# How Much Does Social Media Management Cost in the UK?

Source: https://dijitulmarketing.co.uk/guides/how-much-does-social-media-management-cost-uk/
Updated: 2026-10-18

> UK social media management usually costs a few hundred pounds a month, depending on platforms, posting volume and how much content has to be created. dijitul manages organic social from £125 a month + VAT per platform package, covering content planning, scheduling and community replies. Paid social ads are from £150 a month + VAT plus ad spend.

## Key facts

- Bark, the UK services marketplace, gives an average of £450 a month for social media marketing (checked October 2026)
- Bark puts typical small and medium business packages at £300 to £800 a month, with hourly rates from about £40 to £100 or more
- dijitul social media management is from £125 a month + VAT per platform package
- Paid social (Meta, LinkedIn, TikTok ads) is from £150 a month + VAT, plus ad spend paid to the platform
- The biggest cost drivers are the number of platforms, posts per week, and whether photos and video have to be produced
- Organic management and paid advertising are different jobs and are usually priced separately

## What UK businesses pay

Bark, the UK marketplace that connects buyers with freelancers and agencies, says the average price of social media marketing is £450 a month, with most small and medium businesses paying £300 to £800 a month (checked October 2026). Bark also gives hourly rates of around £40 at the lower end, rising to £100 or more for experienced people, and an hours-based guide running from £300 for 5 hours a month to £950 for 50 hours.

Those figures come from jobs posted on Bark, so they reflect freelancers and smaller agencies. Larger agencies with in-house video teams charge more. At the other end, you will see very cheap offers that are little more than stock images and automated posts.

## What is usually included

"Social media management" means different things to different providers, which is why quotes are hard to compare. Ask for a written list. A sensible package covers:

- **Content plan.** A monthly calendar built around a few content pillars, such as how-to tips, behind the scenes, customer stories and offers.
- **Writing and formatting.** Captions written for each platform, with the right image ratio. Instagram feed posts work best at 4:5 portrait, while Stories and Reels use 9:16 vertical.
- **Scheduling.** Posts booked in advance through Meta Business Suite or a scheduling tool.
- **Community management.** Replying to comments and messages, and flagging anything that needs you.
- **Reporting.** Reach, engagement, profile visits, link clicks and enquiries, with notes on what to change.

Photography and video production are normally extra. If you need original shoots, our sister studio dijitul media handles photography and video.

## What pushes the price up or down

- **Number of platforms.** Each platform needs its own format, tone and replies. Two platforms done well beat five done badly.
- **Posting frequency.** Three posts a week is a different job from daily posting. See our guide on how often to post.
- **Content production.** Writing captions around your own photos is quick. Planning, shooting and editing short-form video takes far longer.
- **Community volume.** A busy restaurant page with daily messages needs more time than a B2B LinkedIn page.
- **Approval process.** Regulated sectors such as legal, finance and healthcare need sign-off, which adds time.

## Organic versus paid social

Organic management keeps your profiles active and builds trust with people who already follow you. Paid social reaches new people who match your target audience. They are separate jobs.

Paid social has two costs, like PPC: the ad spend paid directly to Meta, LinkedIn or TikTok, and the fee for building and running campaigns. Our paid social management is from £150 a month + VAT plus ad spend. That covers campaign structure, audiences, creative testing, the Meta Pixel and Conversions API, and reporting.

Many small businesses start with one organic platform plus a modest paid campaign, then add more once they know what works.

## Questions to ask before you sign

- **Who owns the accounts?** Your business should own every profile and the Meta Business portfolio. The provider should be added as a partner or user, never as the owner.
- **How many posts, on which platforms?** Get the number in writing, per platform, per month.
- **Who approves content?** Agree a simple sign-off step so nothing goes out that you have not seen, at least for the first month.
- **How fast are replies?** Ask for working hours and a response target for comments and messages.
- **What does the report show?** Look for enquiries, link clicks and profile visits, not just likes.
- **What happens if you leave?** You should keep all content, captions and the content calendar.

## What dijitul charges

Our social media management is from £125 a month + VAT per platform package. Each package covers a content plan, captions, scheduling, replying to comments and messages, and a monthly report. You can add more platforms one at a time.

| Service | dijitul price |

| Social media management (organic), per platform package | from £125 a month + VAT |
| Paid social (Meta, LinkedIn, TikTok) | from £150 a month + VAT, plus ad spend |
| Strategy, audits and training | £45 an hour + VAT, or a fixed quote |

There is no long contract. It runs monthly and you can cancel with notice. We do not promise follower counts, because nobody can control them honestly.

## FAQs

### How much should a small business pay for social media management?

Bark gives a UK average of £450 a month and a typical range of £300 to £800 for small and medium businesses (checked October 2026). dijitul starts from £125 a month + VAT per platform package, so a business on one or two platforms can get consistent, managed posting without a large retainer.

### Does the price include creating photos and videos?

Our management package covers planning, captions, scheduling, replies and reporting, using your photos and simple graphics. Original photography and video shoots are quoted separately. Our sister studio dijitul media handles shoots if you need fresh content.

### Is it cheaper to hire a freelancer or an in-house person?

A freelancer or small agency is usually cheaper than a salaried employee once you add employer costs, holidays and software. In-house makes sense when you need someone on site every day to capture content. Many businesses combine a staff member who takes photos with an agency that plans and posts.

### Do I need to pay for ads as well?

Not always. Organic posting keeps existing followers engaged. To reach new people predictably, you will need paid social. dijitul runs paid social from £150 a month + VAT, with ad spend paid directly to Meta, LinkedIn or TikTok on your own account.

### Which platforms should I pay to have managed?

Choose the one or two where your customers already spend time. Restaurants, salons and retailers usually start with Instagram and Facebook. B2B firms and recruiters usually start with LinkedIn. TikTok suits brands that can produce short vertical video regularly.

### Is there a minimum contract?

No. dijitul social media management runs monthly and you can cancel with notice. We suggest giving any new plan at least a few months, because it takes time to learn which content pillars and posting times work for your audience.

## Prices and contact

Prices (all from, + VAT; ad spend separate): Google Ads management £150 a month; Paid social (Meta, LinkedIn, TikTok) £150 a month; Social media management £125 a month; Email marketing £95 a month; Marketing automation set-up £195; SMS marketing £75 a month; GA4 set-up £95; Conversion tracking £145; Data Studio (Looker Studio) dashboard £145; Conversion rate optimisation £195 a month; Content marketing £195 a month; Consultancy, audits and strategy £45 an hour. All prices are "from" and exclude VAT. Ad spend is separate and paid directly to Google, Microsoft, Meta, LinkedIn or TikTok. Paid media management is from £150 a month or 10 to 15% of ad spend, whichever is higher. You own every ad account, pixel, audience and email list we set up. Contact: https://dijitulmarketing.co.uk/contact/ · 01623 650333 · info@dijitul.uk