How to Create a Client Content Approval System That Works for You
When there aren't systems in place for your client experience, it becomes a nightmare for both parties. Trends falling behind, posting becomes inconsistent, or even the added stress when your not-so-tech-savvy client can't figure it out. Things can go downhill...fast.
Over the years of building the agency, we've run through all kinds of approval processes before finally finding an approval process that works for us, and in this blog, we are here to help you do the same!
Here's how to build a content approval system that works for both you and your clients.
How to Create a Client Content Approval System That Works for You
Step One: Brain Dump
Before even starting to set up a process, do a brain dump. Get to the root of what you are looking for when you create this process.
Ask yourself:
What problem points do you run into with your current system?
How tech-savvy are your clients?
What tools work best for your brain?
This will allow you to reflect on your current process and how you should set up your new process to fit your business better.
Step Two: Map Out the Workflow
Start mapping out what you want this process to look like in steps. How will you onboard clients into this? What will it look like monthly? How will this fit into your content creation process? How will this work with different types of client content and platforms? Start from the beginning and work through the steps one-by-one.
Step Three: Choose Your Tool(s)
Next, choose the tool you want to use to make this all happen. Here are a few examples of tools you can use:
Google Drive: Beginner-friendly and can easily set up a calendar.
Trello, Asana, ClickUp, Notion: If you already have a project management tool or are looking to add one, could your content approval fit well inside?
Metricool: Can you integrate this process into your current scheduling tool?
Step Four: Get Specific
Now it's time to get down to the nitty-gritty of it all. Think about timelines, revision rounds, and all types of content that you'll put into this system and how that works together. What boundaries are you setting? How will you let the client know there is content ready for approval? How will the client approve it or let you know what they need updates on? What timeline will you give the client to approve the content by?
Step Five: Create an SOP + Loom
Lock your process into place by putting it into an SOP for yourself, and a Loom for clients to get them onboarded inside. This way, it feels more set in stone and easy to follow.
At the end of the day, your approval system should work for you just as much as it works for your clients! Don’t be afraid to set boundaries, simplify your process, and tweak things as you go, because no system is perfect — It has to grow with you and your clients.
Your systems shouldn't stress you out, but rather be the backbone that keeps projects stress-free (and keeps you from hearing that Slack of "Why was this posted without my approval?").