Guide
How to get client approval on social media posts, without chasing
Most approval delays aren't about the content. They come from an unclear process: nobody knows who has the final say, the client sees a doc instead of the post, and “looks good!” arrives in a WhatsApp thread three days late. Here's a process that fixes that, whatever tool you use.
1. Agree on one approver and a deadline before the first post
Put both in the contract or onboarding doc. One named person on the client side gives the final yes. Others can comment, but their comments go through that person. Then agree how far ahead they get to see posts, and by when they answer. A common shape is: you send a week's posts on Monday, and they answer by Wednesday end of day.
Also agree what happens when they don't answer. We'd argue silence should not count as approval. If it does, the first post that goes wrong is your fault. Say plainly that unapproved posts don't go out, and that missed deadlines move the schedule.
2. Send in batches, not one post at a time
One message per post trains the client to answer one post at a time, so you end up chasing each one. Send a batch (a week or a month) once, on the same day every cycle. One request with a clear deadline gets answered. Twelve scattered pings don't.
3. Show the post as it will appear
A caption in a spreadsheet and an image in a separate folder is not what the client's audience will see. Clients approve what's in front of them, so put the real thing in front of them:
- the image cropped the way the platform will crop it;
- the caption cut off where the platform shows “more”, because that first line is what most people read;
- carousels as swipeable slides in order, not a pile of files;
- one preview per platform when the caption or format differs.
Most “can we change this after it's live?” requests come from a client who approved a draft that looked different from the published post.
4. Ask for a decision per post, not “thoughts”
“Let me know what you think” invites a paragraph of loose feedback with no decision in it. Ask for one of two answers on each post: approved, or change this, with a note saying what. Feedback tied to a specific post is quick to act on. A general reaction to the whole batch isn't.
5. Keep a record of who approved what, and when
Sooner or later a client says “I never approved that.” An emoji reaction in a group chat won't settle it. Keep the approver's name, the post, the version they saw and the time. In email, that means one reply per batch from the named approver, filed where your team can find it.
6. If a post changes after it was approved, ask again
A fixed typo is fine. A new image, a different offer or a reworded claim is a different post, and the old yes doesn't cover it. Agree up front which edits need re-approval. When in doubt, ask again. A quick “one change since you approved this” is cheaper than a takedown.
7. Remind only about what's still waiting
A reminder that lists the whole batch makes the client hunt for what's left. Remind them only about the posts nobody has answered, nearest date first, during their working hours. Stop once everything has an answer. If you remind too often, they start ignoring the reminders.
A client approval email you can copy
Subject: Posts for [week of 14 Oct], for your approval by Wed 6pm
Hi [name],
Here are the [6] posts for next week: [link]. Each one shows exactly how it will look on [Instagram and LinkedIn].
For each post, please reply approved or tell us what to change. Anything not approved by Wednesday 6pm moves to the following week rather than going out unchecked.
Thanks,
[you]
A checklist for each cycle
- One named approver, and the deadline is in their calendar.
- Posts are sent as one batch, on the usual day.
- Each post is shown as it will appear, per platform.
- Each post has a clear answer: approved, or a change with a note.
- Who approved what, and when, is written down.
- Anything edited after approval has been approved again.
- Nothing goes out without a yes.
Where SaySo fits
You can run every step above with email and a shared folder. SaySo exists because doing it that way, for many clients every week, is where the hours go. Its review link shows each post as it will appear, takes one answer per post with no client login, records who answered and when, asks again when an approved post is edited, and reminds the client only about what's still waiting. See how client approval works in SaySo.