Social Media Marketing Costs in the UK: The Real Numbers

Here’s the thing about social media marketing pricing: it’s intentionally confusing.

Agencies don’t want clear pricing because it lets them charge based on what they think you can afford. Freelancers undersell themselves because they don’t know what competitors charge. And clients end up paying wildly different amounts for similar services.

Let’s cut through that with actual UK pricing data.

What You’ll Actually Pay

Based on UK market data from 2024, here’s what social media marketing actually costs:

Freelancers:

Agencies:

London pricing runs 15-25% higher than the rest of the UK, with senior day rates at £750-970 versus £600-800 elsewhere.

But here’s what matters more than the price: what you actually get for it.

What Actually Drives Results (and What Doesn’t)

Before spending anything, let’s look at where social media marketing actually works — because the answer might surprise you.

2025 engagement data shows dramatic differences between platforms:

Read that Instagram number again. Median engagement dropped to 0.61% by January 2025. If you’re pouring money into Instagram organic reach, you’re fighting a losing battle.

The platforms that actually deliver:

Breaking Down the Costs

Social Media Management (Organic)

This is what most small businesses need: someone to post content, respond to comments, and manage your presence.

Entry-level (£500-800/month):

Mid-tier (£1,000-2,000/month):

Premium (£2,500-5,000+/month):

Separate from management, paid advertising has its own costs:

Management fees:

Actual ad costs by platform (2024 UK data):

PlatformCost per ClickCost per 1,000 Impressions
Facebook£0.50-1.50£3-14
Instagram£0.60-2.00£5-12
LinkedIn£3-8 (often higher)£5-10
TikTok£0.50-2.00£4-8
X/Twitter£0.30-2.00£5-8

LinkedIn is expensive. Really expensive. But for B2B targeting specific job titles, it’s often worth it because the leads are higher quality.

Content Creation

If you need content created rather than just managed:

The Hidden Costs Nobody Mentions

Every agency proposal has things they don’t make obvious:

Setup fees: Most charge £500-2,000 for initial strategy, account setup, and content calendar creation. Ask about this upfront.

Tool costs: Professional social media management requires tools — scheduling, analytics, design. These cost £50-200/month. Who pays for them, you or the agency?

Ad spend isn’t included: When an agency quotes “£2,000/month for paid social,” that’s their fee. You’re paying the platforms separately. A £2,000 management fee + £3,000 ad spend = £5,000 total monthly cost.

Revisions and extras: What happens when you want changes? Some agencies include revisions, others charge £50-100/hour for them.

Contract length: Many agencies require 3-6 month minimums. This protects them while they “ramp up” — but it also locks you in if it’s not working.

What Should You Actually Budget?

Let’s get practical. Here’s what different business types should expect to spend:

Freelancers and solopreneurs (under £100k revenue):

Small businesses (£100k-£500k revenue):

Growing businesses (£500k-£2m revenue):

Established businesses (£2m+ revenue):

Agency vs Freelancer: Honest Comparison

Choose a freelancer when:

Freelancer rates typically run £200-2,000/month for social media management.

Choose an agency when:

Agencies typically charge £1,250-3,500/month for core services, rising to £3,500-16,750 for full-service support.

The middle ground: A freelancer for execution with occasional agency consulting for strategy. Best of both worlds.

Red Flags When Hiring

Run from anyone who:

Promises specific results: “We’ll get you 10,000 followers” or “We guarantee 5x ROI” — they can’t guarantee this, and if they try, they’re either lying or planning to buy fake followers.

Charges under £300/month for multiple platforms: The math doesn’t work. Either they’re outsourcing to someone unqualified, using templates, or will disappear after a few months.

Won’t show their process: Good marketers can explain exactly what they’ll do each month. If they can’t, they’re making it up as they go.

Requires long contracts with no exit clause: Confidence comes from results, not contracts. Three-month minimums are reasonable; 12-month lock-ins are a red flag.

Creates accounts in their name: You should own everything. Your accounts, your pixels, your data. If they build it on their accounts, you lose it all when you leave.

How to Get Better Value

1. Start with one platform

Master one before expanding. If you’re B2B, that’s LinkedIn. If you’re B2C targeting under-35s, consider TikTok. If you’re local services, Facebook still works.

2. Invest in content, not just posting

Posting mediocre content consistently is worse than posting good content less frequently. Quality affects trust — 91% of consumers say video quality impacts their trust in a brand.

3. Understand what’s actually being measured

Follower counts are vanity metrics. Ask about:

4. Test before you commit

If an agency is good, they should be willing to do a paid trial (1-3 months) before a longer commitment. If they won’t, ask why.

Is Social Media Marketing Worth It?

Honest answer: it depends.

83% of marketers say social media has become their primary customer acquisition channel. Brands allocating over 20% of marketing budget to social report 33% higher ROI than those investing less.

But those results come from strategic, consistent investment — not random posting or set-it-and-forget-it approaches.

Social media marketing is worth it when:

Social media marketing is a waste when:

Getting Started

If you’re ready to invest in social media marketing:

  1. Audit what you’re doing now. What’s working? What’s not? What do you have time for?

  2. Pick your platform. Based on where your audience actually is, not where you think they should be.

  3. Get clear on goals. Awareness? Leads? Direct sales? Different goals require different strategies.

  4. Start small. A £500-1,000/month investment done well beats a £5,000/month investment done poorly.

  5. Give it time. Consistent posting for 20+ weeks delivers 4.5x higher engagement. Most businesses give up too early.

Looking for help with social media that actually drives results? Our social media management services focus on what works, not vanity metrics. Let’s talk about your goals.