Social Media Management Cost: Your Comprehensive Guide

Explore our in-depth resources on social media management costs to make informed decisions for your business. Discover the process, gain insights, and select the perfect team for your project.

Social media Management Pricing Basics

Curious about the costs of social media management? We interviewed 500 marketers to uncover the actual spending on this critical strategy.

Social media Management Pricing Basics

Here’s a quick overview of what they revealed:

  • 80% of businesses are content with the return from investing in social media management.
  • Nearly two-thirds of businesses dedicate 5-30% of their marketing budget to social media management.
  • 50% of businesses pay freelance social media managers between $1,001 and $10,000 monthly.
  • 52% of businesses pay between $100 and $5,000 for social media management services.
  • 45% of businesses pay social media marketing agencies between $100 and $5,000 monthly.  
  • 37% of businesses pay between $20 and $50 per hour for social media management.

Average Monthly Cost for Social Media Marketing Services

For most businesses, monthly social media management will cost between $100 and $4,000. Over half of the marketers we surveyed fell into this spending range.

Average Monthly Cost for Social Media Marketing Services

The exact amount can fluctuate based on a few key variables. Are you hiring an agency or freelancer? Agencies typically charge more. Planning to run paid social ads? That adds to the total. The scope of services and your company’s size also impact the price tag.

In general, though, you can expect to budget $100 to $4,500 per month for professional social media management and content creation. With clarity on your goals and needs, agencies and freelancers can provide a detailed quote.

Per-hour Cost of Social Media Management

Hourly social media management pricing usually falls between $20-$50. Over a third of the businesses we talked to paid in that range.

Per-hour Cost of Social Media Management

But your actual costs could be higher or lower.

The actual cost depends on a few things:

  • Who you hire – Agencies tend to be pricier than freelancers
  • Your industry – More competitive fields like finance may command higher rates
  • What you need – Basic posting and engagement are cheaper than a full-blown strategy with analytics

So while $20-$50 per hour is pretty common when you hire SMO experts, don’t be shocked if your quote comes in higher or lower. Every business has different social media needs!

The key is understanding what services you want. That way, freelancers and agencies can give you an accurate estimate. However, the $20-$50 range is a good starting point for budgeting.

Agency Fee for Social Media Management

Agencies typically charge $100 to $4,500 monthly for social media management services, which is what nearly half of the businesses we surveyed paid.

Our conversation with marketers revealed that agency hourly rates usually range from $21 to $50.

What determines the exact social media management cost? A few key factors:

  • The specific agency you hire
  • Number of social posts and campaigns you need
  • Whether you’ll be running paid social ads too

More posts and a robust paid ads strategy will likely mean higher agency fees. But those ranges give you a decent starting point for budgeting.

PixelCrayons also offers Social Media Management Services. To check out our pricing, click here.

Social Media Manager Cost

Freelancers charge between $1,001 and $10,000 per month for social media management.

As for hourly rates, half of marketers said most businesses pay $21 to $50 per hour.

Social media management costs can vary depending on their skills and experience. Some may charge more, some less.

You might also need to hire multiple freelancers if you need help with different things like:

  • Creating graphics and videos
  • Writing creative captions
  • Running paid ads
  • Analyzing performance data

Social Media Advertising Costs

Thinking about running paid social media ads to promote your business?

Social Media Advertising CostsThe first step is understanding what you’ll need to budget for the different platforms. Here’s a quick rundown:

Facebook
With over 3 billion active users monthly, Facebook is a social media advertising powerhouse. But what does it actually cost to run ads on Facebook?

What is the cost of advertising on Facebook?

For most businesses, Facebook advertising costs fall into these ranges:

  • $0.25 – $2 per click
  • $1 – $3 per 1,000 impressions (views)
  • Under $0.25 per new Page like
  • Up to $5 per app install or signup

Exact costs depend on your targeting, industry competition, budget size, and ad quality. But those are the typical ballpark figures businesses pay for Facebook ads.

How much does it cost to advertise on Facebook per month?

For most businesses, monthly Facebook advertising costs fall between $1 – $500.

