The complete guide to social media management pricing: UK edition

Understanding social media management pricing in the UK is critical, especially for multi-location businesses. These enterprises have to juggle between managing multiple accounts at the corporate level and allowing for personalization at the local level. 

Birdeye research shows how most businesses currently approach social media management : 

• 81% of participants handle social media at the corporate level
• 24% have employees at individual locations
• 20% outsource/work with marketing agencies

These overlapping strategies highlight the complexity of managing social presence at scale. Therefore, businesses need flexible and tailored pricing solutions so that social media management doesn’t burden the bottom line. 

In this guide, we discuss social media management pricing in the UK, the factors that influence costs, the types of packages available, and what services businesses should look for. Let’s get started.

Factors affecting social media management pricing in the UK

Social media management in the UK is not a one-size-fits-all solution and can vary widely based on several critical factors. 

Let’s look at what determines the cost of these services:

Scope of services 

A basic plan may include scheduling and posting, but more comprehensive social media management services may offer content creation, community management, influencer outreach, reporting, and strategy development—the broader the scope, the higher the cost.

The pricing would also increase if you need a dedicated account manager or a social media manager to handle your operations. 

Number of social media platforms 

Most businesses have accounts on 2-3 social media platforms based on their industry and target audience. Managing multiple platforms requires more time, tools, and resources. 

That is why most social media managers charge based on the number of platforms (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok) they handle. The number of social media accounts on each platform can also factor into the pricing. 

Content creation and posting frequency 

Monthly content creation for social media posts, including copywriting, graphic design, and video content, is a significant pricing factor. Businesses posting daily will pay more than those posting weekly or monthly. 

Of course, if you need them to post on different social media platforms simultaneously, the pricing could go up significantly. 

Reputation and experience 

A social media management company in the UK with a proven track record will likely charge a premium for its expertise. Experienced professionals, having worked with many firms on social media marketing campaigns, often deliver results faster with fewer iterations.

You can possibly justify the pricing for reputed firms by promising effective social media management to the top management. 

Monitoring and engagement services 

Hands-on engagement across social media platforms helps build brand awareness and trust.

Community management—replying to comments, messages, and reviews—is time-consuming and often billed as a separate line item. Whether you want this engagement and monitoring to be constant, weekly, or monthly will also factor into the final pricing. 

Pricing models 

Some agencies charge an hourly rate, others work on a fixed fee, and some offer performance-based or project-based pricing. The chosen package and your business objectives will influence which model works best.

For example, if your business in London is running a specific campaign that requires expertise beyond your in-house team, you can hire an external agency on a project-based pricing model. But if you need someone to stay on even after the social media campaign is over, then it is best to work on a fixed-fee basis. 

How much does social media management cost: UK guide

Social media marketing is a blanket term used to describe any activity done to promote a business across various channels. This can vary based on the many factors we have mentioned in the previous section. 

While there is no fixed pricing range or costs for social media management services, here is what you can expect:

These prices depend on the services included, content volume, platforms managed, and level of strategy development involved.

Businesses should explore different social media management companies or tools in the UK before choosing a provider. 

Types of social media management pricing packages 

Based on the type of social media management services your UK business needs, you can pick from the various pricing packages. Let’s explore a few models to help you understand how the social media marketing pricing model works. 

Starter pricing plan

Most business owners opt for starter packages for small businesses just beginning their social media marketing efforts. These affordable social media management packages often include 1–2 social media platforms, limited content, and basic analytics.

They may offer to cover advertising campaigns for additional cost, if necessary. 

Mid-size pricing plan

Choosing a mid-size package for a social media management company or software can be an affordable price option for growing businesses or those with 3-5 locations. This is a good bridge between the starter pricing plan and the enterprise package. 

You can expect management across multiple platforms, more advanced paid advertising, and regular performance reports.

Enterprise pricing plan

Enterprise packages offer full-funnel solutions with a comprehensive social media strategy, deep analytics, and integrated campaign management. These also include account managers and dedicated teams.

Agency pricing plan

If you work with a full-service marketing agency, you can expect a broader content mix, a dedicated account manager, strategy development, and community management. 

