Our Associate Director of Operations for APAC Countries explains the ins and outs of Editorial Operations.
Meet Kanchan Sharma joined GSG in 2015 as a Savings Manager for the India and Singapore markets. After a successful stint in India, Kanchan moved to Malaysia and now leads a team for the APAC countries as Associate Director of Operations. She, along with her team, works tirelessly to ensure our customers can save money while shopping online and enhance their overall shopping experience. When she’s not working you can find her learning new creative skills like Crochet, Macrame, or cooking and eating.
What is the function and purpose of the Editorial OPs team and how do they fit in our team infrastructure?
Our Operations and Editorial teams play a pivotal role as primary user touchpoints. We hold the responsibility of generating all content featured on our pages and diligently curating the available discounts, making sure they are working and verified for users to utilize on a regular basis. We also take great care to adhere to content expectations and requirements conveyed by the brands or affiliate networks, vigorously following all guidelines when creating content for our website.
Another significant focus of our efforts revolves around SEO, page optimization, and overall efficiency as we always aim to deliver outstanding performance. This applies to all content that goes live on our websites.
All this filters into our primary goal which is to enhance users’ online shopping experience by offering them money-saving opportunities through discounts available on our pages.
What does the career progression within the Operations team entail?
The career progression within the Operations team involves several stages of learning, growth, and development. As individuals advance in their roles and gain more experience, they can expect to take on greater responsibilities and challenges.
Junior Editors: The individuals in this role are primarily fresh graduates or individuals with some prior writing experience. As Editor 1 or Editor 2, they undergo comprehensive training to familiarize themselves with the team’s functions, tools, and processes. Their primary responsibility involves sourcing the best discounts for our users, verifying the validity, and subsequently updating the content on our retailer pages. As they gain experience in this role over time, they learn more about keywords, analyzing on-page metrics such as traffic, bounce rates, and conducting thorough topic research. These trainings also help them grow in their role.
Senior Editors: Once team members have acquired a certain level of experience, they have the opportunity to progress into the role of Senior Editor. As Senior Editors, they take on more significant responsibilities. They curate content for the top retailer pages and analyze data to understand user search intent. This analysis helps them optimize the content even further. In addition to their content-related duties, they offer valuable support to Team Leads by leading specific projects, mentoring junior team members, and contributing their expertise to enhance content optimization efforts.
Team Leads / Manager Operations: In addition to supervising the daily activities of their team members, team leads take on a strategic role in ensuring optimal website performance and delivering a positive user experience. They work with the Operations Director to execute projects in their teams. They study and analyze important market insights, competitor trends, and Google updates. Additionally, they provide training to their team members and support the Operations Director with any new project rollouts.
Operations Director: Directors hold the key responsibility for ensuring the overall performance and success of the Operations team, making crucial decisions that significantly influence the organization’s general operations. Providing clear direction to keep the team focused and efficient while also devising a comprehensive content strategy. Serving as a vital bridge, they facilitate seamless communication and collaboration between central and local stakeholders. They also provide operational support and actively contribute to the development and maintenance of global tools, workflows, and metrics.
Tell us about some of the benchmarks and responsibilities of the Editorial Ops team.
We’ve implemented standardized processes and best practices across GSG hubs. We achieved a significant milestone by successfully migrating Coupons.com to a new format.
Collaborating closely with our Rewards Tribe, we seamlessly integrated Cashback content on our websites.
In addition to efficiently managing Saving Articles, we provide vital support to Campaigns and selected Best Buys teams with quality checks and seasonal sales content. Our adaptability stands out as we continuously study the market and tailor our content to cater to consumer needs, particularly during dynamic situations like Covid and Inflation.
As we look ahead, we’re ready for the upcoming sale season, which includes Singles Day, 12.12 Sale in APAC, Black Friday, and the Cyber Monday Sale across all our countries.
These days hold the utmost importance for our business, and we have maximized the efficiency of our teams to their fullest potential. With a focus on technical excellence, we diligently monitor Google search updates and stay attentive to new technology developments.
Although seasonality isn’t the main factor in my job, managing numerous countries is a substantial responsibility. Staying informed about team happenings and country-specific events, such as public holidays or important occasions, is essential. By doing so, we ensure our consumers receive the best offers out there.
I truly believe that every team member should have a positive attitude, a passion for learning, and excellent communication skills. When we approach our work with a curious and open mindset, we’re always hungry to learn new things, improve our skills, and adapt to changes.
Having a positive outlook brings contagious energy to our team, making our workplace enjoyable and motivating for everyone. And when it comes to communication, it’s like the glue that holds us together in this hybrid work setup. When we can express our ideas clearly and actively listen to each other, we collaborate smoothly and achieve outstanding results.
For example, I remember a project from last month, where we were doing an audit and we found some issues in the process. Everyone on the team had a great attitude and tackled the tasks with determination without getting overwhelmed. We had each other’s backs, always communicating openly about how we were doing and any challenges we faced. Our learning culture shined bright! We brainstormed and came up with a solid plan to make sure that we fix the problem and don’t repeat the same mistakes ever again. It was like a bonding experience, and I realized how crucial these qualities are for making us a rock-solid, unstoppable team.
The final and probably the most topical and controversial question is; what is the future for editorial teams now that AI is generating so much content across the net?
The future for editorial teams is looking super interesting with all this AI stuff! AI has come a long way in generating content. While producing loads of content in a flash, AI may miss out on that special human touch and creativity that we human editors bring. These little details make a piece of content genuinely engaging and relatable. We are embracing AI as a complementary tool. While AI is a cool tool, human editors still have their magic to sprinkle on top!
For example, AI-generated content may excel in producing standardized content, but human editors will continue to shine in crafting creative and original pieces, such as storytelling, opinion pieces, and engaging narratives. Editorial teams can focus on enhancing user experience by tailoring content based on user preferences, behavior, and feedback, providing a more personalized and engaging experience.
