A content team without a defined content management process is like tackling a puzzle without a guide. While possible, it’ll take more time and probably cause frustration.

In this article, we’ll explore why the content management process matters and how to create a system that works for you. And we’ll dig into how GatherContent can help drive productivity.

What is a content management process?

A content management process outlines how a company implements its content strategy. It defines the content lifecycle—including planning, writing, reviewing, approving, and publishing content.

With a content management process, companies can establish workflows that optimize content production and distribution.

Why does an effective content management process matter?

In a survey by the Content Marketing Institute, 71% of marketers say that content marketing will be more critical to their organization in 2023. But 60% of those surveyed said they do not have a content marketing strategy, or it is not documented.

Producing high-quality content is challenging without a clear content management process. A content management system is the foundation that empowers a content team to deliver its best work.

Here are some benefits of an effective content management process:

• Increased organization: A content management system helps teams categorize and find content.
• Improved collaboration: With transparent processes and procedures, content management systems increase communication and encourage collaboration.
• Saves time: An effective content management process automates routine tasks. For example, employees won’t waste time tracking down the most recent version of a document or pinging someone for feedback.
• Maintains compliance: With a defined content management process, marketers can confirm that all content complies with legal requirements and regulations.
• Enhanced data analysis: By implementing a structured content management process, marketers can ensure their data collection is accurate and consistent—allowing companies to make more informed decisions.
• Optimize ROI: A robust content management process ultimately leads to a better customer experience. Marketing teams can ensure that content resonates with their audience and drives results.

What does a typical content management process look like?

A content management strategy is critical to creating high-quality content that engages your audience. But creating a content management process from scratch can be daunting.  

Here are the key steps typically involved in a content management system to help get you started.

• Research: Marketers identify their target audience and define their needs, pain points, and common questions.
• Planning: Next, a content organization uses research to develop a content plan. A content plan outlines the topics, formats, distribution channels, and timelines a company needs to achieve its goals.
• Creation: Whether you are working with an in-house team or outsourcing to contractors, managing the content creation process is critical. An organized approach to content creation can ensure consistent and quality content production and help teams identify obstacles early.
• Editing: The editing process reviews content for grammar and punctuation. It also plays a crucial role in ensuring that each piece of content is consistent in tone of voice and style and meets the company’s objectives.
• Approval: An approval process allows key stakeholders to provide feedback and voice concerns. It also serves as a safeguard—ensuring all content meets legal requirements.
• Publishing and distribution: A transparent publishing and distribution process ensures your content reaches your target audience and drives the desired outcomes.
• Digital asset management: Teams set up a system to categorize and archive content.
• Measurement: The final stage is to measure the impact of your content—including traffic, engagement, conversion, and the production process.

5 tips to optimize the content management process

When it comes to content management, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. A company’s content management process will vary depending on an organization’s size, industry, target audience, and goals.

Here are five tips for designing a content management system that works for you.

1. Invest in a content management platform

The same study by the Content Marketing Institute found that 61% of marketers say their organization lacks the necessary technology for effective content management.

But investing in the right tools—like a content management platform—can help streamline your content management process and increase efficiency.

Here are some things to look for in content management software:

• Centralized content storage
• Customizable workflows and automation tools
• Security features (e.g., available to set permissions for different team members)
• A content calendar
• Integrations with other content management tools (e.g., Gmail, or Slack)
• Bandwidth visibility
• Reporting and analytics features

2. Set up a production workflow

A well-defined workflow will help streamline the content creation process, increase efficiency, and make content more consistent.

Start by considering your content creation needs and the resources required. Then, specify roles and responsibilities for each team member—including content strategists, writers, editors, designers, and social media managers. Each team member should have specific responsibilities and deadlines.

Next, establish a timeline for each stage of the content production process. Ensure the timeline is achievable and account for delays (e.g., holidays). Here are some things to consider when creating a timeline:

• How often will you need to produce content?
• How will the type of content change the production timeline?
• Do you have the resources you need? Will you need to hire or contract additional resources?
• How long will the review and approval process be?
• How long will content creators have to respond to feedback?
• For enterprise content management, consider how stakeholders will request pieces of content.

Finally, implement and test your workflow. Ask for feedback from team members and identify any areas for improvement.

3. Determine how content will be stored

A content team will create many different types of content—such as images, blog posts, infographics, ebooks, webinars, social media posts, and videos. Establish a system for categorizing and archiving content so that it can be easily found in the future.

It can also be easy to forget about a piece once it’s published. But statistics can quickly become outdated, or hyperlinks can change. Outdated content can hurt the customer experience and harm your results on search engine result pages (SERPs).

Teams should build content optimization into their content management process. Semrush found that 53% of marketers who perform regular audits experience a boost in engagement. And 49% reported improved rankings on SERPS.

4. Document everything

Whether you are a one-person content team or part of an enterprise organization, documenting your content management process is critical. A transparent documentation process will:

• Streamline the content production process.
• Ensure everyone on your team understands roles and responsibilities.
• Serve as a reference when team members have questions.
• Act as a blueprint for new team members.

Your content management document should act as a living resource—evolving as the needs of your team grow.

5. Evaluate and refine

Finally, your content process shouldn’t be set in stone. Content teams should regularly evaluate and refine their content management process.

Identify specific times—quarterly or annually—to review and update your system. Ask for feedback from team members and use data to make improvements.

Examples of a content management process using GatherContent

GatherContent is a content operations management platform. Built for content marketers, our platform helps content teams create and scale content in less time.

GatherContent has tools for every step of the process. Let's take a look at a few of them.

Content organization

With GatherContent’s Content Hub, content teams have one place to find and collaborate on content. Companies can organize content in the way that works best for their teams. And team members can search, filter, and sort through content to see the status or review personal assignments.

Content planning

With the Content Calendar, marketers can plan and visualize projects and deadlines. Team members can filter by personal assignments to understand their workload. And the content calendar integrates with iCAL, Google Cal, or Outlook so teammates can access their entire schedule.  

The Content Calendar also allows managers to understand each team member’s workload and see each project’s status in real-time. As a result, managers can identify bottlenecks and keep production moving.

Workflow tools

With Content Workflow, content teams can organize their production processes. Users can assign assignments to team members, set deadlines, request edits, and manage the approval process.  

Content creation and collaboration

With GatherContent’s Content Editor, teams can write, edit, and discuss feedback in one place. As a result, users can access the most current version of content and track revisions.

Content templates and style guides

When creating content, consistency is critical. But that can be challenging when you have a team of writers or contractors. With Content Templates, users can build a structure for common content types.

And companies can create style guides to keep content on brand. Users can embed the style guides into the Content Editor and Content Templates.  

Boost your content management process with GatherContent

A content management system helps put all the pieces of your content strategy together. Like the box of a puzzle, a defined process allows your team to see the big picture. And it outlines the steps to get there.

But developing a content management process requires the right tools. GatherContent is a content operations platform that helps take your content management system from chaos to clarity. With a single platform for content planning, creating, and collaboration, content teams can produce more quality content in less time.

Start a free trial today to see how GatherContent can transform your content management process.