How much does social media management cost?

/ 02

Pricing tiers explained

Here's how the UK market for social media management actually breaks down in 2026:

• • Cheap / offshore (£150–£400/mo) — for nobody. avoid. You get: Generic templated posts, no strategy, no engagement.
• • Freelancer (£400–£1,000/mo) — for 1–2 platforms, small business You get: 12–20 posts/mo, basic engagement, monthly report.
• • Small studio (RIOT) (£450–£1,800/mo) — for smbs treating social as a real channel You get: Strategy, content production, community, ads coordination, reporting.
• • Agency (£2,000–£8,000/mo) — for brands with paid social budgets You get: Full team, creative production, ads management, analytics.

/ 03

What changes the price

The same tier of supplier can quote wildly different prices depending on scope. Here are the factors that move the number up or down:

• • Number of platforms
• • Content volume (posts per week)
• • Content type (graphics vs. video vs. UGC)
• • Community management inclusion
• • Paid ads coordination

/ 04

Hidden costs nobody mentions

Every headline price hides costs that only surface later. Watch for these:

• • Paid ad spend
• • Video production (if separate)
• • Photography
• • Scheduling tools (Buffer, Later — £15–£100/mo)

/ 05

What we charge

Social media management from £450/mo (one platform) to £1,800/mo (multi-platform + video).

We're a small Colchester studio working with UK SMBs and international clients. Our pricing is fixed, itemised, and includes everything you'd expect from a good agency — without the agency overhead.

/ 06

How to compare quotes fairly

The biggest mistake when getting quotes for social media management is comparing headline numbers without checking scope. A £500 quote and a £2,500 quote for what looks like the same thing are almost always for very different things.

Three checks that put every quote on a level playing field: 1) Ask what's included by line item. 2) Ask what happens if scope changes mid-project. 3) Ask what you own at the end (files, code, accounts). If any supplier can't answer those clearly, move on.

/ FAQs

Common questions