PR and marketing teams engage in review and approval almost daily. In the current conventional review process, communications professionals email Word and PDF files from reviewer to reviewer who use emails to respond with suggestions for copy changes. A project or traffic manager acts as a traffic cop, trying to keep the process on schedule. Many, especially those in the marketing and creative industries, find the process time consuming, inefficient and often frustrating.
The explosion of web content, the growth of differ types of video and interactive formats, and the proliferation of remote workers increase the complications of the review and approval process. The ever larger volumes of complex content often need approval from a wider range of team members and stakeholders while facing tight marketing and publishing deadlines.
Clients now demand that their PR and marketing agencies have efficient processes for review and approval. In a recent survey, nearly 40 percent of companies surveyed declined to work with an agency because they felt it lacked appropriate collaboration software or processes.
Many teams have turned to “the cloud,” specifically online proofing services that place digital assets (the proofs) online. Team members review content virtually with online commenting tools. They comment directly on the online document, which minimizes misinterpretations and speeds the process, explains a white paper from ProofHQ. Managers know who has reviewed and approved the document.
Squandering Opportunities
“PR teams that ignore cloud tools are squandering opportunities to drive both better efficiency inside the team and stronger results for their leaders and clients,” says Aly Saxe, CEO of IrisPR.
You don’t need advanced tech skills to use the services, Saxe says. You’ve probably already used, or at least heard of, cloud-based tools like Docusign, SurveyMonkey or Google Drive for basic administrative needs. Most other cloud tools are also intuitive and user-friendly.
Some cloud-based tools especially useful for PR project management include Basecamp, Trello and Asana, she says. Also, Anewstip, Contactable and Muck Rack specialize in managing media contact databases.
What to Consider when Selecting a Service
When considering an online proofing service, first list your team’s requirements. Then seek services that meet those needs, advises the ProofHQ white paper. Some factors to consider include: the number of reviewers, number of review cycles, types of content, volume of materials, security capabilities, tracking and reporting capabilities, and audit and compliance regulations.
“Check that your solution provides the flexibility you need to handle fluctuations in volumes, storage and the numbers and identities of reviewers,” the white paper states.
When considering a solution, first sketch out the workflow for your typical content review, advises InMotionNow, a workflow solutions provide. Determine who is involved and if they review simultaneously or in sequence. “Your review process may also vary by the type of content being reviewed – video projects may need different sign-offs than printed pieces; press releases may require different sign-offs than email blasts,” the company explains.
An online review and processing platform can greatly facilitate the review and approval process for most all communications materials including press releases, brochures, white papers and other marketing materials and new or revised web pages.
Bottom Line: Reviewing and approving documents becomes increasingly challenging as projects’ complexity, the number of reviewers and deadline pressures grow. The conventional practices of emailing around Word or PDF documents between stakeholders can sometimes break down. Cloud-based online proofing tools offer a possible solution.
William J. Comcowich founded and served as CEO of CyberAlert LLC, the predecessor of Glean.info. He is currently serving as Interim CEO and member of the Board of Directors. Glean.info provides customized media monitoring, media measurement and analytics solutions across all types of traditional and social media.
