# How to set up a creative team Slack channel

> Set up Slack channels for creative work on ads: which channels per client, what belongs in each, what to keep out, and the pinned rules that keep them useful.
- **Author**: Marxx
- **Published**: 2026-11-07
- **Category**: Slack
- **URL**: https://marxx.ai/library-guides/how-to-set-up-a-creative-team-slack-channel

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A creative team needs one channel per client for creative work, such as #northwind-creative, kept separate from leads and alerts. Post ideas, references, drafts for review and approvals there. Keep out lead contact details, passwords and long debates that belong in a call.

## Which channels to create

For each client, two or three channels cover creative work. The names below use a fictional client, Northwind Escapes.

| Channel | What goes in | Who is in it |
|---|---|---|
| #northwind-creative | Ideas, briefs, drafts, feedback, approvals | Strategist, designers, editors, account lead |
| #northwind-competitors | Competitor and keyword digests, saved finds | Same team, plus the media buyer |
| #northwind-client (optional) | Final drafts for client sign-off | Your team and the client, often over Slack Connect |

Small clients can merge the first two. Keep the client-facing channel apart either way, so rough drafts and internal notes stay internal. For naming across many clients, use [Slack channel naming conventions for agencies](/templates/slack-channel-naming-conventions-for-agencies). For outside guests, read about [Slack Connect](/glossary/slack-connect).

## What to post

- **Ideas with a source.** "From Wanderlast's new reel: price per night first." Wanderlast is a made-up rival here.
- **Brief links**, one message each, with owner and due date.
- **Drafts for review** as a file or link, with the question you want answered: "Is the first line clear?"
- **Approvals** in the draft's thread: "Approved for Friday."
- **Live notices** when an ad goes out, in the same thread as its brief.

## What not to post

- **Lead names, phones and emails.** They belong in your lead tool, not a creative channel.
- **Logins and passwords.** Use a password manager.
- **Final files with no version name.** "final_v3_REAL.mp4" causes wrong uploads. Use a [naming convention](/templates/ad-naming-convention-template).
- **Long arguments.** After five replies of back and forth, take it to a call and post the decision.

## Pin three rules

1. Every idea has a source and a reason.
2. Feedback goes in the draft's thread, not the main channel.
3. One approver per draft, named in the first reply.

## Plan for history

Slack's Free plan keeps 90 days of message history; Pro is INR 245.25 per user a month paying yearly (both checked 6 Nov 2026). On Free, approvals older than 90 days drop out of view, so record final approvals in your brief doc too. See [Slack pricing in India](/prices/slack-pricing).

## Send digests to the right channel

Marxx can send each type of message to its own channel per client, so competitor digests land in #northwind-competitors while leads go elsewhere. Set it under **What goes to Slack** and add **@Marxx** to that channel. We make Marxx. For the full agency layout, see [how to set up Slack for an ad agency](/guides/how-to-set-up-slack-for-an-ad-agency).

## FAQ

### Should designers and media buyers share one channel?

For creative work, yes. Media buyers see what is coming and can flag budget or placement limits early.

### Should the client be in the creative channel?

Usually not. Give the client a separate channel for final drafts and approvals, and keep rough work internal.

### How many channels is too many?

If people miss messages because they cannot tell which channel to check, you have too many. Three per client is a sensible ceiling.

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