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The term editorial is very broad, but we can give you some basic definitions and insights into what makes something editorial. With that said, here are the top three things that make up the majority of most editorials.
Topic or subject matter
Author/writer
Media type – This includes voice, like podcasting vs written essays
In other words, it’s the theme or topic of the article, and the writer’s identity. Having one or two of these out would change the whole feel of the piece!
Now that those three points have been explained, let’s look at an example.
A recipe is an editorial article because it goes through steps to help readers bake the best chocolate chip cookies they know how to make. It has a topic (baking), a writer (a person who wrote the ingredient list and instructions) and a media type (step-by-step pictures and directions).
Changing your tone, topic, or perspective can help you edit your writing. You may want to try out some of these tricks in future essays!
Some people have a knack for language that gives their writing an elegant flow.
These individuals seem to instinctively know how to organize phrases, use vocabulary correctly, and establish consistency within the writing.
This is called fluency. Fluent writers are understood to be the most intelligent and articulate as they roll off perfect sentences.
But not everyone has this talent for writing.
Most people struggle with written communication due to a limited knowledge of grammar and vocabulary.
It’s very common to see someone who can write short, simple messages that do not require much context. But when asked to give a longer opinion article or comment on something complex, the writer will stumble over themselves and lose confidence in their own skills.
As mentioned before, editorial products are not advertisements. They do however, contain marketing material such as price lists or pictures that relate to the product or business.
These materials include things like magazine articles, website posts, eBooks, etc. That is what most people refer to when they talk about editorial products.
However, it is important to make the distinction between them and advertisement-type content.
Content that goes into an editorial product should be quality over promotional. This includes writing a paragraph about how great the product is instead of just mentioning the features.
The person writing this article would use their own experiences to promote the product. An example of this would be someone reading this who has a book in our Business Basics collection.
As we discussed before, content doesn’t necessarily mean written material, but can also be anything from creating a live stream to keep people engaged or taking action on one of your products/services.
Content isn’t just for marketers, however! Creating engaging, valuable content is an excellent way to boost your search engine rankings, create some buzz (and traffic) – and most importantly, provide value to others.
Whether you're trying to gain back confidence after a few weeks without much growth or you are completely new to the internet, creating helpful content is a great place to start.
It's totally possible to run out of ideas, too. When this happens, don't worry about making a short video that no one watches — instead, choose a topic that has gone up in popularity recently and use that as your source material.
Running a YouTube channel is another good way to find content you could make money off of. Starting with just five videos per week, you can slowly build up speed and income.
Sometimes, people get so focused on what they think is wrong with someone’s writing that they don’t give enough credit to the things that person does well.
What I like about this writer or speaker’s story is their use of vocabulary and grammar. I admire their ability to put together a sentence.
I would never tell anyone who wants to improve their writing to drop all punctuation and grammar because it looks good but can be eliminated without loss of meaning.
Instead, pick one thing you want to strengthen and work on that. For example, if you wanted to make your writing more vivid, you could choose between using less passive verbs and emphasizing the importance of being explicit over implicit messages.
As mentioned before, editorial content should be written with honesty but nothing that will hurt or discredit the company/product/service. Product reviews are a great way to create an article that will stand out and grab attention.
As you read through the review, stay focused on whether or not the product is good for the reader. The writer’s tone, emotion, and influence also play a big role in drawing readers. An angry reviewer may lose your trust quickly!
General tips: make sure the author of the review isn’t sponsored by the product being reviewed, and don’t include any references to benefits of the product until after you have done some research yourself.
When editorializing, your audience does not want to see you poise for a while before addressing them. If they are listening to an album they have heard several times already, it will put some pressure on them to listen to something new. For that reason, try to always be in control of the conversation!
Always begin with a topic or question that is concerning to your readers. Starting with “I think” or “Something has happened” creates a way for them to respond without being too direct — you can never be direct with someone else's thoughts!
Once you have their attention, continue by talking about why the issue is significant and what effects it could potentially have on them. Try to use examples and sources so that their own experiences apply.
When you have made your points clearly, close with asking if there is anything more needed from you at this time. You do not need to stick around after speaking as long as you feel comfortable, but giving a few minutes is good etiquette.
This will hurt your reputation quickly. If you are very careful with how you talk, then this is not an issue but the more vulgar you are, the shorter time people will want to listen to you.
People expect certain things from content creators- education, information, humor, inspiration, all of these. All too often, however, they come across as disrespectful or even hateful.
Content that uses strong profanity, contains nudity, or both is easily shared, seen, and read by many. It may be because there’s nothing else like it at the moment, but most people agree such material isn’t appropriate for broadcast media.
So what kind of editorial fits our theme well? Use of strong profane language is allowed, so long as it serves a purpose. For example, telling a joke about the worst thing you can do with a sausage link.
But avoid using obscene words unless you are giving advice about sex, health, politics, or other weighty topics where such terms have special significance.
Never say anything rude or offensive in an attempt to get attention. Your audience will happily ignore you until you earn their respect. And we’ve already mentioned that grossing out normal people won’t win you any points.
As mentioned before, content is what people will be reading under your banner ads or featured articles. If their attention is not drawn to something meaningful and helpful, they may choose to go somewhere else for information.
As an entrepreneur with your own business, you can become too focused on yourself and how great you are. You need to remember that there are other people in this world who could benefit from what you have to offer.
Your success does not depend only on you; it depends on those around you who could use your services. Help them by creating quality content that adds value to the community.
Focus on giving away valuable knowledge instead of advertising about yourself and your products. Your readers do not care about your personal life, nor do they want to read about you and your marketing strategies.
