A Simple Guide for Agencies and Clients
When an agency manages social media for a client, creating the post is only part of the process.
Before anything goes live, the client may need to review the caption, check the creative, request a change, or approve the post.
Without a clear approval process, this can quickly become messy.
A post gets sent through WhatsApp. A client asks for a change in another chat. The revised version gets sent by email. Someone forgets which version was approved, and the social media manager is left trying to piece everything together.
A proper client approval workflow keeps the entire process in one place.
The agency creates the post, the client reviews it, changes are requested when necessary, the agency makes the revisions, and the post goes back to the client until it is explicitly approved.
The important part is that the same post and conversation stay together throughout the entire process.
What Is a Client Post Approval Workflow?
A client post approval workflow is a structured process that allows an agency or social media team to send scheduled content to a client for review before it goes live.
Instead of publishing a post immediately, the team sends it to the client for approval.
The client can:
Review the post
Approve it
Comment on it
Request changes
Attach reference material when needed
Withdraw an approval later
The agency can then make the requested changes and send the same post back for another review.
This creates a controlled loop:
Create → Send for Approval → Client Reviews → Approve or Request Changes → Revise → Resubmit → Approve → Schedule
The post only moves forward when the client explicitly approves it.
Why Client Approval Matters
Client approval is not just about getting permission to publish.
It creates clarity for everyone involved.
For agencies, it provides a clear record of what was sent to the client and what was approved.
For clients, it gives them a defined place to review their content and communicate changes.
It also reduces some of the common problems that happen when approvals are handled across multiple channels:
“I thought I already approved that.”
“Which version are we using?”
“I sent the correction yesterday.”
“Did you see the image I attached?”
“Was this the post I approved or the old version?”
A structured workflow keeps the post, comments, revisions, and approval history connected.
How the Client Approval Workflow Works
The workflow can be broken down into six steps.
1. The agency creates the post
The team member prepares the post, selects the platform, writes the content, and chooses the intended publishing time.
Create a new post
Prompt to assign the post to a client after creating it
Before the post moves forward, the team member can choose to send it to the client for approval.
The client and approval deadline are then selected.
Send this post for client review
Set the review deadline
Client selected and deadline set
Post created successfully
Once assigned, the client receives an email notification.
Email to the client: a post needs your approval
The post moves into Needs client on the agency side and Needs you on the client side.
External client reviews: Needs client
Its status is:
PENDING APPROVAL
Content Library: status shows Pending Approval
2. The client reviews the post
The client opens the post and reviews the content.
The client opens the review: previews and Approve revision
At this stage, there are two possible outcomes.
The client can approve the post if everything is correct.
Or the client can request changes if something needs to be edited.
This keeps the decision simple: approve or send it back for review.
3. The client approves the post
If no changes are required, the client clicks APPROVE.
The client reviews the updated version and clicks Approve revision
Post revision approved successfully
The post moves into the Approved view.
Its status changes to Scheduled, and the post can proceed to go live according to its schedule.
The client and the team member who assigned the post also receive an email notification.
Email: your post was approved
At this point, there is a clear record that the client approved the content.
4. The client requests changes
Sometimes the post is not ready.
The client can comment on the post and explain what needs to be changed.
The client types the requested change
They can also attach images or other reference material when necessary.
The client attaches a reference image
Feedback sent: changes requested
Once changes are requested, the post moves back to the agency.
Its status changes to:
IN REVIEW
Content Library: status shows In Review
The agency sees it under With agency, while the client can see it under the corresponding With agency view.
External client reviews: With agency
Changes Requested banner: approval disabled until the agency updates
The team member who assigned the post receives an email notification about the client’s comment.
Email to the agency: the client commented
The agency can read the client’s comment and open or download any attachment from the conversation history.
Conversation history with the client attachment (view or download)
5. The agency revises and resubmits the post
The assigned team member opens the existing post and makes the requested changes.
