The Many Types of Digital Editors

Written and edited by Kelsey Spence - March 10th, 2024

More often than not, digital editors play many roles within the editorial department, including proofreading, copy editing, writing, creating headlines, identifying the audience and purpose of varying types of written content, structuring writing, fact-checking, and making sure that content meets ethical and societal standards.

Given there are so many tasks to take care of when it comes to creating and delivering digital content, it makes sense that there are varying types of digital editors. The editing roles detailed below are often the key players in the digital publishing process.

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Copy Editor

To quickly summarize what a copy editor does, think of them as the technical, grammar- and punctuation-oriented editors that search for missing or unnecessary commas, incorrectly spelled words, improper format, lengthy sentences and paragraphs, and awkward sentence structures.

Copy editors are also often responsible for making sure digital content is easily searchable by its target audience, using best practices of search engine optimization to do so. Along with this, copy editors need to know how to write a good headline and fact-check writing.

Line Editor

Line editors are more focused on the meaning of written content, leaving most of the grammar corrections up to the copy editors.

These editors comb through written digital content to analyze how each word is utilized in a piece, trying to determine whether any should be replaced for a clearer interpretation of its intended meaning.

News/Desk Editor

This is when things start to get managerial. You can find these types of editors in charge of others in the editorial department, such as copy and line editors, photographers, and writers. They look at the bigger picture, focusing on design, layout, and overall quality of written content.

News and desk editors also pay close attention to schedules and deadlines, making sure all the moving parts are where they're supposed to be.

Managing Editor

Similar to news and desk editors, managing editors have, unsurprisingly, managerial responsibilities, and they also look at the whole piece of writing—all aspects of it—to make sure everything is air-tight. However, these editors have more responsibility than their supervisees.

Additionally, editors in this role create deadlines for content, balancing the schedules of many different written pieces at one time, while also drawing up functional budgets.

Executive Editor

Executive editors have the greatest power of all in digital publishing. These editors are the top-dog managers who oversee every person working within the editorial department. Thus, they have the final say regarding every published piece of digital content.

Not only do executive editors supervise an array of staff members, but they also handle planning and strategy matters, solve various problems that arise, communicate with others who work in different departments at the organization, and carry out administrative tasks.

Multimedia Editor

Multimedia editors are jacks of all trades when it comes to visual digital media. They deal with media like audio files, videos, photographs, animations, and presentations.

These types of editors must be skilled in utilizing various types of software that allow them to edit videos and content efficiently at a high-quality level. This can include Adobe Premier Pro and After Effects, or digital tools like Canva or Prezi.

Layout Editor

These types of editors must have an eye for aesthetics to come out on top. They must understand design principles, as well.

Layout editors are the keepers of graphic content, adding visually pleasing elements to written digital works, such as photos or graphs depicting data. They do so in an organized manner that accentuates the text nearby, making it easier to read and comprehend.

In conclusion…

Although there are several kinds, most digital editors need to know how to do a little bit of everything. For example, it's ideal for a copy editor to be able to spot a problem with a graphic or know how to perceive the bigger picture rather than just the details alone. The editorial department as a whole is a team.

The best digital editors possess an impressive range of skills, not only acting as grammarians, format experts, visual designers, and researchers, but also as good marketers, with knowledge of best SEO practices and how to catch the attention of their target audience.

References

Carroll, B. (2023). Writing and Editing for Digital Media (5th ed.). Taylor & Francis. https://mbsdirect.vitalsource.com/books/9781000858730

What Is Line Editing? Line Editing vs. Copy Editing. (2021, September 28). MasterClass. https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-line-editing