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Choosing the right editorial model for your intranet  

An intranet needs an editorial team – but how should it be organised? The distribution of editorial responsibilities can have a significant impact on the quality of internal communication. In this article we present three models: the decentralised editorial team, the centralised editorial team and the hybrid model.  

1. Decentralised editorial team: intranet for participation  

In the decentralised editorial team, employees are trained as editors and have the freedom to decide on topics, write articles and publish them independently. This model encourages ownership, participation and a sense of togetherness. But it also demands a lot of the editors – in terms of time, expertise and commitment.  

Advantages:  

• Encourages participation and motivation  
• Authentic and varied content from different departments  
• Few central resources required  

Disadvantages:  

• Possible inconsistencies in style and quality of contributions  
• Regular training required  
• Risk of content not being approved by leadership   
• Editors need time to do the task  

2. Central editorial team: control and professionalism  

As opposed to a centralised editorial team, where professional editors manage the intranet and create all the content. It guarantees a high level of control over content and ensures that all content is of a consistent quality.  

Advantages: 

• Consistent quality and style of all content  
• Clear control over corporate messages  
• Minimises the risk of inaccurate or misleading content  

Disadvantages:  

• Less employee involvement   
• Risk of neglecting local issues and perspectives  
• Central editorial team needs adequate resources  

3. Hybrid model:  

In the hybrid model, there is both a central editorial team and employees who provide content for the intranet. Typically, key content such as strategy, people or customers is created and published by the central editorial team. There are also news channels, for example at site level, which can be used by all employees.   

Advantages: 

• Assured quality and consistent content on key issues  
• Diverse, authentic content  
• High motivation and participation  
• Greater efficiency and speed in publishing decentralised news  
• Effort is shared between central office and employees 

Disadvantages:  

• Requires clear communication and coordination processes  
• Quality and style of contributions may be inconsistent  
• Requires regular training  

In practice, there is no “one size fits all” model. Choosing the right editorial model depends on your specific needs, corporate culture and internal communications objectives.   

At Change Your Mind, we are happy to help you find the best model for your organisation.