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How to pull an editorial calendar for healthcare PR: a step-by-step guide

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An editorial calendar is used by publishers to control the dispersion of their content across different media. Some healthcare publishers make their editorial calendars public to attract advertisers and public relations personnel. Editorial calendars can be a useful tool for medical and dental health IT PR pros and medical marketers to learn more about the publication and their editorial focus for the year. It can also help you time your pitches, improving your chances of securing a placement. Here’s our step-by-step guide.

  1. Pick the most relevant trade publications to your healthcare company

    Pick the healthcare and health IT trade publications that are read by your specific target audience and make a list.

    Maybe you’re in dental so you look at Dentistry Today or Dental News to share your latest innovation in the domain.

    A radiology device manufacturer would definitely want to know what topics are on the radar at Radiology Today or Applied Radiology.

    The length of your list depends on you, but prioritize by relevance to your target audience.

  2. Find the right tab

    Find the publication’s web site. Often outlets will have a tab that says “Advertise with Us” or “Advertise.” These tabs will usually lead users to an editorial calendar. Other times they’ll have a very direct tab that says “Editorial Calendars.”

  3. Download

    Once you find the editorial calendar link, download it! This way you do not have to go back to the outlet and keep accessing the same document. Here’s an example from HIMSS. Their editorial calendar is a part of their content marketing strategy. Their editorial calendar is divided into months on the x-axis and on the y-axis, they have a number of different categories outlining what their topic is, research, HIMSS TV, their virtual events, their in-person events, and overall industry events. Other editorial calendar examples are Pharmaceutical Technology and California Broker.

  4. Can’t find a file to download?

    Do not worry! If you are unable to find the editorial calendar through tabs, go to the “contact us” button and send a message to the outlet through their site or by email requesting their editorial calendar. Many healthcare pubs will happily share their editorial calendar if you request it.

  5. File them

    Make a master editorial calendar folder on a shared drive. This way you can access the files from wherever you are and easily share them with other members of your healthcare organization. 

  6. Compile them

    After you file all your editorial calendars, comb through them and find all the relevant topics. Make a spreadsheet document organized by date, publication, and topic, so you can stay on track to pitch stories.


 

Any questions? Happy to answer them! Let us know.

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