“My journey for a good ORM solution started with BirdEye and a pitch from them. I wanted to find an ORM, but they were the benchmark. I tested dozens of other solutions but failed to balance Birdeye’s complete offering with a better single solution. I really couldn’t find anything comparable, especially at this price point. We did exhaustive testing and research in this vertical. While we are a smaller agency, we wanted to ease into this as a solution for our clients. The pricing is really great, the use is scalable, and the amount of resources to pull from is robust.”

Christopher Papa, First Page Media 

Most social media marketing agencies provide a variety of pricing packages: 

Monthly pricing packages 

Most UK agencies work on monthly retainers, which can range based on the number of social media accounts, content type, and level of engagement. This is ideal for medium-sized business owners looking to begin with social media marketing. 

Platform-specific pricing packages 

Some businesses only need help with a single platform, such as TikTok or Instagram. These tailored packages help optimise spending.

Project-based pricing 

Project-based pricing is ideal for specific projects like launching a new product or running seasonal campaigns. Prices vary widely depending on complexity and time spent.

Performance-based pricing 

This model ties costs to outcomes such as engagement rates or follower growth. It’s useful when results are measurable, but it isn’t ideal for all social media efforts. 

What social media services should the agency/service cover? 

What social media services should the agency/service cover? 

Here’s what many businesses expect in a well-rounded social media management plan:

1. Strategy development: Content ideation, keyword research, and audience overview
2. Content creation: Copywriting, social media posts, graphics, video content
3. Community management: Moderation, replies, engagement tracking
4. Scheduling & publishing: Across chosen platforms
5. Monthly reports: Including insights and campaign analytics
6. Paid advertising management: Bidding, campaign management, and reporting 
7. Account manager: Ongoing support for in-house teams

Pricing estimate for other social media services: What should UK businesses expect

Content creation

Quality content helps your business reach a wider target audience and drive sales. Creating original posts, blogs, and visuals typically costs £200–£1,000/month, depending on frequency and volume. 

Graphic design

Design work that aligns with your brand is critical to building a consistent social media presence.

Most businesses in the UK can expect to pay £50–£150 per graphic if charged separately. You can also negotiate packages based on the volume of work you require. 

Video management 

Social media experts believe that high-quality video content boosts engagement rates and helps grow businesses across various social media platforms. 

Short-form videos for Reels or TikTok cost between £ 300 and £2,000 per video, depending on the level of editing and shooting required. 

Reporting  

A social media management tool or agency that provides insights into audience behaviour, content performance, and ROI is critical to outshine competitors. However, most agencies charge an additional fee for this service. 

Basic monthly reports may be included in your retainer, but advanced analytics and dashboards could cost £100–£500 extra per month.

Conclusion 

Understanding social media management pricing in the UK isn’t just about numbers—it’s about aligning your business goals with the right services, platforms, and partners. Whether you’re a small business testing the waters or an enterprise expanding across the UK, choosing the right social media management plan can make or break your online presence.

From starter packages to comprehensive solutions, many businesses opt for professional help to drive engagement, build brand awareness, and connect with their target audience. By knowing what services are included, what influences costs, and how to evaluate the value provided, you can invest in social media marketing with clarity and confidence.

If you’re ready to streamline your efforts, deliver results, and manage multiple platforms easily, the right partner, backed by the right technology, can help you scale faster.

FAQs on social media management pricing in the UK

Automate multi-location social media management with Birdeye Social AI 

Managing multi-location social media performance can be a strain on business resources. Businesses in the UK need a partner that can automate repetitive tasks without an impact on engagement metrics. And that is why Birdeye Social AI is becoming the most sought-after solution. 

With Birdeye Social AI, you can reduce time spent on posting and responding while boosting your reach with intelligent suggestions for social media content. Leverage Birdeye Social AI to: 

• Leverage AI-generated content creation processes for social media posts, captions, and images 
• Manage multiple platforms easily from a central dashboard 
• Stay consistent across all business locations
• Identify the best time to post across platforms 
• Monitor competitor feeds at all times 
• Simplify reporting with AI-powered insights

Learn more about Birdeye Social AI with a free demo.