Measuring Content Efficiency: Time-to-Publish as a Key Metric

In the world of digital marketing, where algorithms never sleep and competitors are watching every new keyword, time is a luxury. Especially when it comes to content. We all love a good blog, an SEO-friendly guide, or a LinkedIn post that gets reactions. But we rarely measure how long it takes us to go from idea to publish.

That's where a simple but powerful KPI steps in: Time-to-Publish (TTP). If your goal is for your content team to be efficient, predictable, and scalable, it's time to stop measuring just the number of posts and start measuring how fast you're publishing them.

What exactly is Time-to-Publish (TTP)?

Time-to-Publish is a metric that measures the time that passes from the moment a topic or idea enters the content pipeline until it's published. Although it sounds simple, TTP includes several stages:

• Gathering ideas and researching the topic
• Writing and editing
• SEO optimization
• Design and visuals
• Reviews and approvals
• Publishing

In other words, TTP is the entire content lifecycle. It's not just about how fast someone writes a text, but how fast the whole team can move and finish a content item.

Why is TTP an important KPI for content teams?

Because it measures what really matters: teamwork efficiency and process clarity. In reality, a slow TTP means:

• SEO potential drops because your competitors may already rank for your target terms
• Campaigns are delayed because the content isn't ready
• The team is overwhelmed, which leads to burnout
• Management loses trust in marketing because results are late

On the other hand, a low TTP means the team is coordinated, processes are clear, and scaling is possible. For example, if your average TTP is 30 days and your competitor's is 10, they'll publish 3x more content in the same time with the same number of people.

In an era where content is the foundation for SEO, lead generation, and brand equity, speed is a competitive advantage.

How to measure Time-to-Publish?

The simplest formula is:

 TTP = Date of publishing - Date when the topic was created

But in practice, it looks like this:

• When you create an idea in a brief (e.g., in EasyContent), you mark the date
• When the content goes into production, the timer starts
• When the content is published, the time is logged and written into the report

If you're using tools like Airtable, Notion, or Asana, you can track this manually. If you're using EasyContent, all stages are tracked automatically, time is measured for each step, and it's easy to see where your content is getting stuck.

What slows down TTP?

These are the most common causes of high TTP:

• Multi-layer approval processes: Four rounds of feedback, two Slack calls, and an email from the CEO? No wonder it's late.
• Lack of clear templates: Writers don’t know what’s expected, so changes keep bouncing back until it’s right.
• Poor collaboration: When feedback and files are scattered across emails, Google Docs...
• Overloaded team: If the same people are working on 10 pieces at once, everything will be delayed.
• Technical issues: Slow CMS, outdated publishing calendar, poor communication.

In many cases, problem points in the process remain invisible until you start tracking TTP and break down the workflow into simple steps (e.g., idea > writing > revision > publish).

How to optimize TTP (without sacrificing quality)?

1. Standardize the process: Create an SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) for each step. When everyone knows what's next, time decreases.
2. Use content templates: With a platform like EasyContent, you can build precise, customized templates for different content types. That way, writers get clear guidelines and don't have to guess.
3. Automate approvals: In EasyContent, you can define approval steps and tie them to deadlines. No need for manual sending or reminders.
4. Enable real-time collaboration: Instead of everyone giving feedback separately, use tools that support live editing, commenting, and change tracking - like EasyContent.
5. Analyze where it gets stuck: Use dashboards and reports to see average TTP by content type, author, or phase.
6. Don't chase perfection: "Done is better than perfect" makes a lot of sense in content marketing. Publish, test, and adjust based on the results.

Conclusion: Speed is a strategy

Time-to-Publish shows not just how fast you are, but how well organized you are. If your goal is for your content team to be predictable, scalable, and drive company growth, it's time to include TTP in your KPI set.

And if you want to do it smartly, EasyContent is the tool that can help. With its templates, workflows, and real-time collaboration, you'll speed up every step from idea to publish.

Because at the end of the day, it's not just about writing great content. It's about writing it - and publishing it - on time.