Open the existing post and click Edit Post
Edit Scheduled Post: comments stay attached to the same post
Revised caption in the same post
This is an important part of the workflow:
The agency should update the existing post instead of creating a new one.
Once the changes are made, the team member selects Update Scheduled Post.
Update Scheduled Post: post updated successfully
The status returns to:
PENDING APPROVAL
Status returns to Pending Approval
The post moves back to Needs client, and the client can review the updated version.
Post moves back to Needs client
The conversation and previous review activity remain attached to the same post.
The agency replies in the same conversation
Email to the client: the agency commented
6. The process repeats until the post is approved
Not every post will be approved on the first review.
The client may request another change. The agency may revise it again. The client may review it again.
That is normal.
The same workflow can continue for as many review cycles as necessary:
Client requests changes → Agency revises → Client reviews → Client approves or requests more changes
The key rule does not change:
The post cannot move forward until the client explicitly approves it.
What the Agency Sees
For agency teams, the external client review area is divided into four useful views.
All Reviews
This contains every post that is part of the external client review process.
It gives the team an overall view of posts moving through client approval.
Needs Client
This contains posts waiting for the client to review and approve.
It also includes posts that have been revised by the agency and sent back to the client.
Status:
PENDING APPROVAL
With Agency
This contains posts that the client has commented on or returned because changes are required.
Status:
IN REVIEW
This view helps the agency identify which posts require action.
Approved
This contains posts that the client has approved.
These posts can proceed according to their schedule.
Who Can Send a Post to a Client?
Not every team member can assign a post to a client for approval.
The following roles can send posts to clients:
Workspace Owner
Editor
Social Media Manager
There are also different commenting permissions.
The Workspace Owner can comment on any post assigned to the client, regardless of who originally assigned it.
Editors and Social Media Managers can comment only on posts they personally assigned to the client.
This helps maintain control over the client review process within the workspace.
What the Client Sees
The client experience is intentionally simpler.
Instead of managing the entire content workflow, the client primarily needs to know:
What needs my attention?
The client can access the approval workflow through Post Approval.
The main views include:
Needs You
Posts currently waiting for the client’s review.
Status:
PENDING APPROVAL
With Agency
Posts that the client has returned because changes are required.
Status:
IN REVIEW
Approved
Posts that the client has approved.
All Posts
All posts available to the client within the approval workflow.
The client can also access the Content Scheduler, Library, Post Approval, and Brand Kit depending on the workspace setup.
What Happens When a Client Withdraws Approval?
Approval does not always have to be permanent.
A client can withdraw an approval if they later realise that something needs to change.
When approval is withdrawn, the post returns to the review process.
The client sees it under Needs You, while the agency sees it under Needs Client.
Both parties receive an email notification.
Email: post approval withdrawn
This makes the change visible to everyone involved instead of relying on a private message or verbal update.
Why the Same Post Record Matters
One of the most important rules in an approval workflow is keeping the review history attached to the original post.
Imagine this:
A client requests a change.
The agency creates a completely new post with the revised caption.
The client then approves the new version.
Now there are two posts in the system.
Which one was approved?
What happened to the original comments?
Which version is scheduled?
This is exactly the kind of confusion a proper approval workflow should prevent.
Instead, the agency should update the existing post.
That means the same post record carries the process from:
Initial submission → Client comments → Agency revision → Resubmission → Approval
The conversation stays with the post.
The revision stays with the post.
The approval stays with the post.
There is no need to create duplicate posts just because a client requested a change.
Client Approval Statuses Explained
The workflow becomes easier to understand when each status has a clear meaning.
Trigger
Status
Agency View
Client View
Post sent to client
PENDING APPROVAL
Needs Client
Needs You
Client requests changes
IN REVIEW
With Agency
With Agency
Agency updates and resubmits
PENDING APPROVAL
Needs Client
Needs You
Client approves
Scheduled / Approved
Approved
Approved
Client withdraws approval
Needs review again
Needs Client
Needs You
The exact status tells both sides what needs to happen next.
