Content Approvals
Collaborate with your team and clients to review, approve, and publish content through a structured workflow.
What is Content Approval?
Content Approval provides a structured review process for articles, SERP analyses, and content briefs before they go live. Team members can request approvals, assign reviewers, add comments, and track the approval status through an organized workflow—ensuring quality control and client satisfaction.
⏱️ Estimated Time: 10 minutes
📋 Prerequisites:
- Generated article, SERP analysis, or content brief ready for review
- Team members added to your project
- Understanding of your review workflow (internal only, or include client review)
Step 1: Request Approval from Content
You can request approval from three different locations depending on your content type:
From Article Viewer
When viewing a generated article, click the "Request Approval" button in the top right corner.
From SERP Analysis
When viewing SERP analysis results, click the "Request Approval" button next to the cluster topic.
From Content Settings
When viewing a content brief, click the "Request Approval" button at the top.
ℹ️ NOTE: The Request Approval button only appears for content that doesn't already have an active approval request. Content with pending approvals shows an approval status badge instead.
Step 2: Assign Reviewers and Set Priority
A modal will open with two steps. First, assign team members to review the content:
Assign Reviewers
Select one or more team members from your project who should review this content. You can assign:
- Admins for internal quality control
- Editors for content review and edits
- Clients (Viewer role) for final approval
Set Priority
Choose the urgency level:
- Low: No rush, review when convenient
- Normal: Standard review timeline
- High: Important, needs prompt attention
- Urgent: Critical, needs immediate review
💡 PRO TIP: Assign multiple reviewers for different perspectives. For example, assign an editor for content quality and a client for final approval. The workflow will guide content through each reviewer sequentially.
Click "Next: Configure Workflow" to proceed.
Step 3: Configure Workflow and Due Date
In step 2, configure the approval workflow:
Due Date
Set when the approval should be completed. This helps track timelines and sends reminder notifications.
Workflow Stage (Optional)
Choose the starting workflow step:
- Pending: Initial state, not yet assigned
- Internal Review: For team review before client sees it
- Client Review: Skip internal review, go straight to client
ℹ️ NOTE: Most approvals start at "Pending" and the system automatically moves them through Internal Review → Client Review → Closed based on who you assign and what actions they take.
Click "Send Approval Request" to create the approval. Assigned reviewers will receive email notifications immediately.
Step 4: Track Approvals in Dashboard
Navigate to "Content Approvals" in the sidebar to see all approval requests. The dashboard shows:
Filter Tabs
- All: Every approval across all projects
- Pending: Waiting for initial assignment
- In Review: Currently being reviewed
- Approved: Completed and approved
- Rejected: Sent back for revisions
Approval Cards
Each approval displays:
- Content title and type (Article, SERP Analysis, Brief)
- Current status and workflow step
- Assigned reviewer with avatar
- Priority level
- Due date
- Project name
💡 PRO TIP: Use filters to focus on approvals that need your attention. If you're an admin, filter by "Pending" to see what needs assignment. If you're a reviewer, filter by your name to see your assigned approvals.
Click any approval card to open the detailed review interface.
Step 5: Understanding the Workflow Progress
When you open an approval, you'll see a visual workflow indicator at the top showing four stages:
1. Approval Raised (Pending)
Initial state when approval is created. Content is waiting for first reviewer assignment.
2. Internal Review
Team members (Admins, Editors) review content quality, accuracy, and SEO optimization before client sees it.
3. Client Review
Client or external stakeholders review content for final approval before publishing.
4. Ready to Publish (Closed)
Approval workflow is complete. Content is approved and ready to publish to your website.
The current step is highlighted in blue, completed steps show in green, and upcoming steps are gray. A status badge on the current step shows whether it's approved, rejected, or pending.
ℹ️ NOTE: Not all approvals go through every stage. You can skip Internal Review and go straight to Client Review, or complete approvals entirely within internal review without client involvement.
Step 6: Review Content Interface
The approval detail page has two main sections:
Left Side: Content Preview
Displays the full content being reviewed:
- For Articles: Full article text with formatting, images, tables, and links
- For SERP Analysis: Analysis results with The Five Ranking Factors tabs - Content, Links, AI Ready, UX, SEO
- For Content Briefs: Complete brief settings including keywords, outline, tone, and SEO parameters
Right Side: Review Panel
Provides review tools:
- Content Info: Priority, due date, current assignee
- Review Actions: Approve, reject, or request changes with comments
- Next Assignee: Select who reviews next
- Approval History: Timeline of all actions and comments
💡 PRO TIP: Use the content preview to thoroughly review everything. For articles, check the Structure, Images, YouTube, External Links, and Tables tabs to see all content elements. For SERP analyses, review all five ranking factor tabs.
Step 7: Taking Review Actions
In the Review Panel, you'll see actions available based on your role and the current workflow step:
Available Actions:
✅ Approve / Submit for Approval / Send to Client
Moves content forward in the workflow. The button label changes based on context:
- Submit for Approval: If you're the author resubmitting after rejections
- Send to Client: If you're an admin approving during internal review
- Final Approval: If you're a client doing final approval
❌ Reject
Sends content back for major revisions. Requires comment explaining what needs to change. Resets workflow to Pending state.
⚠️ Request Changes / Add Comments
Adds feedback without changing workflow status. Use this for minor suggestions or to provide input while keeping approval active.