Facebook ads pricing typically ranges for the following:

  • $0.25 – $2 per click
  • $1 – $3 per 1,000 ad impressions
  • Under $0.25 per new Page like
  • Up to $5 per app install

Exactly how much you’ll spend per month on Facebook ads management services depends on your total ad budget and how much you pay per specific result (clicks, impressions, conversions).

Twitter

Setting up a business account is free on Twitter. However, if you wish to reach more people, you can opt to pay for Twitter ads. Let’s have a look at a few options.

How much does Twitter advertising cost?

For Twitter ads, most businesses pay:

  • $0.25 – $0.50 per first action/conversion (like, follow, etc.).
  • $1 – $2 per new follower acquired through promoted account campaigns.

Twitter ad costs can vary based on your ad quality, targeting, competition level in your industry, and whether you use automatic or manual bid strategies.

However, those are the typical social media management pricing ranges for running ads on Twitter’s platform.

How much do Twitter ads cost per month?

Twitter advertising costs range between $101 and $500 per month. However, they vary widely depending on several factors, such as promoted tweet costs, your budget for ads, type of bid, competition, and industry.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn, too, doesn’t charge for setting up a business profile. However, there are multiple paid options to boost connections and brand awareness.

How much does LinkedIn advertising cost?

For most businesses, LinkedIn ads cost:

  • $2 – $3 per click
  • $5 – $8 per 1,000 impressions
  • $0.25 – $0.50 per message send (Sponsored InMail)

LinkedIn has some minimum requirements too:

  • $2 minimum bid per click or 1,000 impressions
  • $10 minimum daily ad spend

Your linkedIn cost per click could be higher or lower based on your targeting, ad quality, and competition level.

But those pricing ranges give you a decent baseline for budgeting LinkedIn’s paid advertising options.

How much does LinkedIn advertising cost per month?

LinkedIn advertising, on average, costs between $0 and $500 for a month. Factors that influence the cost each month on LinkedIn ads include your bidding model, bid amount, competition, and more.

Instagram

Another popular social media platform, Instagram, can help you launch effective ads. Let’s take a peek at the cost of Instagram ads.

How much does Instagram advertising cost?

For most businesses, Instagram ads cost:

  • $0 – $0.25 per click
  • $0 – $4 per 1,000 impressions
  • $0.03 – $0.08 per engagement (like, comment, etc.)

Many factors can influence the cost of Instagram ads, like:

  • Your total ad budget
  • Ad format (video, image, stories, etc.)
  • Competition level in your industry
  • Audience targeting

But those pricing ranges provide a solid baseline for budgeting Instagram’s paid ad offerings across feed, stories, and more.

How much Instagram advertising typically costs per month?

For most businesses, monthly Instagram ad costs fall in the $0 – $500 range.

That accounts for the typical pricing on Instagram’s ad offerings:

  • $0 – $0.25 per click
  • $0 – $4 per 1,000 impressions
  • $0.03 – $0.08 per engagement

Your exact monthly spend depends on your ad budget, cost structure (per click, impression, etc.), audience targeting, and competition level for your industry.

How much should I pay to manage an Instagram account?

For basic Instagram account management, costs can range from:

  • $25 – $30 per month for beginners
  • $25 – $100+ per hour for experienced managers

For full-service Instagram management from an agency:

  • $500 – $5,000 per month

Pricing depends on factors like:

  • Manager’s experience level
  • Services included (posting, ads, analytics, etc.)
  • Size of the business/account
  • Overall strategy needs

While beginners may charge $25-$30 monthly, most businesses pay hourly rates of $25-$100+ for experienced Instagram managers.

Agencies provide comprehensive management for $500-$5,000 per month, depending on the scope.

Pinterest

Setting up a business account is free on Pinterest. The platform allows you to promote your pins to reach more users. Let’s learn more about the precise pricing.

How much does Pinterest advertising cost?

