Semrush publishes hundreds of blog articles each year. Each 1 needs editorial review, and astir request revisions earlier they’re fresh for publication. As a Senior Editor, I make that process happen.
What the editing for a fixed article really entails is beautiful varied. We screen a batch of topics, activity pinch galore writers, and equilibrium competing priorities.
So, I simply can’t dainty each portion the aforesaid way. But I besides can’t invent a wholly caller attack whenever it’s clip for maine to edit content. (I did that initially, and it didn’t spell well.)
Instead, I usage 1 of 5 editing approaches. And I’m astir to locomotion you done each of them, really I determine which 1 to use, and immoderate existent examples of what those editing approaches look like. I’m besides sharing my editing champion practices for immoderate portion — nary matter the approach.
My 5 editing approaches
Here’s really I specify my 5 main editing approaches:
- Overhaul: An edit that’s almost exclusively comments to get the article directionally connected track. There are usually immoderate high-level edits successful Google Docs’ Editing mode, specified arsenic rearranging the bid of sections.
- Rework: A 30%-50% line-by-line edit successful Editing mode pinch overarching comments for sections that request much important work. Alex Lindley, our Managing Editor, is the 1 who initially recommended a 30% edit for pieces that request a important number of revisions. I’m gladsome he did!
- Deep Dive: A line-by-line edit successful Editing mode, pinch comments and revision requests passim the full article. This is easy what astir contented I edit falls under.
- Lighter Touch: An edit wherever astir changes are straightforward. I use changes either straight aliases successful Editing mode, adding comments and revision requests arsenic needed.
- No Notes: An edit wherever I use each changes straight and adhd nary commentary. These pieces are highly rare.
I’m not usually 1 to coin position — I hadn’t moreover thought to do truthful earlier I started penning this article. But utilizing actual names seems important for making judge you cognize what I’m talking astir passim the coming sections.
That said, you tin telephone these editing approaches thing you want. I’m conscionable not that precious astir it.
How I determine which editing attack to use
I take an editing attack for an article by considering 4 dimensions successful operation pinch 1 another:
- Article quality
- Article type
- Article importance
- Writer experience
I usually do this appraisal successful my head, but it translates beautiful easy to a actual model that anyone who reviews contented tin use.
Here’s really it works: For the portion you’re moving on, delegate a people of 0 to 2 for each of the 4 dimensions based connected the beneath framework. Add the scores for each column. Then adhd the file scores to get your full score.
| 1 | 2 | ||
| Article quality | Significant issues crossed actual inaccuracy, reside of voice, structural coherence, clarity, hunt optimization, merchandise mentions, and style guideline adherence. | A fewer issues pinch actual inaccuracy, reside of voice, structural coherence, clarity, hunt optimization, merchandise mentions, and style guideline adherence. | Few if immoderate issues pinch actual inaccuracy, reside of voice, structural coherence, clarity, hunt optimization, merchandise mentions, and style guideline adherence. |
| Article type | Fully rewritten type of an existing article | Refreshed type of an existing article | New URL |
| Article importance | Critical level | Medium level | Low aliases unsure |
| Writer experience | This is simply a caller writer. Or this writer has yet to taxable a portion that’s adjacent to expectations. | The writer has a decent knowing of what their contented should look like. This tin travel from wide familiarity pinch the brand’s contented aliases from feedback they’ve received. | The writer has a clear knowing of really to create contented that meets expectations. This tin beryllium from having important familiarity pinch the brand’s contented aliases a longstanding narration pinch the brand. |
| Column scores | |||
| Total score | |||
Your full people determines which editing attack to take. That breakdown looks for illustration this:
Score of 0: Overhaul
Score of 1-2: Rework
Score of 3-4: Deep Dive
Score of 5-6: Lighter Touch
Scores of 7-8: No Notes
One point to see is that different brands tin person different definitions of what makes a high-quality article. For example, not each institution is arsenic heavy focused arsenic Semrush connected contented that drives hunt motor and AI visibility. So, make adjustments to that statement to suit your needs.
And if you conscionable launched your website? Take retired the statement for article type wholly to accommodate having only caller URLs. Then, set the standard to beryllium from 0 to 6 astatine your ain discretion.
The use of utilizing a model to take an editing approach
Using a determination model to find an editing attack improves ratio and reduces intelligence fatigue.
I tin usually find what attack I’m taking successful conscionable a fewer minutes, which intends I automatically cognize what to do erstwhile I start. I don’t person to ruminate complete the specifications of what I’ll opportunity aliases set because that each falls into place.
And arsenic I proceed moving pinch the aforesaid writers, their articles people commencement to person higher scores. Which intends the editing goes faster. And that I don’t request to supply specified extended feedback.
For example, I usually person to explicate that we usage the bottommost statement up beforehand (BLUF) rule — stating the main takeaway astatine the opening of each conception — the first clip I activity pinch a writer. But by astir their 3rd article, they cognize what to do based connected a remark that simply says, “Let’s BLUF this paragraph.”
What my 5 editing approaches really look like
I often make copies of articles aft I’ve vanished reviewing them but earlier the writer has revised them. Most of the examples successful this conception travel from those copies.
