A social media approval workflow that doesn’t slow you down

An approval workflow is the path a post takes from first draft to “yes, publish it”. It answers three questions before anything goes live: who writes, who checks, and who has the final say.

Without one, sign-off happens in WhatsApp threads, email chains and screenshots. Feedback gets lost, the wrong version goes out, and nobody can say who approved what.

1. 1DraftSomeone writes the post and the version for each network. Nothing in draft can publish.
2. 2ReviewThe post is sent to the person who signs it off: a manager, a colleague with the right expertise, or the client.
3. 3DecisionThe reviewer approves it, and it can be scheduled, or sends it back with what to change, and it returns to draft.

Keep it to one review step if you can. Every extra stage adds a day to every post, and most small teams and agencies only need one person’s yes.

• Brand and tone: the person responsible for the brand, or the client.
• Prices, offers and anything with terms: whoever can confirm the details are right.
• Health, finance or legal claims: someone qualified to check them, every time.
• Routine posts from an experienced writer: often no review at all. Approval should protect what matters, not slow everything down.

1. 1Turn approvals onIn the workspace settings, require approval. Posts then can’t be scheduled or published until they’re approved.
2. 2Invite your reviewersAdd managers as admins, and clients with the client role, so they see only what’s waiting for them.
3. 3Submit for reviewWriters choose Submit for review in the composer instead of Schedule.
4. 4Approve or request changesReviewers open the review queue and choose Approve or Request changes, with a note for the writer.

You can also decide whether editing an approved post sends it back for approval. For client work that’s usually the safe choice: the client approved those words, not new ones.

• Approving screenshots. The client approves an image of the post, then a different version is scheduled. Approve the post itself.
• No deadline. Agree when reviews happen, such as every Tuesday, so posts don’t sit waiting.
• Feedback in five places. Keep requests for changes on the post, where the writer will see them.
• Approving everything. If a reviewer approves every post unchanged for a month, ask whether that stage is needed.