How much does a social media manager cost in the UK?

The short answer

UK price guides we checked in November 2026 put freelance social media management for a small business at roughly £300 to £1,500 a month. Fuller services that include strategy, video and reporting are often quoted at £1,500 to £3,000 a month or more, and London prices tend to be higher.

Hourly rates for freelancers are commonly quoted at about £50 to £150 an hour.

If you employ someone full time, job adverts in England in early 2026 showed a median salary of about £35,000 a year, before National Insurance, pension and other costs.

Please treat these as rough guides. They come from published price guides and job advert data, and the sources do not always agree.

What changes the price

• How many platforms. Facebook and Instagram together cost less than five platforms.
• How many posts. Three posts a week is a very different job from one or two a day.
• Who makes the content. Photos, graphics and especially video take time. Some packages only schedule what you send them.
• Replying to messages and comments. Community management is often extra.
• Paid adverts. Running adverts is usually charged separately, and the money spent on adverts is on top.
• Reporting. A monthly report should be included, but check.

Freelancer, agency or employee?

• Freelancer: often the most affordable for a small business, and you deal with one person. Check what happens when they are ill or on holiday.
• Agency: more people and skills, such as design, video and adverts, usually at a higher price.
• Employee: best when you need someone full time, but you also pay for holidays, pension, equipment and training.

What a good service should include

• a simple plan for each month, agreed with you
• posts that suit each platform, not the same post copied everywhere
• your approval before anything goes out
• clear wording, no misleading claims and no bought followers
• a short monthly report showing what was posted and what happened

What you can do yourself for free

• Use the free scheduling tools inside Meta Business Suite (for Facebook and Instagram) and on LinkedIn.
• Plan a month of posts in one sitting, then schedule them.
• Share real work, real customers (with permission) and helpful tips.
• Reply to comments and messages quickly. People notice.

Warning signs

• Promises of thousands of followers quickly. Bought or fake followers do not become customers, and they can harm your account.
• No approval step. You should see posts before they go out.
• Long contracts with no reporting.

How we work at KeyWin

We plan, create and schedule posts, reels and campaigns for Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. Every project starts with a clear brief and a fixed price where possible, and you approve everything before it goes out. See our digital marketing service.

Common questions

How many times a week should a small business post?

There is no single right number. Two or three good posts a week, kept up steadily, is better than daily posts for a month and then nothing.

Is social media management worth it for a small business?

It can be, if your customers use social media and the content is good. Start by doing it yourself for a few weeks to see what works, then decide whether you need help.

Does the price include paid adverts?

Usually not. The fee normally covers the work. The money spent on adverts is paid to the platform on top.

Can I just pay for a monthly content plan?

Yes. Some businesses pay for planning and content only, and post it themselves. It costs less than full management.

Price ranges are rough figures from UK price guides and job advert data, checked in November 2026. They are not quotes.