Making a Decision:
- Select Action: Choose the radio button for your decision
- Assign Next Reviewer: Select who should review next (required for all actions)
- Add Comment: Provide feedback (required for reject and request changes)
- Click Submit Review: Your decision is processed and notifications sent
ℹ️ NOTE: The Next Assignee dropdown filters team members based on the workflow stage. During internal review, you can only assign to Admins/Editors. When sending to client, you can only assign to Viewers (client role).
Step 8: Review Approval History
Below the review actions, the Approval History shows a complete timeline of everything that happened:
What's Tracked:
- Status changes (pending → internal review → client review)
- Workflow step transitions
- Comments and feedback from all reviewers
- Assignee changes (who's reviewing now)
- Timestamps for each action
The history is displayed in reverse chronological order (newest first) with:
- Step badges: Show which workflow stage
- Status badges: Show the decision (approved, rejected, pending)
- Comment boxes: Display reviewer feedback
- Assignee info: Show who was assigned next
💡 PRO TIP: History is especially useful when content goes through multiple revision cycles. You can see all past feedback, understand why changes were requested, and track how long each stage took.
Step 9: Email Notifications
Everyone involved receives email notifications at key moments:
When You're Assigned
Subject: "Approval Assigned: [Content Title]"
Receive when someone assigns an approval to you for review.
When Status Changes
Subject: "Approval Status Changed: [Content Title]"
Receive when approval moves to a new workflow stage or gets approved/rejected.
When Comments Are Added
Subject: "New Comment on Approval: [Content Title]"
Receive when someone adds feedback without changing status.
When Approval Closes
Subject: "Approval Completed: [Content Title]"
Receive when the full approval workflow finishes.
Each email includes:
- Content title and type
- Project name
- Current status and workflow step
- Reviewer's comments (if provided)
- "Review Now" button linking directly to the approval page
ℹ️ NOTE: Email notifications are sent immediately when actions occur. Check your email preferences in account settings if you want to adjust notification frequency.
Step 10: Role-Based Permissions
Different team roles have different capabilities in the approval workflow:
Owner / Admin
Full access to all approval actions:
- Can approve at any workflow stage
- Can reject and reopen closed approvals
- Can reassign to any team member
- Can add comments and request changes
Editor
Limited approval powers:
- Can submit content for approval
- Can respond to change requests
- Can approve during internal review (sends to client)
- Can request changes but cannot give final approval
Viewer (Client)
Client-focused permissions:
- Can only act during client review stage
- Can give final approval or reject
- Can add comments and request changes
- Receives notifications when content reaches their stage
💡 PRO TIP: Set up your team roles correctly from the start. Clients should have Viewer role so they only see content during client review stage, not during internal revisions.
Step 11: Mobile Review Experience
On mobile devices, the review interface adapts to a single-column layout:
- Workflow Progress appears at the top
- Content Preview displays in full width for easy reading
- Review Panel appears below with all actions
- Floating Action Buttons provide quick access to approve/reject from anywhere on the page
All review capabilities are available on mobile—you can review articles, add comments, approve, or reject from your phone.
ℹ️ NOTE: The mobile layout maintains all functionality. However, for detailed SERP analysis review with multiple tabs or long articles, desktop provides a better experience.
Step 12: Content Preview by Type
Depending on what you're reviewing, the content preview shows different information:
Article Preview
Shows six tabs:
- Content: Full article with markdown formatting
- Structure: Table of contents and heading hierarchy
- Images: All images with alt text and DALL-E prompts
- YouTube: Embedded video suggestions
- External Links: All outbound links with context
- Tables: Structured data tables
SERP Analysis Preview
Shows The Five Ranking Factors:
- Content: Main topics, key themes, content gaps, questions, opportunities
- Links: Internal and external link recommendations
- AI Ready: AI optimization score, schema markup, featured snippets
- UX: Reading level, mobile optimization, page speed
- SEO: Technical SEO checklist, meta tags, URL structure
Content Brief Preview
Shows two-column layout:
- Left: Title, SEO keywords, topic, slug, language, country
- Right: Article type, tone, point of view, reading level, model, word count
- Summary: Auto-generated sentence describing the brief configuration
Common Workflows
Scenario 1: Simple Internal Approval
- Editor generates article
- Editor requests approval, assigns to Admin
- Admin reviews, approves (sends to client)
- Client receives notification, reviews, gives final approval
- Article moves to "Ready to Publish"
Scenario 2: Revision Cycle
- Editor generates article
- Editor requests approval, assigns to Admin
- Admin reviews, rejects with comments about needed changes
- Editor receives notification, makes edits
- Editor resubmits for approval, assigns back to Admin
- Admin approves, sends to client
- Client gives final approval
Scenario 3: Skip Client Review
- Editor generates article
- Admin reviews internally, decides client review not needed
- Admin marks as "Final Approval" without assigning to client
- Article moves directly to "Ready to Publish"
💡 PRO TIP: Use approval workflows that match your team size. Small teams can skip internal review. Agencies working with clients should use the full workflow for client visibility and approval.
🚀 Next Steps:
- Publish Approved Content to Your Website
- Set Up Automation with Approval Gates
- Manage Team Roles and Permissions
Updated on: 11/02/2026
Thank you!