Building a content execution system for SMBs

Despite built-in AI generation and scheduling, SMBs weren't producing enough content. Users viewed metrics but rarely acted. I redesigned the product from a creation tool into an execution system that proactively surfaced ready-to-approve drafts.

The Problem: The Bottleneck Was Action

Customers were not consistent in creating content or translating performance KPIs into meaningful actions. 60% weekly drop-off despite frequent dashboard visits. Most SMB users stopped after generating only 1-2 posts per session. Fewer than 20% of users created content directly from performance insights.

The Solution

Instead of waiting for users to initiate content, the system proactively detects gaps automatically, surfaces ready-to-approve drafts in a unified cross-platform preview, and enables one-click scheduling. Approval triggers optimized scheduling — no manual time selection required.

Impact

Within one month: Weekly drop-off fell from 60% to 25%. Multi-platform publishing tripled (3×). ~70% zero-edit approval rate. Users stopped planning content — they started maintaining it.

User Research

Before making larger structural changes, I conducted user interviews with active SMB customers to understand how they approached content creation week to week.

"It takes too much time to create and schedule a post. I just want someone to do all of it for me."

"I open the dashboard, look at the numbers, and then close it."

"It feels like I have to think too much before I can even start."

A pattern became clear: content creation wasn't part of a structured workflow for them. It was something they did when they had time or felt pressure. They didn't lack tools — they lacked momentum.

Key Insight: Cognitive Friction

SMB owners weren't avoiding content because it was difficult to write. They were avoiding the repeated mental effort of deciding what to create, when to create it, and where to post it. Creation was competing with real work, the workflow didn't carry momentum forward, and AI helped generate but not execute.

Design Process

Designing for momentum, not features. Once I reframed MoFlo from a generation tool to an execution system, the next challenge was structural: Where does decision-making actually live?

I redesigned the flow around four shifts: Gap Detection (the system identifies platform inactivity and content runway depletion), Contextual Drafts (drafts automatically appear in an approval queue), Unified Cross-Platform Preview (users see formatting across channels before approving), and One-Click Scheduling (approval triggers automatic scheduling).

Final Designs

The final system evolved into a clear operational pipeline: Drafted → Flo Generated → Scheduled → Published. The key difference: Flo Generated wasn't just another column — it was system-prepared work based on operational signals.

Reflection

This case study reinforced that AI quality alone doesn't drive adoption. Behavioral architecture matters more than feature depth. By reducing the cost of starting, we improved consistency without increasing complexity. MoFlo didn't just generate content better — it executed more reliably.