Editorial is an article, written by the editorial staff of a newspaper or magazine, that expresses a publication’s opinion on a topic. It may be a commentary on political, social, cultural or economic events, or issues of concern to the academic discipline represented by the journal. It may also be a commentary on the journal’s policies or editorial guidelines.
A good editorial should evoke a strong reaction from its readers, as well as stimulate thinking and scientific discourse. It should be clear and engaging, and leave a positive aftertaste—like the aftertaste of quinoa versus kale: “Love it or loathe it, a good editorial is like a quinoa dish; you’ll feel satiated after eating it.”
The first step in creating an effective editorial is research. Thoroughly read news articles, scholarly journals and history books to understand the subject matter. Then, choose a thesis statement to guide the rest of your writing. Once you’ve figured out the main point of your editorial, fill in the gaps with additional details to support your argument. Depending on the prescribed word count, you should plan to make several main points that buttress your thesis statement.
Ensure that the subject matter of your editorial aligns with the goals and KPIs of your content marketing strategy. If it doesn’t, you run the risk of tainting your customer relationships and losing trust. Customers who read editorial content want to learn and be entertained—not sold to. If you try to sell to them, they’ll stop reading and may never come back.