create next based on your strategy and gaps in your content coverage — so your calendar stays full without having to manually mine for ideas every week.

Build your editorial calendar in Averi →

Further Reading

• how to create a 30-day AI-powered content calendar
• a beginner's guide to content planning
• using AI insights to shape your content calendar
• Averi's Strategy Map to auto-generate editorial calendars aligned to your strategy

Frequently Asked Questions

How far in advance should I plan my editorial calendar?

Plan in three horizons: detailed for the next 30 days, outlined for days 31-90, and rough themes for days 91-180. Planning too far in detail is wasted work because priorities shift. Planning too close in means you're always reacting.

How many pieces of content should we publish per week?

Quality beats quantity every time. One excellent, well-researched post per week outperforms five mediocre ones — both for SEO and for audience trust. Start with a cadence you can maintain for six months, then increase if you have capacity and it's working.

Should every piece have its own content brief before it goes on the calendar?

Not necessarily at the calendar stage. You should have at least a topic, target keyword, and pillar before it goes on the calendar. A full brief should be written 1-2 weeks before the draft is due.

What's the best tool for managing an editorial calendar?

The best tool is the one your team actually uses. Notion and Airtable are popular for their flexibility. Content-specific platforms like Averi are better if you want the calendar integrated with your strategy, briefs, and publishing workflow.

How do I handle breaking news or reactive content in my editorial calendar?

Keep 10-15% of your monthly publishing slots as "flex" slots for timely content. When something worth reacting to happens, you can fill a flex slot without blowing up your planned schedule.