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7 ways to master version control in marketing documents

Version control is essential – but not always easy. The review and editing process for marketing content and documents can go astray when you don’t keep tight hold of it – with potentially disastrous results.

Regulatory compliance breaches; typos and errors; brand slip-ups. All of these can result from poor version control, leaving you having to rework, reprint or even recall your marketing documents.

That’s why we’ve created this handy version control checklist, with 7 vital steps you need to take if you want impeccable version control for your marketing, business development and sales content and materials.

1. Set out clear guidelines
   This is the essential first step in your version control journey. Be clear on the process: what is its aim, what does it entail, what do you expect those involved to do? Ensure everyone knows what is expected of them: what role do they play and where does their part fit into the whole process? 

2. Be clear on timings and deadlines
   What’s the deadline for each round of edits? What is the timeframe for the entire review process? Make it clear what deadlines you are working to at each stage.

3. Set consistent naming and editing conventions
   If you’re editing concurrently, you need to be clear on whose edits are whose. You also need to be sure of what editing instructions mean. Unambiguous directions for your design team or agency are essential if you want to minimise errors, miscommunications and rework.

4. Capture version history
   You need to keep a detailed and accurate history of your review and editing process. If any errors creep in, this enables you to identify where and how, for continuous improvement. It’s also vital for compliance reasons; if you’re a regulated business, you need to keep a compliant audit trail of your marketing review, approvals and production process in case it’s scrutinised at any point. With the FCA more determined than ever to ensure that consumers are getting the outcomes they deserve, compliance is definitely in the spotlight.

5. Implement an approval workflow
   Setting up a clear approval workflow will support points 1. and 2. – making it clear what needs to be done and by when, and clearly mandating responsibility for each step. There may be several levels of review in this workflow, with different individuals and teams (for example, Marketing, Compliance, Creative) having different levels of access and contributing at various stages in the process.

6. Use version control software
   Employing technology for version control can have significant benefits – beefing up your processes, putting in place notifications and reminders, ensuring nothing slips through the net, giving you assurances around security – vital when cybersecurity incidents are impacting corporate reputation more than ever. Considering a version control platform to manage the creation of your marketing documents is definitely something that should be on your list.

7. Set up automated notifications and reminders
   One clear advantage of version control software is its ability to help you manage your deadlines and responsibilities. Setting automated notifications of updates, and reminders to complete tasks, helps everyone in the approval workflow to understand their role and to manage their reviews on time, and in the right order.

Simplify your version control process for success

So there you have it – 7 steps to meticulous version control for your marketing content and documents. 

While these steps might seem simple – common sense; ‘no-brainers’ even – they are not always easy to implement. One reason why many marketers are employing technology to help. 

Workflow approvals platforms can make your version control more rigorous and consistent. They can save you time, work and, as a result, money; something your always-stretched marketing budget will no doubt welcome. 

Find out more about Perivan’s workflow approval platform, and how you can request a demo, here.