The national average cost for social media marketing services is $50 to $100 per hour. The national average cost of a monthly social media marketing package can range from $399 to over $5,000 a month, depending on the type and amount of help you need, your industry, and whether you opt for an agency or individual consultant.
Social media marketing (SMM) means using social media platforms and social networks to market your company's service and products so potential clients can find you.
Many social media marketing consultants and agencies will offer a package that fits in your budget. Before you a social media company, freelancer, or consultant, learn more about social media marketing costs so you can find the best professional for your budget and brand.
When you hire a social media consultant or agency, they will work with you to develop strategies and run marketing campaigns -- both paid and organic -- on social platforms that meet your business goals. They can also help you maintain the day to day needs of your social channels.
Social media strategists help you reach audiences on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, and Yelp. They can also assist with advertising and marketing blogs. The number of services you decide to have them help you with and the length of the campaign will impact the price you pay per hour or per social media package.
What impacts the price of social media marketing services?
As with many services, where the professional is located, the size of their business, the services you wish to address in your marketing campaign, and the social media professional's experience factor into the cost of social media marketing. Here's what to consider as you search for a professional:
Location
If you're based in an urban center and require the freelancer or agency to meet in person, that can result in higher prices for local social media services. It can be more cost-effective to work with a remote agency or social media consultant.
Agency versus freelancer
You will likely pay more if you hire a large advertising agency to help with social media management and advertising campaigns. A smaller agency or individual consultant is generally less expensive.
While going smaller can result in lower costs and potentially more individualized attention (if the freelancer doesn't have too many clients), a large agency has additional benefits. Some specialize in multi-channel advertising campaigns, and can provide additional services beyond sociallike copywriting.
If you're a small business and only need assistance with simple social media maintenance (i.e. posting regularly on Instagram, maintaining a basic brand presence on social, responding to comments and messages), an individual freelancer or social media consultant will be a better fit than a large agency.
For example, Morissa Schwartz, who runs Rissy's Writing business in Matawan, NJ, quotes clients about $52 to $89 per hour for social media services. In Los Angeles, CA, Jacqueline Basulto runs a digital marketing company, with 15 employees. Her business's rate is usually $75 to $150 per hour.
Types of services offered
A social media marketing professional can help with a variety of social media services on different platforms. These all factor into their hourly rate or package offerings. Some examples of services offered by professional social media managers include:
It's usually a wise business decision to outsource social media management and marketing if you have the budget. Maintaining a good, consistent social presence is time-consuming, and your employees may not have the bandwidth to run a large in-house campaign. A social media consultant or agency can help you get the results you want without compromising your employees' time.
What's included in the cost of social media marketing services?
Social media marketing services generally include management, strategy, and paid ad campaigns.
When you hire a marketing agency to manage your social media accounts, it's very individualized depending on what you want them to do. Services that can be included in the price of these services may include:
Social media isn't the only form of digital marketing. A digital marketing agencyand many consultantsmay also be able to offer the following services:
Think about your business's goals and what you want most from a social media consultant's before hiring them. This can help you stick to your initial budget and not be swayed to pay for assistance that you don't really need.
What are the benefits of hiring a social media manager?
If you've ever found yourself spending more time than you planned to on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, you know social media is always on'. Running these platforms for your business takes up a lot of time. Some reasons you should hire an agency or social media consultant / freelancer are:
How can you save money hiring a social media consultant?
Agency and freelancer rates vary, but any business can find someone whose rates meet their budget and needs. To save money on social media marketing costs:
Ask about packages
Many freelancers and agencies offer packages for set services and hours per month. For example, SeedX charges $2,000 for a social media package where they create content for multiple platforms.
You can save a lot of money on the hourly rate by hiring a less experienced professional. The national average for freelancer rates for a social media manager based on experience:
Keep in mind that if you want to run complex social media campaigns with a large budget, you may want to consider a more experienced individual.
Twitter and Facebook tend to be the top social media marketing platforms for businesses. If you're looking to save money, social media professionals recommend you start there.
Adding on channels like Snapchat, Pinterest, LinkedIn, or Instagram may cost an additional $1,000 per channel for a package, according to The Content Factory.
Asking your consultant to create original videos for YouTube will cost more than scheduling weekly posts for Twitter. Especially if you're just starting out with social, start with simple content strategies and expand once you're happy with the consultant's results.
What should you look for in a social media marketing consultant?
As you're interviewing marketing agencies or social media professionals, ask them about these factors to ensure you're hiring a high-quality professional:
What are you waiting for? Find the best media marketing consultant in your budget today and watch the fans, followers and shares start rolling in!