Overhaul
When I’m utilizing the Overhaul approach, I attraction chiefly connected comments that will get the article directionally backmost connected track.
One of the astir communal things I do successful these sorts of articles is time off a remark complete a fewer paragraphs aliases sections connected really to style the wide discussion. Like this:
If the measurement the sections are ordered doesn’t travel logically, I’ll either transcript and paste them to the due spot successful Editing mode aliases inquire the writer to move the sections. It depends connected really analyzable the restructuring is.
Rework
My Rework attack is really I supply capable guidance and feedback for a writer to make important revisions without the edit taking my full day.
One of my go-to techniques erstwhile doing a Rework is modeling what I want to see. That intends I’ll heavy edit a fewer sections successful Editing mode, explicate why I made the changes I did, and past inquire the writer to use that elsewhere successful the article. That’s precisely what I did here:
And I sometimes time off a remark astatine the apical letting the writer cognize that I only edited a definite percent of the piece. That way, they understand that I expect them to make immoderate dense revisions earlier I’m capable to do more.
Deep Dive
Most of my edits are Deep Dives. They besides return the astir clip because I’m going done the full portion 1 statement astatine a time.
When I’m moving connected a Deep Dive, I move beyond addressing the astir important issues and supply suggestions connected really to fortify arguments, amended incorporated actionable workflows, and amended readability.
For example, I near this remark to explicate really utilizing a accordant condemnation building successful a bulleted database improves readability:
Interestingly, immoderate of the messiest-looking Deep Dives require less revisions than ones that look cleaner. Why? Because location are much visible edits erstwhile I’ve utilized Editing mode for thing I was capable to building much succinctly compared to conscionable a remark asking for clarity.
Lighter Touch
Pieces wherever I’ve utilized the Lighter Touch attack tin either look for illustration I made nary changes aliases conscionable minimal changes — it depends connected the writer and really overmuch clip I expect to person for accepting Editing mode changes later on.
In the illustration below, I wanted to show each changes (even insignificant ones) because the writer was still getting utilized to moving pinch us.
No Notes
When I usage the No Notes approach, it looks for illustration thing successful the draught has changed aft editing.
I don’t person a meaningful illustration of a No Notes edit to show. It would conscionable beryllium the Google Doc type of an article published connected our blog.
But while location aren’t comments successful the draught itself, I ever time off comments successful our task guidance system. Because there’s usually thing the writer should beryllium alert of, for illustration successful the illustration below.
Best practices sloppy of the editing approach
Fact-check everything
Fact-checking is simply a nonnegotiable portion of editing for everything that comes crossed my desk.
Because contented I first reappraisal arsenic an Overhaul aliases Rework tin alteration substantially by the 2nd draft, I typically only do line-by-line truth checking erstwhile I’ve received the revision.
And moreover if the article is awesome and I spot the writer, fact-checking still has to happen. It’s easy to misstate the findings from a study aliases opportunity thing related to SEO that’s almost existent but not rather true. And those sorts of mistakes tin break spot and wounded our reputation.
Common fact-checking tasks include:
- Verifying the spellings of individuals’ and companies’ names
- Ensuring circumstantial numbers are supported and linking to the due superior sources
- Cross-referencing findings covered successful 1 aliases our written studies pinch the earthy data
- Validating workflows and statements astir instrumentality features
- Finding support for assertions astir SEO and AI visibility that I’m not definite about
Leave much feedback than you deliberation you should
Leaving a important magnitude of feedback clarifies your expectations and helps writers understand why you’re making changes.
I’ll admit that I’ve felt uncomfortable astatine the number and magnitude of comments I’ve near before. But those specifications make a immense quality successful the value of a writer’s early articles. Writers besides admit feedback much than you mightiness expect. Case successful point:
Lastly, writers are capable to respond erstwhile you really supply your rationale. And they sometimes raise valid points that make you alteration your mind. That happens to maine each the time.
Point retired what the writer did well
Providing words of encouragement is awesome for morale and ensuring that writers cognize what they should support doing.
For the article I was editing successful the image below, I wanted to make judge the writer knew I liked the attack to going complete the benefits of doing a Google Ads analysis:
What astir for “No notes” articles? Instead of cluttering the draught pinch comments, I either nonstop a nonstop connection to the writer aliases time off a remark successful our task guidance strategy giving praise wherever it’s due.
Ask questions
Any clip you brushwood a conception that isn’t clear, contains unsubstantiated claims, aliases seems retired of place, inquire the writer astir it.
If you travel from a inheritance successful editorial for illustration I do, it’s easy to consciousness for illustration you request to hole things yourself ASAP. But it’s not a bully usage of your clip to walk 30 minutes search down the root for a stat. And assuming you cognize what a writer is trying to convey tin lead to sending the incorrect message.
Asking for clarity tin beryllium arsenic elemental arsenic this:
Refine your ain editing approaches
My editing approaches tin use immoderate contented team.
That said, return what you request and time off what you don’t. Maybe you don’t people a immense magnitude of content, truthful 3 editing approaches is enough.
Ultimately, I dream you locomotion distant from this article pinch a clearer knowing of really to support a thorough reappraisal process that doesn’t go a drain connected your resources and energy.
