Ever spent hours writing the perfect caption, brainstorming the right angle, designing an eye-catching image for a post, only to have the client reject it because it wasn’t quite what they had in mind?
Or even worse, missed a key holiday for your client’s industry with no way to fix it after the fact?
Yeah… that stings.
The truth is, having a clear and structured workflow can save you from headaches like these.
That’s exactly why the mLabs workflow was built: to cut down on miscommunication, align expectations, and give your projects a much higher chance of getting approved and actually hitting the mark.
What is a workflow?
A workflow is simply a step-by-step process that outlines everything that needs to happen to get a project done.
In social media management, especially at agencies, defining this flow is essential because it usually involves multiple roles: social media managers, designers, account managers, ad specialists, and of course, the client.
But sometimes it’s all on one person’s shoulders. If you’ve ever been there, you know how tough that grind can be.
That’s what we jokingly call a “me-agency”, when one person has to do it all. In that case, having a well-defined and documented workflow isn’t just helpful, it’s a lifesaver.
Why is workflow so important in social media management?
As we’ve already touched on, managing social media isn’t a one-step job. When it comes to creating content for a brand, there are several moving parts. A typical post goes through stages like:
- Drafting the briefing;
- Writing the copy for both the graphic and caption;
- Defining the hashtags;
- Designing the visual asset;
- Getting client approval;
- Scheduling the post
At each step, the person in charge needs to clearly understand the goals of the post, how it should connect with the target audience, the deadlines, and any adjustments along the way.
And here’s the kicker: every message matters. Whether it’s an email or a quick WhatsApp reply, even those “small notes” from the client that could easily slip by are worth documenting.
Why? Because those details help minimize the risk of miscommunication, set realistic expectations, and prevent client dissatisfaction later on. They also make the whole process of social media management smoother, clearer, and more efficient for everyone involved.
That’s where the mLabs workflow comes in. It lets you centralize all these critical steps in one place, giving you tools to create tasks, track progress, and keep a full history of everything that happens during the process.
How to use the mLabs workflow?
The mLabs workflow was designed to make delivery easier, boost productivity, save time, and bring more intelligence to your processes.
Here’s how to start using its full potential in your daily routine:
Step 1: Add your team to the platform
To set up your workflow the right way, the first step is registering your entire team.
Follow this quick tutorial:
1. Click “Manage users” in the upper right corner of the mLabs home screen. Select “Add New.”.
2. On the next screen, type in the email and name of the person you want to add. Once that’s done, click “Continue.”.
3. Decide what level of access this person should have. You can either grant full access or customize permissions. When you’re ready, click “Next.”.
4. Choose which mLabs apps this user will have access to. After selecting, click “Save.”
Step 2: Create a task
Now we’re ready to jump into the mLabs workflow! You’ll find this feature at the top of the platform, in the main menu.
Click on “Workflow,” and you’ll be taken to a page with a button labeled “Add Task.” That’s the button you’ll click to create a new workflow.
Now here’s the easy part: everything is super intuitive! Just go through the fields step by step.
First, set a title for the task. Then choose the profile it belongs to, select the channels where it will be published, and define the date and time for posting.
Next, decide if it will be an automatic schedule, add your tags, and write the briefing, with the option to attach files if needed.
Step 3: Add users to work on the task
The next step in creating a task is to assign team members to the project. You can either choose from users who already have permission to access your account’s profiles or add a new member by clicking “Add New.”
Here’s how to do it:
- 1. Select the Creative Team, meaning the users responsible for adding the text and images to the tasks.
- 2. Select up to 2 Internal Approvers, who are the team members responsible for approving the task internally.
- 3. Then, select up to 2 External Approvers, who are usually clients or stakeholders responsible for approving the task externally. It is important to note that if you include two approvers, whether internal or external, the second approver will only be able to review and approve the task after the first approver has completed their action.
- 4. After filling in all the required fields, you can choose between “Save as Draft” and “Finish”.
- 5. When you click “Finish,” your task will be created and will appear in the Content column, so that the Creative Team can begin working on the post.
And that’s it. Your task has been successfully created!
Extra workflow settings
In addition to creating tasks, the Workflow also includes extra settings that make navigation easier.
Filters
By clicking on “Filters,” you can filter tasks by profile, time period, and status. You can also create advanced filters by selecting “Advanced Filters”. Cool, right?!
View
You can choose to see the Workflow in either board view or list view. Just click the option you prefer.
Settings
By clicking on “Settings” you can enable or disable specific actions.
What happens when you complete a task in the mLabs workflow?
As we’ve seen, a workflow task inside the platform goes through several stages. Once everything is completed, all the information and the full history are saved.
You can revisit every message exchanged: requests for adjustments, the exact date a task was assigned to a professional, what edits were requested, and so on.
You know those moments when you insist the client said x but they swear they said y?
That’s no longer an issue. With everything documented, the work becomes transparent, and you can clearly show the steps and changes that were made along the way, including whether or not there was a delay in any part of the process.
What are the advantages of this approval flow?
The size of digital marketing teams can vary a lot. Some agencies have more than 10 professionals, while “one-person agencies” handle everything from start to finish.
In both big teams and solo operations, lack of organization is one of the biggest risks. That’s why workflow brings clear advantages, such as:
- Better organization of marketing actions;
- Optimized work time;
- Faster communication with the team and clients;
- Stronger client relationships;
- More accurate and efficient deliveries.
Now that you know how the mLabs workflow works and the benefits it brings, it’s the perfect time to try it out yourself with a free trial!
