Your organization likely has a solid content strategy in place

Your organization likely has a solid content strategy in place — one that guides teams to create engaging, on-brand content that aligns with business objectives and drives results.

But how do you make sure content stays compliant? How do you keep content accessible, yet secure? And how is that content passed through stages of approval?

These are the questions answered by content governance.

Think of content strategy as designing and building your dream house — the layout, style, and materials. Content governance, on the other hand, is the smart home system that keeps everything running smoothly and securely.

In this blog, we’ll break down the essentials of content governance — and how to build a model that truly works for your enterprise.

What does that actually look like?

Content governance looks different for every company, but essentially encompasses a number of key documents, workflows, and software tools that dictate how content is managed across an organization. These documents and tools provide a blueprint that outlines the roles, processes, and rules needed to ensure consistency, compliance, and brand integrity. 

We call this blueprint a content governance model. 

Here’s a deeper dive into what a content governance model might look like:

1. Written documentation

• Guidelines and manuals: Practical documents, such as style guides, brand voice manuals, or content templates, which provide direction for content creators and editors.
• Policy documents: These outline the rules, standards, and guidelines for content creation, approval, and distribution. They define roles, workflows, compliance requirements, brand guidelines, and access controls.

2. Diagrams and flowcharts

• Workflow maps: Visual representations showing how content moves through various stages (creation, review, approval, publication). These charts illustrate roles and decision points, making the process easy to understand and follow.
• Hierarchy charts: These show the roles and responsibilities within the content governance framework, highlighting who has decision-making authority at each stage.

3. Digital tools and platforms

• Content Management Systems (CMS): The content governance model often involves content management software, like a CMS and ECM (Enterprise Content Management) platform, for example Templafy and SharePoint, which enforce the guidelines through access controls, automated workflows, and version control.
• Collaboration and project management tools: Platforms such as Asana, Trello, or Confluence may be used to track content production, approval workflows, and to store the documentation for easy access.

Why do organizations need content governance?

Without a content governance model in place, bottlenecks slow down workflows and costly errors occur. 

In fact, 94% of employees regularly find errors in “finalized” documents, and 62% waste time recreating content that already exists — according to a Templafy survey of 2,000 global workers. 

Here’s what happens when content governance is missing.

• Brand inconsistency: When content lives in scattered locations without central oversight, it’s nearly impossible to keep branding consistent. Outdated logos, mismatched fonts, or off-brand messaging can slip through the cracks, weakening your brand identity.
• Workflow bottlenecks: A lack of clear processes and roles results in approval delays and slow turnaround times. Content creators are left chasing feedback, causing unnecessary hold-ups that affect productivity and project timelines.
• Compliance issues: In industries where regulations are non-negotiable, content that hasn’t been reviewed for compliance can pose serious risks. Without governance, you can’t ensure every document aligns with legal, financial, or industry standards.
• Productivity blockers: Searching for the latest assets drains valuable time. When governance is missing, teams face unnecessary productivity blockers that undermine efficiency.

Software: Content governance tools to prioritize

By utilizing advanced content governance tools, organizations can prioritize efficiency, compliance, and brand consistency. From housing all content in a centralized platform to leveraging automated workflows, these tools ensure that every piece of content is managed, reviewed, and distributed seamlessly. 

Let’s explore the features that make content governance software an essential asset for modern enterprises.

• Centralized platform: It provides a single source of truth for all your content. Everything from templates and brand assets to finalized documents is stored in one accessible location.
• Automated workflows: Say goodbye to manual follow-ups and bottlenecks. Automated workflows route content through the necessary approval stages, ensuring it’s reviewed, edited, and signed off efficiently.
• Built-in compliance: Integrated compliance tools automatically check for adherence to regulatory and brand guidelines, reducing risk and ensuring content is always compliant.
• Role-based access: Permissions are assigned based on roles, so the right people have access to the right content. This control minimizes errors and keeps sensitive information secure.
• Performance insights: Advanced reporting features let you monitor content usage, turnaround times, and compliance rates, providing actionable insights for optimizing your content strategy.

Ready to secure your content governance?

The best way to learn more about Templafy is to see it in action.

Book a demo with Templafy to  see how a powerful document automation platform can transform content management and oversight, streamline your workflows, and help you build on-brand documents at scale.