Editorial systems and workflow
I use a structured workflow to move work from research through planning, production, review and delivery. Tools vary across teams. The core controls remain consistent: clear briefs, primary-source research, visible status, editorial review and final quality assurance.
1. Define
Agree the audience, purpose, evidence standard, format, owner and deadline.
2. Research
Build the source set, check primary evidence and flag gaps before drafting.
3. Produce
Draft and edit against the brief while keeping status and review points visible.
4. Verify
Check facts, links, structure, presentation and final delivery requirements.
Responsible use of AI tools
AI tools may support outlining, research organisation and structural review where the employer, client or publication permits them. Factual claims are checked against primary sources, and final editorial judgement remains mine.
During the 2025 to 2026 15M project, shared documents, publishing logs and editorial workflows supported daily news, company profiles and longer-form content.
How My Systems Connect
Every tool I use serves a specific function within a structured content pipeline. Research feeds into strategy, strategy informs production, and production is tracked and delivered through project management systems. Here is how they all fit together.
| Research & SEO | Ahrefs · Semrush |
| Strategy & Planning | Notion · ClickUp |
| Writing & Production | Google Docs · Claude |
| Publishing & CMS | WordPress · Sheets |
| Tracking & Reporting | DashFX · Sheets |
| Collaboration | Slack · Telegram · ClickUp |
A continuous cycle: research → plan → produce → publish → track → collaborate → refine
How Content Flows Through the Pipeline
Ahrefs · Semrush
Notion · ClickUp
Docs · Claude
WordPress
Sheets · DashFX
Repeat cycle
Research & SEO
Ahrefs
Ahrefs is central to my SEO research process. I use it for keyword gap analysis, competitor backlink profiling, and identifying content opportunities that align with high-intent search queries.
For clients like 15M and ClickOut Media, this meant every article targeted validated search demand rather than guesswork, helping content rank and drive organic traffic from day one.
Semrush
Semrush supports my broader market research, content auditing, and on-page SEO analysis. I rely on it for tracking keyword positions over time, identifying technical SEO issues, and monitoring competitors across the iGaming, fintech, and publishing sectors.
It feeds directly into editorial planning, ensuring content strategies are rooted in real performance data.
Strategy & Project Management
Notion
Notion serves as my strategic content hub. I use it to build editorial databases, manage interview notes and research references, and structure long-form content outlines before production begins.
For podcast workflows at 15M Mastery, Notion held episode scripts, guest briefs and show notes, all linked and searchable, which made it easy to repurpose content across formats.
ClickUp
ClickUp is my operational backbone for managing multi-client content delivery. I track assignments, deadlines, and approval workflows across engagements, from the daily news desk at Global Gaming Insider to the weekly LinkedIn post batches I ran for Already Media.
As a verified ClickUp Power User, I build custom views, automations, and status flows that keep high-volume output structured and on schedule.
Writing & Production
Google Docs
Google Docs is my primary drafting and collaboration tool. Every article, review, and long-form piece starts life here, from first draft through rounds of editing to final sign-off.
Real-time collaboration with editors, PR teams, and clients happens seamlessly through comments and suggestions. For high-volume workflows like the daily news desk at Global Gaming Insider, Docs lets me produce, edit and hand off content rapidly.
Claude
Claude by Anthropic is my preferred AI assistant for deep research, fact-checking, and content refinement. I use it to stress-test article angles, verify claims across multiple sources, and refine structure before publishing.
Unlike surface-level AI tools, Claude supports the kind of nuanced editorial thinking I need, helping me move faster without compromising depth or accuracy across the 25 or more articles a week I was producing at peak.
Tracking, Reporting & Data
Google Sheets
Google Sheets is where I manage content tracking at scale. I maintain publishing logs, editorial calendars, and performance dashboards that give clients and teams instant visibility into what has been published, what is in progress, and what is scheduled next.
For 15M, Sheets tracked hundreds of articles across categories, indexing status and linked documents, and served as the operational source of truth for content output.
DashFX
DashFX provides the analytics layer that ties content output to business performance. I use it to monitor traffic, conversions, and revenue attribution for SEO-driven content, giving clients clear visibility into what content is delivering ROI.
This data feeds directly back into content strategy decisions, helping prioritise topics and formats that generate measurable results rather than vanity metrics.
Collaboration & Communication
Slack, Telegram & Teams
I use Slack, Telegram, and Teams for real-time communication with clients and editorial teams. Daily standups, content approvals, and quick editorial decisions happen across these platforms, keeping production moving without delays.
On partnerships like Already Media and 15M, dedicated communication channels bridged the gap between remote work and the responsiveness of in-house collaboration.
WordPress
WordPress is the end point for much of the content I produce. I work directly within WordPress editor workflows to format, optimise, and publish articles, reviews, and evergreen pages.
For 15M’s publishing operation, this meant content moved from draft to live with minimal friction, fully formatted with metadata, internal links and SEO structures already in place.
The Full Stack at a Glance
Content Systems Stack
| A | Ahrefs | Keyword research · Backlink analysis · Content gaps |
| S | Semrush | Position tracking · Site audits · Market analysis |
| N | Notion | Editorial databases · Research hubs · Content briefs |
| C | ClickUp | Task management · Deadlines · Approval workflows |
| G | Google Docs | Drafting · Collaboration · Editorial review |
| AI | Claude | Research · Fact-checking · Content refinement |
| W | WordPress | Publishing · Formatting · SEO optimisation |
| GS | Google Sheets | Content logs · Calendars · Status tracking |
| D | DashFX | Analytics · Revenue tracking · Performance reporting |
| T | Slack, Telegram & Teams | Daily comms · Approvals · Client coordination · Async updates |
These systems are not used in isolation, they form an integrated workflow designed for high-volume, multi-client content delivery. If you want to see how this translates into results, take a look at my selected outcomes on the homepage or get in touch to discuss how I work.
Shaan Khan 