What is Editorial line?

The editorial line explained simply

Think of your favorite social media account. You know what to expect before you even click: the topic, the tone, the style. That is why you come back.

Behind this feeling, there are rules. Sometimes they are written down, sometimes not. These rules form the editorial line.

It answers 5 questions: who you speak to, what you talk about, in what tone, in which formats, and what you never talk about. The last question is often the most useful.

A concrete example

Imagine that Elsa is launching a meditation app for students. At first, she posts a bit of everything: quotes, sleep tips, recipes, wellness trends. Her followers don’t really know what she offers.

So she writes her editorial line on one page:

• Who: students stressed by exams.
• What: managing stress, sleeping better before an exam, staying focused while revising.
• Tone: simple, kind, a little humor, never preachy.
• Formats: short videos of breathing exercises and carousels of tips.
• Never: promises of a cure, medical advice, topics unrelated to studying.

This page gives her 3 clear themes: stress, sleep, focus. When she hesitates about a post, she checks if it fits one of them.

The recipes disappear. Her breathing videos before an exam, on the other hand, become her signature.

Why it matters to you

• You publish faster. You no longer ask yourself “what should I talk about today?” Your rules decide for you.
• People recognize you. Same tone, same topics: your content becomes familiar and your branding gets stronger.
• You attract the right people. Precise content attracts people who really need your offer.

It also helps if you work with someone. A friend, a freelancer or an intern can create content for you, because the rules are written down.

How to define it

1. Describe your reader. Start from your persona: one specific person with one specific problem.
2. Choose 3 themes at most. They should all lead, directly or indirectly, to what you sell.
3. Define your tone in three adjectives. For example: simple, warm, direct. Add one sentence “to say” and one sentence “not to say”.
4. Choose your formats. One or two formats you can produce every week.
5. Write your “never” list. The topics, words or promises you refuse.

Keep it all on one page. Reread it before you create content. Elsa keeps hers pinned next to her screen, with her 3 themes written in large letters.

Common mistakes

• ❌ Talking about everything to please everyone. → ✅ Limit yourself to 3 themes linked to your offer.
• ❌ Changing your tone from one post to the next. → ✅ Write down your three adjectives and stick to them.
• ❌ Forgetting the “never” list. → ✅ Saying what you refuse makes your line clearer.
• ❌ Keeping the line in your head. → ✅ Write it down, even in a few lines.

With AI

Copy this prompt into your AI assistant:

Help me write my editorial line on one page.

My business: [business].
What I sell: [offer].
My ideal customer: [persona].
My main channel: [channel].
The topics I talk about today: [list].

Answer these 5 questions:
1. Who do I speak to?
2. What do I talk about? (3 themes maximum, linked to my offer)
3. In what tone? (3 adjectives, one sentence to say, one sentence to avoid)
4. In which formats?
5. What do I never talk about?

End by telling me which current topics I should drop, and why.

AI suggests an editorial line in a few minutes. You are the one who can judge if it really sounds like you.