Updates to Content Strategy & Ops handbook page

## <i class="fas fa-bullhorn fa-fw\"></i>  Welcome to the GitLab Content Strategy & Ops Handbook

**Effective June 8, 2025:** _All new content requests (not including the GitLab Blog) [should be submitted via Asana form](https://form.asana.com/?k=n0Pr0rPoHTDGG094bDXeEQ&d=306855239930259). The GitLab Blog will continue to follow its [current submission process](/handbook/marketing/blog/)._

### Meet the GitLab Content Strategy & Ops team 👋

[**Chandler Gibbons**](https://gitlab.com/chandlergibb)

* **Title**: Director, Global Content

* **Title**: Director, Content Strategy & Ops

* **GitLab handle**: @chandlergibb

* **Slack handle**: @Chandler Gibbons

[**Sharon Gaudin**](https://gitlab.com/sgaudin)

* **Title**: Staff Content Strategist

* **GitLab handle**: @sgaudin

* **Slack handle**: @Sharon Gaudin

[**Kristina Weis**](https://gitlab.com/KristinaWeis)

* **Title**: Sr. Content Writer & Strategist

* **GitLab handle**: @KristinaWeis

* **Slack handle**: @Kristina Weis

[**Sandra Gittlen**](https://gitlab.com/Sgittlen)

* **Title**: Principal Managing Editor, GitLab Blog

* **GitLab handle**: @sgittlen

* **Slack handle**: @Sandra Gittlen

**Our team mandate:** Create _world-class_ content that expands our audience, drives conversions, and tells GitLab's story — while enabling everyone in the organization to contribute.

**How we achieve this:**

### What is Content Strategy & Ops?

In Content Strategy & Ops, we work on all things content—aka, digital collateral that informs and educates our audience, and motivates them to take action. Most importantly, content has a purpose and measurable impact on GitLab goals and/or OKRs.

In Content Strategy & Ops, we work on all things content: digital collateral that informs and educates our audience, and motivates them to take action. Most importantly, content has a purpose and measurable impact on GitLab goals and/or OKRs.

Our work is all about the words, translating GitLab's message into external collateral like…

* How-to tutorials

* Customer stories

* Ebooks

* Whitepapers

* Buyer enablement

* Nurture, onboarding, and promotional (newsletter/announcements) emails

* And more

To create this content, **our team operates as both an editorial newsroom and internal agency.** As a **newsroom**, we create content around regular "beats" or topics, and independently lead our own projects. As an **internal agency**, we support everyone at GitLab in mainly external-facing content projects. Those projects might look like:

* Writing [topic pages and subtopic pages](https://about.gitlab.com/topics/)

* Writing and reviewing [customer case studies](https://about.gitlab.com/customers/), in collaboration with the [Customer Advocacy team](/handbook/marketing/brand-and-product-marketing/product-and-solution-marketing/customer-advocacy/)

* Reviewing content for web pages, emails, or other marketing assets

* Reviewing customer-facing emails and other communications

  * Examples: Quick-turn requests with minimal effort and few to no additional reviewers—updated wording on a landing page, email copy, small tweaks or repackaging of existing content

  * If you have an immediate request that requires review by multiple stakeholders, [follow the VP-level request workflow](/handbook/marketing/brand-and-product-marketing/content/#what-is-content-strategy--ops).

  * If you have an immediate request that requires review by multiple stakeholders, [follow the VP-level request workflow](/handbook/marketing/brand-and-product-marketing/content/#requesting-support).

* Always-on Programs

### Requesting support

Whether you have a Content Strategy or Content Ops request, work begins with [submitting a request form in Asana](https://form.asana.com/?k=n0Pr0rPoHTDGG094bDXeEQ&d=306855239930259). This form helps us understand your needs and ensures your project gets routed to the right team member for the best outcome and impact on GitLab's goals.

**To submit a request:** Fill out the [Content Strategy & Ops Request Form](https://form.asana.com/?k=n0Pr0rPoHTDGG094bDXeEQ&d=306855239930259) with details about your project, timeline, and requirements.

**Not sure if your request falls into Content Strategy or Content Ops?** No problem! The form will help us determine the right approach and team member to support your project.

Work begins with [submitting a request in our GitLab project](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-com/marketing/brand-product-marketing/content-strategy-and-ops/content-ops). Please use the issue template that best matches what you're looking for and provide as much information as possible. This helps us understand your needs and ensures your project gets routed to the right team member for the best outcome and impact on GitLab's goals.

