Content governance and workflow are essential aspects of content strategy, but they can also be challenging to implement and maintain. How do you empower content creators to follow the guidelines and processes that ensure quality, consistency, and efficiency in your content production? Here are some tips to help you achieve this goal.
The first step is to establish clear and comprehensive content standards that cover topics such as voice, tone, style, format, accessibility, SEO, and legal compliance. These standards should be documented and accessible to all content creators, and they should be updated regularly to reflect changing needs and best practices. You should also communicate the purpose and benefits of these standards to your content team, and provide feedback and training to help them adhere to them.
Creating a comprehensive style guide has been helpful for my team, especially when we have external writers (contract writers, partnership writers) creating content for our brand. It helps to have a simple 1-sheeter to accompany the guide that answers the most common questions for writing about your brand as well.
The second step is to use tools and templates that facilitate and automate your content workflow. These can include content management systems, editorial calendars, content briefs, checklists, approval workflows, and collaboration platforms. These tools and templates can help you define roles and responsibilities, assign tasks and deadlines, track progress and status, review and approve content, and publish and distribute content. They can also help you avoid errors, duplication, and delays in your content production.
Templates have been super effective for me and my clients. I created a content dashboard in Notion that holds templates for writers to create bottom-of-funnel content. It also condenses important company Information like - customer and product research - platform overview and features - use cases and case studies The writers then use the company Info to plug into the templates. The templates just serve as a structural guide but still leaves room for writer creativity. Templates are like a cheat code.
The third step is to empower your content creators to make decisions within the scope of your content standards and workflow. This means giving them the authority, autonomy, and accountability to create content that meets your goals and expectations, without micromanaging or overruling them. You should also encourage them to share their ideas, opinions, and feedback, and to learn from their mistakes and successes. This can help you build trust, confidence, and motivation among your content team.
Conducting educational classes in the realm of content is our secret sauce for empowering content creators to be champions of governance and workflow guidelines. It's not just about classes; it's about fostering expertise. These sessions equip our team with the knowledge and skills to navigate complex guidelines effortlessly. It's about ensuring everyone is on the same page, maintaining quality, and achieving consistency. With these educational opportunities, we don't just teach; we empower our content creators to become guardians of our brand's standards, elevating our content to new heights of excellence. ??????
The fourth step is to measure and optimize your content performance based on your objectives and metrics. This means collecting and analyzing data on how your content is reaching, engaging, and converting your audience, and how it is supporting your business goals. You should also use this data to identify gaps, opportunities, and improvements in your content strategy, and to communicate the value and impact of your content to your stakeholders. This can help you justify your content investments, and to align your content team with your organizational vision.
There are a few tools that can do this like: Hubspot What converts Amplitude If you don’t have any of these softwares, using the model comparison tool in GA helps to track conversions down to the article. How I help my clients do this is by creating a looker studio dashboard and within that dashboard there is a page that shows specific conversions from articles. Content and pipeline attribution can and should happen.
The fifth step is to celebrate and reward your content achievements, both individually and collectively. This means recognizing and appreciating the efforts, contributions, and results of your content creators, and providing them with incentives, recognition, and feedback. You should also celebrate and share your content successes with your audience, partners, and customers, and showcase how your content is making a difference. This can help you foster a positive and productive content culture, and to inspire your content team to keep creating great content.
The sixth step is to keep learning and evolving your content practices, as content strategy is not a one-time project, but an ongoing process. This means staying updated on the latest trends, tools, and techniques in content creation, distribution, and optimization, and adapting your content standards and workflow accordingly. You should also seek feedback and input from your content team, your audience, and your peers, and learn from their experiences and insights. This can help you continuously improve your content quality, efficiency, and effectiveness.