Benefits of Online Proofing: Why You Need Online Proofing Right Now
In an age where everybody is growing more reliant on digital channels and social media, the demands for high-quality digital content is rapidly increasing.
In the past, we could get away with months of production time just to get that perfect content, but nowadays? Even days of production time can be considered too long.
On the other hand, while creative processes are demanded to become faster and faster, nothing much has been changed to improve the approval processes. Creative production typically requires multiple approval processes and revisions before the product can be published, which typically results in back-and-forth communications, delaying the production time.
In an email-based approval process, for example, it’s often the creative team ends up spending the whole day looking for a specific version of an image file in hundreds of emails in the thread, resulting in a massive waste of time.
This is where online proofing comes in to allow a more streamlined approval process to improve production time without sacrificing production quality.
What Is Online Proofing?
Online proofing refers to a proofing process using a real-time online proofing software or platform.
The platform allows everyone involved in the project to upload and share files, leave comments/feedback, and communicate with each other in this single platform, eliminating the need for back-and-forth email as well as in-person communications.
Online proofing effectively streamlines the approval process by allowing an easier time to manage collaborations and organize real-time comments between content providers, suppliers, and clients.
When executed correctly, online proofing allows all comments and feedback for the project delivered to just a single place. Everyone involved in the project can also view and monitor all comments, and authorized users (i.e., the designer) can also edit the content in real-time. Simultaneously, the software would also track all the changes and actions that happened in the project.
This effectively improves the transparency of the project and accountability for everyone involved. With more accountability, we can also ensure optimal quality for the deliverable while minimizing (or eliminating) compliance risks).
A good online proofing solution would also offer automatic notification features, allowing the program to notify those involved in the project when a deliverable is ready for review. This will also help eliminate delay while ensuring accountability for approvers. With a cloud-based online proofing software, the reviewer and creative worker can also directly access the platform from anywhere and with any device (Including smartphones), allowing more versatility and ensuring optimal speed throughout the whole proofing process.
Who Will Benefit from Online Proofing
Essentially, any worker or any team working on any project that involves an approval/review process between different parties would benefit from online proofing.
In short, any job that requires the input of more than one person will benefit from using free online proofing software by WeAproove. The more team members and stakeholders involved, the more tangible the benefits will be. Obviously, the higher the volume of work that requires approval, the more beneficial online proofing will be.
With that being said the key benefits of the online proofing process is:
- Transparency: everyone involved in the project can easily track the status of the project, including tracking different versions of the deliverable during revision processes.
- Ergonomy: more real-time and immediate, providing an experience more akin to an in-person approval process
- More control: clear audit trail of who has viewed and/or shared the file, trackable edit history, and so on.
- Security: you can easily track who has shared the file, so it will minimize leaks.
- Time: everyone can focus on the job at hand, ensuring the project can meet its deadline
- Cost: online proofing encourages fewer revisions, which will translate into lower revision costs
- Motivation: instant results for everyone, no repetitive administrative tasks
More Security for Your Files
When talking about online proofing benefits, we often put too much emphasis on efficiency. However, an important benefit of online proofing is that it can provide extra security for your files and your project.
In an email-based proofing process, for example, we lose control of the file immediately after we’ve sent it over an email. The recipient, whether through deliberation or ignorance, might forward your email to another party, compromising the secrecy of the project.
If, for example, a client leaks your design to your competitor asking for a lower price, it can significantly hurt your competitive advantage.
With online proofing software, on the other hand, you’ll get a platform where everyone involved in the project can check exactly who has viewed any file shared on the platform. You can also put restrictions and configure access authorizations depending on your needs.
Save Production and Approval Costs: Improving Profitability
Once we’ve executed a proper online proofing, we will get a more streamlined and efficient approval process, which will minimize the risks of missing deadlines. This will reduce production costs, while also ensuring the project stays on budget.
The improved accountability and transparency provided by online proofing will also minimize risks for compliance errors, which will result in more satisfied clients, more future businesses, and more profits.
Conclusion
If you are interested in implementing online proofing, a free online proofing software like WeAproove can be a great place to try creating your online proofing workflow, a more efficient and transparent feedback process that will allow all the stakeholders involved to provide a more accurate approval. Online proofing software can significantly save more time, resources, and ultimately, money in the long run.
