30-second summary. At 10+ clients, approvals break without a shared intake form, clear SLAs, standardized roles, and one hub for comments/versions. Use workspace isolation per client, templates for briefs and checklists, and a notification policy that nudges—not spams. Track time-to-approval and where items wait.
Why scale breaks approvals (agency reality)
- Every client different → one standard intake/brief per channel, optional fields per client.
- Too many approvers → one Accountable per client; others are Consulted.
- DM chaos → comments live on the post/version only; no side threads.
- Scheduling vs. approvals clash → approvals lock the version; publishing pulls only approved items.
Architecture: one hub, isolated workspaces
- Workspace per client (isolated members, assets, and logs).
- Client folders → per channel (IG, LI, TT) + campaign subfolders.
- Templates library → creative brief, pre-flight checklist, RACI, brand-safety.
- Public approval links (optional) → expiring, view-only, single-version scope.
Roles & permissions (minimal, but clear)
| Role | Can comment | Can approve | Can publish | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agency Creator (R) | Yes | No | No | Owns drafts & revisions |
| Client Approver (A) | Yes | Yes | No | One per client |
| Consulted (C) | Yes | No | No | Brand/Legal/Product |
| Scheduler | View | No | Yes | Publishes only approved |
Intake → approval pipeline (repeatable)
- Intake (one-page brief): audience, one message, CTA, channel spec, must-haves, deadline, approver.
- Draft: copy + asset(s) + alt text.
- Pre-flight checklist: ratio/legibility, claims, links/UTM, accessibility, brand voice.
- Review: assign A and Cs with SLA; comments consolidated on the version.
- Approve & lock: freeze version; log who/when; revoke public link if used.
- Schedule/publish: only “Approved” status moves forward.
SLA tiers that keep calendars moving
| Tier | Use for | Review window | Escalation |
|---|---|---|---|
| T1 | Organic, low risk | 24h | Auto nudge at 20h; escalate to A at 24h |
| T2 | Paid or important organic | 48h | Nudge at 36h; escalate at 48h |
| T3 | Regulated/launch | 72h | Legal gate; no public links |
Notification policy (avoid spam)
- On assign → one email/DM to A + Cs with scope (“Approve or comment on CTA only”).
- One reminder before SLA; one escalation at deadline. No hourly nags.
- Daily digest for each client: items waiting, owner, due date.
Templates you can reuse
- Brief: the 1-page model above.
- RACI: one A per client; Cs by exception.
- Brand-safety checklist: licensing, claims, policy, accessibility.
- Rubric: 5 items scored 1–3; comments only if “1”.
Governance (agency-grade)
- Data separation: assets/approvals kept per workspace; least privilege access.
- Retention: keep approvals & assets 12–24 months (client contract defines).
- Audit: immutable logs per version; export on request.
Migration plan (new client)
- Kickoff: collect brand kit, claims policy, legal constraints.
- Configure: workspace, members, RACI, SLAs, templates.
- Pilot: 1 week of posts with daily check-ins; adjust SLAs.
- Scale: add campaigns/channels; move to normal cadence.
KPIs & dashboard
- Time to first view & time to approval
- Rounds per post (median ≤ 2)
- Rework after approval (% reopened)
- Bottleneck map (copy/design/legal/client)
- On-time rate per SLA tier
FAQ
How many client approvers?
One Accountable approver per client. Extra voices become Cs.
Can clients approve without accounts?
Yes, for low-risk items via expiring, scoped public links; capture identity before actions.
What about legal?
Route only T3 items. Keep a brand-safety checklist for all posts.