For most businesses, Pinterest ads cost:

  • $0 – $0.10 per click
  • $0 – $2 per conversion (purchase, sign-up, etc.)
  • $0 – $1.50 per 1,000 impressions

Your actual costs will depend on factors like:

  • Your advertising goals (awareness vs. conversions)
  • Industry competition level
  • Audience targeting
  • Total ad budget

The range we provided covers the typical expenses for running promoted pin campaigns, shopping ads, and other paid offerings on Pinterest’s platform.

How much does monthly Pinterest advertising cost?

For most businesses, monthly Pinterest ad spending falls in the $0 – $500 range.

Your exact monthly budget depends on factors like:

  • Your cost structure (per click, conversion, impression, etc.)
  • Audience targeting requirements
  • Competition level in your industry
  • Overall monthly ad budget

But generally, businesses can run an effective Pinterest ads campaign for $500 per month or less.

YouTube

Creating a business account on YouTube is free. You can amplify your reach by running ads on the platform. Let’s delve into the specifics of YouTube advertising costs.

How much do YouTube ads cost?

For most businesses, YouTube ads typically incur the following expenses:

  • $0.10 – $0.30 per click
  • $0.10 – $2 per conversion (e.g., purchase, sign-up)
  • $6 – $10 per 1,000 views

Your actual costs per view for YouTube may vary based on factors like:

  • Advertising objectives (brand awareness vs. conversions)
  • Competition within your industry
  • Target audience demographics
  • Overall ad budget

The provided range encompasses the standard expenses for running TrueView ads, bumper ads, and other ad formats on YouTube’s platform.

How much do monthly YouTube ads cost?

For most businesses, monthly spending on YouTube ads falls within $500 – $5,000.

Your specific monthly budget depends on factors such as:

  • Cost structure (per click, conversion, view, etc.)
  • Target audience specifications
  • Competitive landscape in your industry
  • Overall monthly ad budget

Typically, businesses can execute a successful YouTube advertising campaign with a budget of $5,000 per month or less.

FAQs for Social Media Management Pricing

Here are the answers to frequently asked questions about social media management costs:

Is social media management worth the cost?

Yes! As per 86% of businesses, the return on investment from social media management meets or exceeds their expectations.

An effective social strategy can grow brand awareness, drive website traffic, and increase sales. But you need experienced pros running the right campaigns.

While there are upfront social media management costs, the vast majority of businesses find social media management pays off when done well. The investment generates positive returns.

How much of my marketing budget should go to social media?

Most businesses spend 5% to 25% of their marketing budget on social media management and marketing. The exact percentage for your business, however, depends on a few things:

  • Your specific marketing goals and priorities
  • Your overall marketing budget amount
  • How much revenue and growth you get from social media marketing

If social is a huge priority that drives a ton of sales, you’ll probably want to budget more than 25% for it. But if it’s not as important for your business, you may allocate less than 5%.

The key is looking at your unique situation. However, keeping that 5% to 25% range in mind can help with initial budgeting and planning.

What is the average budget for social media marketing in India?

For small businesses in India, the cost of social media marketing ranges between $250 to $500 per month. This social media management pricing covers posting content, responding to comments, running ads, etc.

Larger businesses tend to budget more – usually between $375 to $550 per month. That allows for additional activities like influencer marketing campaigns.

And at the enterprise level, social media budgets in India can range from $430 to $625 monthly. The bigger teams and robust strategies justify the higher investment.

Businesses see better results when they allocate sufficient funds to execute comprehensive campaigns with quality content and targeted advertising.

But even small businesses can be effective by focusing their $250 to $500 monthly budget on the highest-impact activities for their brand.

Why should you choose PixelCrayons for Social Media Management Services?

Looking to enhance your brand’s online presence? PixelCrayons offers top-notch social media management services tailored to your business needs.

  • Expert Team: Our experienced professionals deliver exceptional results.
  • Proven Track Record: We have a history of driving successful social media campaigns.
  • Tailored Solutions: Customized strategies to meet your unique business objectives.
  • High Engagement: Engage with your audience effectively to foster strong connections.
  • Increased Reach: Expand your brand’s visibility and reach a wider audience.

Want to know more? Click here for detailed information about our social media services and pricising.

Client Success Stories

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