Top 9 Free Editorial Calendar Templates

Managing the publishing of content is tricky. Our editorial calendar templates are here to help. Schedule articles, plan topics, track progress, and assign team members' tasks to make deadlines a breeze.

What Should Editorial Calendar Templates Include?

Choosing the right editorial calendar template can streamline your content planning process, ensuring you stay organized and productive. Here are key components to look for in a Notion template:

Content Pipeline: The template should clearly display the stages of content creation, from idea generation to publication. This helps in tracking progress and deadlines effectively.
Integration Capabilities: A good template should easily integrate with other tools or platforms you use, such as social media schedulers or email marketing services, to maintain workflow continuity.
Customization Options: It should offer flexibility to modify elements such as tags, statuses, and categories to fit your specific content strategy and team structure.
Analytics and Reporting: Look for templates that include sections for tracking performance metrics. This can aid in analyzing what content works best and planning future topics accordingly.

Selecting a template with these features will not only help in organizing your content but also in enhancing the overall effectiveness of your editorial strategy.

What Should Editorial Calendar Templates Avoid?

Choosing the right editorial calendar template in Notion can streamline your content planning process. However, some features might complicate rather than simplify your workflow. Here are key elements to steer clear of:

Overly Complex Layouts: Templates with too many sections or intricate designs can be overwhelming and detract from usability. Simplicity often leads to better clarity and productivity.
Non-Customizable Fields: Avoid templates that don't allow you to edit or remove fields. Flexibility is essential as your content strategy might evolve over time.
Fixed Time Frames: Templates that lock you into specific time frames (like weekly or monthly) without the option for adjustment can limit your planning capabilities. Choose a template that grows with your needs.

Ultimately, the best Notion template is one that fits seamlessly into your existing workflows, enhances visibility, and adapts to your content scheduling needs without adding unnecessary complexity.

1Social Media Calendar (w/ Notion AI)

Use this template to draft, plan, and write all of your social posts in one simple database. You can view your own posts in a calendar to get an idea of timelines, or switch to a board view to see platform usage.

A template preview for Social Media Calendar (w/ Notion AI)

2Content calendar

Efficiently orchestrate your content strategy with this all-in-one editorial planner and marketing calendar. Craft and manage your publishing schedule, from blog schedules to video scripts, ensuring every piece aligns with your content roadmap. Use it as a post planner and content organizer to track deliverables across multiple marketing campaigns, with the ability to filter by status, owner, and priority. View everything from a high-level content plan on a calendar to a detailed posting calendar timeline, keeping every launch on track.

3Basic Content Calendar

Use this content calendar to schedule and track all the content you're putting out — from blog posts to podcasts to tweets. Every item on the calendar is a project, where you can designate the author (or who's assigned), the type of content (article, event, etc.), and its status (scheduled, in progress, complete). Each one is also its own Notion page, where you can stash all related notes, research, multimedia, and do all your writing in one place.

A template preview for Basic Content Calendar

4Editorial Calendar

The success of a content strategy often hinges on effective planning and organization. Our Editorial Calendar template serves as a dedicated space to write, strategize, and coordinate all your content pieces. It empowers you to methodically map out your content strategy, schedule publication dates, assign tasks to team members, and monitor the progress of each content piece in a single, unified location.

The interactive database tabs provide flexibility, enabling you to create and switch between different views for a tailor-made content planning experience. Take control of your content production process and keep your team aligned with this comprehensive Notion template.

A template preview for Editorial Calendar

5Blog Editorial Calendar

Use this template to plan and write all your marketing content with a database that lets you track each project’s status, audience, author, reviewer, publish date, and more.

A template preview for Blog Editorial Calendar

6Content Planner

Be it YouTube, Instagram, Blog or your own website, a smooth, easy-to-use and versatile content planner can make your life 10x easier. This planner makes working on multiple projects at once much more seamless.

7Notion's editorial calendar

Usually marketing teams have separate tools for planning and writing content. At Notion, we do all of that in one database. Using a calendar view, we can see our monthly publishing schedule and move pieces around to avoid traffic jams. That way, everyone in the company knows there's only one place to look for any editorial project.

A template preview for Notion's editorial calendar

8Email/SMS Product Content Calendar

This template can benefit individuals, teams, or companies by providing an efficient and organized way to manage email and SMS product content campaigns. With multiple views, users can easily keep track of campaign progress to schedule and automate emails and messages, and collaborate with team members. This can help streamline the campaign process and increase productivity.

A template preview for Email/SMS Product Content Calendar

9Simple Content Planner & Calendar

If you create a lot of content, you know that orchestrating production and distribution across different channels can be a juggling act. I created this template to help eliminate juggling and overwhelm, and make content creation more fun.

It includes:

•A Content Pillars and Hashtags Page

•A Platforms Page where you can add in as many platforms as you need and track your KPIs

•A Planner Page to track your content from idea to completion

•A Brand Guide Page to house all your brand assets

•A Content Calendar (monthly and weekly)

A template preview for Simple Content Planner & Calendar

Closing Thoughts

Utilizing these templates streamlines your content planning process, ensuring you never miss a deadline. They provide a clear overview of your publishing schedule at a glance.

Adopting these tools can significantly enhance your team's productivity and coordination. Start by choosing one that fits your workflow and customize it to your needs.

Remember, the key to effective content management is consistency. These templates are designed to help you maintain that consistency effortlessly. Take the first step today!

What is a Content Cadence?

Content cadence refers to the rhythm and frequency at which content is planned, created, and published in an editorial calendar to maintain consistency and engagement.

What is an Editorial Theme?

An editorial theme is a central topic or idea that guides the creation of content for a specific period in an editorial calendar, ensuring cohesive and relevant content production.

What is a Publication Workflow?

A publication workflow is a sequence of processes and approvals designed within an editorial calendar to manage the creation, review, and release of content efficiently.