What Deliverables and Services Impact Social Media Program Budgets?
Social media encompasses a lot of possibilities, a lot of platforms, and a lot of different strategy levels. So, one of the hardest questions to answer is “How much does it cost to help me on social media?” The answer to that question is easy – it depends on what you want and what you need.
I know that doesn’t answer your question, but to answer your question you have to answer mine. What level of social media help are you looking for? Up next are six levels of social media help…what they include and a price range for how much they cost.
1. Strategy – Starting at $500 per month
Strategy help is the first step in getting social media help. It’s usually the least expensive but also the least amount of assistance. When we help a client with strategy, we meet with them once a month to plan the upcoming month. We offer ideas to help them build a content calendar, and then work with the client to figure out how they will be executing the content calendar. We also keep an eye on the bigger picture so their monthly goals work toward larger, longer-term goals.
2. Consulting – Starting at $1,000 per month
Consulting is like having a phone a friend. You pay for an expert to pick up the phone when you call and answer your questions. Most consulting contracts include a strategy session to plan for the upcoming month, and then a certain amount of time (usually 2-10 hours) of the expert’s time answering questions or helping work through social media execution.
3. Planning – Starting at $1,200 per month
If you don’t have time to strategize, you can hire social media help to do the planning for you. This level of social media help comes with us documenting your long-term goals and then building your monthly content calendar for you. You still write and post the content.
4. Support – Starting at $1,500 per month
This next level of social media help I’m going to call Support. In addition to creating your content calendar, support would include us writing captions to go along with photos and videos you have provided. While we still work with you to develop and monitor your long-term goals, we work on the day-to-day social media posts as well. This level would be for one platform.
5. Manager – Starting at $2,000 per month
Social media management is the most involved social media help and cost depends on how much content we decide will align best with your long-term goals. This would include strategizing, building content calendars, writing and posting social media posts, and then daily post and comment monitoring and responding. Social media management is someone fully maintaining your social media presence. It also includes mining for user-generated content and high-level social listening on your chosen social media platforms. Pricing for this level is also determined by how many platforms we’re managing.
6. Photo and Video Production – $1,500+ per half-day shoot
Another aspect of social media help is gathering assets like photography and video. While we can work this to be included in a monthly fee, most clients choose to pay for full- or half-day shoots where we come to your location or community and gather a pre-determined list of photography and videography to be used on social media.
What Social Media Help is Right for You?
The answer to that question depends on what your social media goals are, what you’re able to do on social media, and what your budget is. Give us a call at Signalfire to talk through what option might be best for you or to get a custom social media plan and quote.