The team will review all incoming requests and schedule work based on the request type, current workload, and priorities.

**NOTE: For urgent requests requiring VP-level approval or multiple stakeholder reviews,** please indicate this in the priority/urgency section of the form and mention the VP-level stakeholder who has approved the request.

**NOTE: For urgent requests requiring VP-level approval or multiple stakeholder reviews,** please indicate this in the issue and mention the VP-level stakeholder who has approved the request.

_Need help finding relevant content to use in an email or to send to a customer? Ask for help in the #content channel._

A whitepaper is a technical and focused topic study intended to educate a prospective buyer during the Consideration or Purchase stages of a campaign. The whitepaper offers a problem and solution instance in a granular, technical tone. The content team member should collaborate closely with their product marketing counterpart when researching and writing the asset so that the content reaches appropriate technical standards for the intended audience.

Any technical GitLab team member is welcome to write a whitepaper and collaborate with the content team. If you're interested in writing a whitepaper, submit via the [Asana form](https://form.asana.com/?k=n0Pr0rPoHTDGG094bDXeEQ&d=306855239930259) and describe your idea, or post in the [#content](https://gitlab.slack.com/archives/C2R1NED61) Slack channel. Whitepapers should be related to specific use cases and support campaigns, when possible.

Any technical GitLab team member is welcome to write a whitepaper and collaborate with the content team. If you're interested in writing a whitepaper, submit a [Content Ops issue](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-com/marketing/brand-product-marketing/content-strategy-and-ops/content-ops) and describe your idea, or post in the [#content](https://gitlab.slack.com/archives/C2R1NED61) Slack channel. Whitepapers should be related to specific use cases and support campaigns, when possible.

**Examples:**

**Content Writer/Strategist workflow**: A Content Strategy & Ops team member develops ebook content with input and review from their product marketing counterpart. More technical or instructive ebooks may require more collaboration with product marketing. Ebooks follow the [internal gated content](/handbook/marketing/demand-generation/campaigns/content-in-campaigns/) asset workflow.

**For other GitLab team members:** To request an ebook from the content team, feel free to submit via the [Asana form](https://form.asana.com/?k=n0Pr0rPoHTDGG094bDXeEQ&d=306855239930259).

**For other GitLab team members:** To request an ebook from the content team, feel free to submit a [Content Ops issue](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-com/marketing/brand-product-marketing/content-strategy-and-ops/content-ops).

**Examples:**

#### One pager

An infographic is an illustrated overview of a topic or process, and is typically an ungated asset. Infographics should tell a story using data, diagrams, and text. It can be used to discuss industry trends, relate insights, or explain different stages of a project. Submit via the [Asana form](https://form.asana.com/?k=n0Pr0rPoHTDGG094bDXeEQ&d=306855239930259) to get started.

An infographic is an illustrated overview of a topic or process, and is typically an ungated asset. Infographics should tell a story using data, diagrams, and text. It can be used to discuss industry trends, relate insights, or explain different stages of a project. Submit a [Content Ops issue](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-com/marketing/brand-product-marketing/content-strategy-and-ops/content-ops) to get started.

**Example:**

#### Case study

Case studies are in-depth customer stories that provide insight as to how GitLab has resolved significant software workflow problems for a company. The case study tells the story using quotes from customer interviews and straightforward metrics that broadly show the impact of adopting GitLab.

[Case studies](https://about.gitlab.com/customers/) are in-depth customer stories that provide insight as to how GitLab has resolved significant software workflow problems for a company. The case study tells the story using quotes from customer interviews and straightforward metrics that broadly show the impact of adopting GitLab.

[Case studies](https://about.gitlab.com/customers/) are created in partnership with the customer reference team. The customer reference team has a process in place for how they add new references and provide a list of [customer value drivers](/handbook/sales/command-of-the-message/). Customer case studies are typically written by the Content Strategy & Ops team, but the case study development process is managed by the Customer Advocacy team. If you have an idea for a new case study, please contact the [Customer Advocacy team](/handbook/marketing/brand-and-product-marketing/product-and-solution-marketing/customer-advocacy/).

The case study development process is managed by the Customer Advocacy team. If you have an idea for a new case study, please contact the [Customer Advocacy team](/handbook/marketing/brand-and-product-marketing/product-and-solution-marketing/customer-advocacy/).

**Examples:**