How to avoid homicidal content writers: Revamp your review process

Look at your review process with the wariness of a child's first sight of broccoli.

Many organizations get bogged down in overly meticulous and inefficient review and approval procedures that stifle creativity and delay output. The below reflection highlights common pitfalls in content review processes, so you can get that streamlined approach you know is necessary for productivity and effectiveness.

8 mistakes team leads make during the review and approval process of content

1. You worry too much. That social content has a lifespan of 2 minutes and nothing bad will happen if it’s not JUST the way you like it.
   

2. You spend too much time on it. If it takes you 45 WhatsApps, 6 emails and a phone call to review every piece of content, you’re NEVER going to get it out at the cadence necessary.
   

3. Too many people are involved. Just pick one person with common sense and an eye for typos, that’s it.
   

4. The process has no structure. Approval processes shouldn’t vary for each piece, content marketers should know how many rounds to expect and where they’ll receive feedback.
   

5. The emphasis is on precision, not creativity. You hired a creative to make creatives, right? Step the fudge back.
   

6. The brand direction waxes and wanes. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but it should be consistent. Rebrand every few months not every few posts.
   

7. Review rounds are in fact review reems. Lump all your feedback into one round and send it together, this prevents the risk of content writers acting on homicidal thoughts but it does also make the work faster.
   

8. You don't trust your content person. If this is true, are you the problem or are they? If you've been through 2 or 3 content writers and still need to review everything they do, you're either paying too little or trusting too little. Up your budget and lower your need to be involved from start to finish.

Trust your own hiring skills, and therefore your content writers.

Trusting your content writers, creators, and marketers, and minimising excessive feedback rounds will not only expedite the process, it will unleash creative potential. Trust them to build trust in your brand!

Then, you'll have non-homicidal, very happy content teammates who'll take your message to the masses!