Social media is where a lot of small businesses know they should be, but running it well takes more time and skill than most owners have spare. Hiring help is often the answer — the question is what it costs and what you actually get for the money.

What social media management includes

It's rarely just "posting a few times a week." Done properly it covers strategy, creating or sourcing content, scheduling, replying to comments and messages, and reporting on what's working. The more of that you hand over, the higher the price — and usually the better the results.

Typical monthly costs

  • A freelancer managing a single platform: roughly £300–£800 a month
  • Multiple platforms with content creation included: about £800–£2,000 a month
  • Full service including paid-ad management: £2,000 a month and up

These are guidance ranges. What you pay depends on how many platforms, how much original content is created, and how hands-on the work is.

What to agree upfront

  • Which platforms are included
  • How many posts per week, and who creates the content
  • Whether replying to comments and messages is part of the job
  • How and how often you'll get a report on results

Getting real value

The best social managers tie their work to a business goal — enquiries, sales, sign-ups — not just likes. Agree what success looks like at the start, and ask to see the numbers that matter to you in every report, so you can tell whether the spend is paying off.

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