A good editorial plan brings structure to topics, deadlines, and responsibilities. In this article, we’ll walk you step by step through how to create an editorial plan for 2026 that actually works in day-to-day practice: whether for corporate content, editorial teams, or social media. You’ll learn which content really matters, how to plan effectively, and when tools start to make a difference.
The more channels and topics are in play, the faster content turns chaotic. An editorial plan helps you prioritize topics, clearly define responsibilities, and publish realistically instead of just collecting ideas. There’s no single “right” editorial plan, though. What matters isn’t the format, but that the plan fits your team and reduces workload in everyday work.
In short: what is an editorial plan?
An editorial plan is a central overview used to plan topics, formats, channels, dates, and responsibilities. If you’d like to dive deeper into the basics and different approaches, see: Editorial planning at a glance.
How to start your editorial plan for 2026 – even without a template
At the beginning, it’s not about the tool, but about gaining an overview. You don’t need a template right away. A mind map, a simple list, Excel, or even pen and paper — anything works. . To select topics, team brainstorming is a good starting point. Monitoring competitors can also spark new ideas. Take a look at key dates in 2026 as well: public holidays or awareness days that fit your topics can be useful anchors for content planning. Start with a rough plan. Which topics belong in which quarter? Where are seasonal peaks or important milestones? This helps you avoid gaps – and prevents overload.
For many teams, an editorial plan for 2026 still starts with lists or spreadsheets based on online templates — and that’s perfectly fine for getting started. Tables are useful for collecting topics, but they quickly reach their limits once content needs to be prepared, coordinated, or reused across channels. At that point, it’s worth considering dedicated editorial planning tools. Ideally, such an editorial system supports story-centered work so that you don’t have to worry about the channels for the time being: Content First! But more on that later.
Editorial plan 2026: the information you need
A good editorial plan is not a data graveyard. It includes only what helps with decision-making and saves time. It should reflect your topics and communication goals. The aim is for your editorial planning in 2026 to work like a clear, effective briefing.
You can organize this information in table columns or use Kanban boards, where all details are captured on individual topic cards. The method isn’t what counts—the overview is. Try different approaches and choose what works best for you and your team.
Optional extras – but often useful
Only add information to your editorial plan that actually helps your team, for example:
- Key messages or an initial rough outline
- Scope of a contribution
- Category
- Clear call to action for readers
- Editorial deadlines
- Relevant dates (campaign and public holidays, company events, etc.)
From idea to post: working topic-centric
Efficient editorial plans start with topics, not channels. A story-centric approach allows you to adapt ideas effectively for different channels. All information related to a topic is collected in one central place and then used to create individual pieces for the website, newsletter, or social media.
This is especially important when working in a team: everyone works with the same up-to-date information, and changes are visible to all immediately.
How story-centric workflows look in practice Learn more here: Content planning in organizations
Creating an editorial plan: when software makes sense
Once the number of topics, channels, or contributors grows, manual planning quickly becomes hard to manage. Editorial planning software helps structure topics, prepare content, and coordinate publications — all in one place.
One example of such a solution is the cloud-based editorial system Newsmind Stories. When planning for 2026, it supports you in:
- Managing topics centrally
- Reusing content across channels
- Keeping track of status, responsibilities, and deadlines
- Visualizing plans in daily, weekly, or monthly views
- Finding existing information instead of searching for it manually
- Working faster with generative AI
Conclusion: creating an editorial plan in four steps
1. Define content: focus on what really matters
A good editorial plan includes only the information that supports decision-making: topic, goal, format, channel, timing, and responsibility. Everything else is optional.
2. Create structure: make planning team-ready
Use systems such as Kanban boards or calendar views where status, deadlines, and ownership are immediately visible. This transparency prevents content from getting stuck. The more people involved, the more important this structure becomes.
3. Define working principles: think in topics, not channels
Plan content with a topic-first approach. Channel-specific outputs come later. This makes it easier to reuse content efficiently.
4. Develop your own best practices: use templates as a thinking model
Templates are not an end in themselves. They help you find the right structure, not copy it exactly. Adapt layouts and fields to your workflow — not the other way around.
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Newsmind Stories also reduces effort during topic discovery, for example through automated trend monitoring and AI-supported research.
