All posts October 1, 2024

How to set up effective content governance

By Mark Saunders · 3 minute read

Content is more than just a marketing asset: it’s a strategic resource. Mastering content governance is key to stay ahead in any industry.

Over the years, we have had many clients share their disappointment in that their content operations remain inefficient and disorganized, even after hiring several experts.

Diligently and continuously following a few simple steps will ensure your content is managed effectively. Read on to discover why effective content governance is not simply a nice to have but is essential for your organisation.

Managing content effectively is crucial for any business to maintain a competitive edge. Without good governance, issues will creep in, including:

Poor content quality
Inconsistent or off-brand messaging
Inefficient content operations

1. Start with a Clear Content Strategy

A solid content strategy is the foundation of effective governance. It’s about more than just producing content. It’s about understanding your goals, your audience, what resonates with them and what to do to deliver consistency across channels. We’ve worked with several clients to ensure that their content streams across channels maintained they quality, coherence and uniformity through agreeing simple rules and through concepts of single-sourcing and reuse.

Your strategy might focus on educating your audience about your products or about simplifying complex information.

2. Design Efficient Content Operations

Efficient content operations are essential in the content lifecycle. Think of it as setting up a streamlined system where every part works together seamlessly and is automated as much as possible. This involves establishing clear workflows and selecting the right tools to support collaboration and automation.

At Arcast, we recently worked with a client to implement a Content Management System to automate content approvals and manage distribution efficiently. This approach freed up valuable time and resources, allowing for more focus on strategic activities.

3. Optimise Content Operations for Scalability

I'm annoyed by the time wasted on manual processes for managing and distributing content

This is an all-too-often heard statement from organisations that later become our clients!

As your business grows, so will your content requirements. Optimising your operations ensures that your systems can handle increased volume without compromising quality. This means regularly reviewing performance metrics and refining processes based on what the data reveals.

Throughout various industries, we see examples of companies that set up a feedback loop where customer service teams reported common queries. This feedback guides the creation of targeted content, addressing customer needs while reducing support costs.

4. Foster Cross-Departmental Collaboration

Effective content governance requires collaboration across distinct departments with each their own timelines and objectives. Regular meetings and clear communication help everyone align on content goals and ensure a unified approach.

Working with clients, we often ensure that the Legal teams work closely with content creators to ensure all materials meet industry regulations, making the content creation process more cohesive and compliant at the same time to prevent lengthy review cycles and suprises after deadlines flew by.

5. Implement a Content Governance Framework

The content governance framework acts as a guide for content creation and management. It ensures consistency and quality by establishing rules, guidelines, and standards. This might include developing style guides, setting editorial standards, and defining approval processes.

content-governance

A Content Governance Framework supports content creation and management to ensure consistency, quality, and alignment with business objectives.

It has clearly defined roles and responsibilities for content creators, editors, approvers, and other stakeholders.
It establishes guidelines for content creation, review, approval, and distribution.
It describes and enforces consistent standards and contains style guides and templates for formatting, tone, and style.
It contains Content Lifecycle Management plans and guidelines to create, publish, and archive content.
It sets KPIs to track content performance and make data-driven decisions.

6. Leverage Data and Analytics

Data and analytics are crucial for refining content operations. By tracking key metrics like engagement and conversion rates, you gain insights into what’s effective and what needs a fine-tune or and updated approach to meet their audience’s needs better.

This data helps you make informed decisions and adjust strategies accordingly. For example: tracking how much of which content is read, will tell you what stale content to update or remove, while investing in content improvements of highly visited content.

7. Continuous Improvement

Content governance is an ongoing process that requires regular updates and improvements. Stay informed about industry trends and best practices, and periodically review your governance framework to keep it effective and aligned with your business objectives.

Conclusion

Setting up effective content governance is a dynamic process that evolves with your business needs and industry trends. When designing efficient operations and optimising them for scalability, you can create a robust governance framework that supports sustainable growth. At Arcast, we offer expert services to help you refine your content strategy, streamline operations, and implement frameworks tailored to your needs.

A successful content governance framework is not a one-size-fits-all solution. It must be tailored to your organisation's needs, goals, and resources. By working closely with our team, we can develop a framework that aligns with your business strategy and supports your long-term success.