If you’ve ever tried to work with a marketing team and ended up tangled in email chains, lost docs, and Slack pings, you know the pain. Shared workspaces sound great in theory, but most tools just give you a new place to lose things. This post is for anyone who’s tired of the chaos and wants something that actually helps teams work together—without a ton of process or ceremony.
If you’re using Browse, you’ve already got a leg up. But even the best tool won’t magically fix messy habits. Let’s get into how to set up shared Browse workspaces so you can actually get work done with your marketing partners—and skip the usual headaches.
1. Get Clear on What You’re Solving For
Before you even open Browse, get real with your marketing counterparts: what exactly are you trying to do together? If you’re not clear here, no tool will save you.
Common reasons to set up a shared workspace: - You’re running a campaign and want a single spot for assets, feedback, and tracking. - You need to review, edit, and approve content before it goes live. - You’re monitoring market research, competitor moves, or trend reports as a team.
Be honest about what you don’t need, too. If you just want to swap a file every now and then, a workspace is probably overkill. Don’t add extra steps just because you can.
Pro tip: If your “collaboration” is just sending attachments back and forth, stick with email. Shared workspaces are for when you need to actually work together, not just trade files.
2. Set Up Your Shared Browse Workspace
Alright—once you know why you need a workspace, it’s time to build one.
Here’s how to set up a shared workspace in Browse:
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Create the workspace.
Don’t overthink the name. Use something everyone will recognize (e.g., “Q3 Product Launch” or “Content Calendar 2024”). -
Invite the right people.
Add only those who actually need to be involved. More people = more noise. You can always add others later. -
Organize by function, not by department.
Instead of “Marketing,” “Product,” “Design,” set up folders or channels by what needs to get done: “Drafts,” “Final Assets,” “Feedback,” etc. It’s easier for everyone to see where their work fits. -
Set permissions thoughtfully.
Not everyone needs editing power. Limit editing to the core team; give others view or comment access. This keeps things tidy and avoids accidental changes. -
Pin the most important stuff.
Use Browse’s pin or highlight features for the docs, links, or tasks you’ll use every day. Don’t let key info sink to the bottom.
What not to do: - Don’t recreate your entire org chart in folders. - Don’t invite your whole company “just in case.” - Don’t try to build the perfect structure on day one. You’ll change it anyway.
3. Agree on Simple Ground Rules
This is the step most teams skip—and then regret. A few minutes up front saves hours of confusion later.
Set these basics together:
- Where does feedback happen?
Use comments on docs? Dedicated feedback folder? Decide now.
- How will you show what’s ready for review?
Rename files? Move them to a “Ready” folder? Pick a method and stick to it.
- Who can actually approve or publish things?
One person, or a group? Spell it out.
It’s not about rules for rules’ sake. The point is to avoid the classic “Wait, is this final?” or “Did anyone see my feedback?” moments.
Pro tip: Write these ground rules in a doc and pin it to the workspace. Update as you go. Don’t bury them in a Slack thread.
4. Make It Easy to Find (and Update) What Matters
Shared workspaces fail when they turn into giant junk drawers. Browse gives you a fighting chance, but only if you use it right.
How to keep things findable:
- Use clear, boring file names.
“Landing_Page_v3_April” beats “final-FINAL-use-this-one.”
- Archive or delete old stuff.
If a doc’s out of date, move it to an archive folder or delete it. Clutter makes everyone slower.
- Create a “Start Here” doc.
For new folks or when you’re lost, a simple index with links to key resources saves time.
Things that don’t work: - Hoping everyone will just “know” where things are. - Letting tasks or docs pile up “just in case.” - Using Browse as a dumping ground for everything—remember, less is more.
5. Use Browse’s Real Collaboration Features (and Skip the Gimmicks)
Browse’s real value is making it easier to actually work together, not just share files. But don’t get distracted by shiny features you don’t need.
What actually helps:
- Real-time commenting and editing.
Edit, comment, and tag people right in the doc rather than sending 10 emails back and forth.
- Task assignments.
Assign to-dos directly in the workspace so nothing falls through the cracks.
- Version history.
Roll back changes if something goes wrong—no more “who overwrote my work?” drama.
What to ignore (unless you really need it): - Fancy integrations you’ll never set up. - Over-customized automations that break at the worst time. - Chat features that just duplicate your Slack or Teams.
Honest take: The best part of Browse is that it reduces the need for status meetings and endless “just checking in” messages. But only if everyone actually uses it. If your team keeps working in email and drops files in Browse as an afterthought, you’re just making more work for yourself.
6. Make Iteration and Feedback a Habit
No workspace stays perfect for long. Teams change, projects shift, and what worked last quarter might be a mess now.
How to keep things working: - Schedule quick check-ins (even just 10 minutes) to ask, “Is this workspace still working for us?” - Encourage honest feedback about what’s useful and what’s not. Kill off unused folders or docs. - Update your ground rules when things change. Don’t be precious—adapt and move on.
Pro tip: Most teams wait until things are a disaster before cleaning up. Don’t. A little regular pruning saves a lot of pain.
7. Common Pitfalls (and How to Dodge Them)
Even with Browse, there are a few traps you’ll want to avoid:
- Workspace bloat: Too many docs, too many folders. Archive aggressively.
- Too many cooks: If everyone can edit everything, expect chaos. Set permissions.
- “Set and forget” syndrome: A workspace isn’t a project graveyard. Check in, clean up, and keep it alive.
- Ignoring the tool: If half the team is still emailing files, you’ll get nowhere. Get buy-in—or don’t bother.
Keep It Simple, Iterate, and Actually Use It
The best shared Browse workspace isn’t the most organized—it’s the one people actually use. Don’t chase perfection. Start with the basics, get real feedback, and make tweaks as you go. The point is to make collaboration with marketing (or any team) less painful, not to win a workspace design award.
Stay skeptical of overbuilt systems and shiny features. Focus on what actually helps your team work together, and ruthlessly cut the rest. That’s how you get back hours of your life—and maybe even enjoy the work a little more.