A Simple Example
Imagine an agency is managing Instagram content for a restaurant.
The social media manager creates a post promoting the restaurant’s weekend menu.
The post is scheduled for Saturday at 12:00 PM and sent to the client for approval.
The client reviews it and notices that one of the menu prices is incorrect.
Instead of sending a message through WhatsApp, the client comments directly on the post and points out the incorrect price.
The social media manager receives the notification, opens the same post, corrects the price, and updates the scheduled post.
The post goes back to PENDING APPROVAL.
The client reviews it again.
Everything is now correct, so the client clicks APPROVE.
The post moves to Approved and can proceed to its scheduled publishing time.
One post.
One conversation.
One approval trail.
No duplicate versions to chase.
Best Practices for Agency Teams
A good approval workflow becomes even more useful when the team follows a few simple rules.
Set realistic approval deadlines
Give clients enough time to review content before the scheduled publishing time.
A post scheduled for 9:00 AM tomorrow should not be sent for approval at 8:55 AM today.
Be specific when requesting approval
When sending a post, make sure the client knows what they are reviewing and when their approval is needed.
Keep feedback attached to the post
Whenever possible, keep comments and requested changes within the approval workflow rather than moving the conversation to multiple platforms.
Do not create duplicate posts
If a client requests a change, edit the existing post.
Do not create a new post for every revision.
Review before sending
The approval process should not replace internal quality control.
The agency should check the caption, creative, platform, links, tags, and scheduling details before sending the post to the client.
Best Practices for Clients
Clients also play an important role in keeping the workflow moving.
Review posts before the deadline
A delayed approval can delay the entire content schedule.
Give specific feedback
Instead of saying “I don’t like this,” explain what needs to change.
For example:
“Please change the price from ₦15,000 to ₦18,000 and use the second image.”
Specific feedback makes revisions faster.
Use comments for revisions
Keeping feedback attached to the relevant post makes it easier for everyone to understand what needs to be changed.
Check the revised version
When the agency sends an updated post back, review the changes before approving it.
Withdraw approval when necessary
If something changes after approval, the approval can be withdrawn so the post can return to review.
The Goal Is a Clearer Review Process
Client approval does not have to become a long chain of messages, screenshots, and revised files.
With a structured workflow, everyone knows where a post stands.
The agency knows which posts need client attention.
The client knows which posts need review.
Requested changes stay connected to the original post.
Revisions happen on the existing post instead of creating duplicates.
And most importantly, a post does not move forward until the client has explicitly approved it.
For teams managing multiple clients and large volumes of social media content, that kind of structure can make the review process much easier to manage.
Create. Review. Revise. Approve. Schedule.
That is the workflow.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a post be scheduled before the client approves it?
No. Client approval is required before the post can move forward in the approval workflow.
What happens when a client requests changes?
The post moves to IN REVIEW and returns to the agency. The assigned team member can edit the existing post and resubmit it for approval.
Does the agency need to create a new post after making changes?
No. The existing post should be updated. Creating a duplicate post can make the approval and scheduling history harder to track.
Can clients attach files or images when requesting changes?
Yes. Clients can attach images or other reference material to their comments when requesting changes.
Can a client withdraw an approval?
Yes. A client can withdraw an approval, which sends the post back into the review process and notifies both parties.
Will the agency know when a client comments or approves a post?
Yes. The relevant email notifications keep the assigned team member informed about client comments and approval activity.
Can the client and agency repeat the review process?
Yes. The review, revision, and resubmission cycle can continue until the client explicitly approves the post.
The Bottom Line
A client approval workflow should answer three questions at every stage:
Who needs to act?
What needs to happen?
What happens next?
When those answers are clear, client reviews become easier for both the agency and the client.
The agency creates the post.
The client reviews it.
Changes go back to the agency.
The agency updates the same post.
The client reviews it again.
And once the client approves, the post can move forward.
No scattered feedback. No guessing which version is approved. No unnecessary duplicate posts.
Just one post moving through a clear review process from creation to approval.