It’s the first question everyone asks us, and almost no agency answers it on their website. Let’s answer it with real numbers.
The three market tiers
€250–450/month. Usually a freelancer or a very small agency. This typically covers scheduling 8 to 12 posts a month using content you supply or stock imagery. It’s enough to keep the profile ticking over. Don’t expect original production or strategy.
€600–1,200/month. This is the range where most serious agencies working with SMEs operate, and where we sit too. It includes strategy, original photo and video production, community management and reporting tied to actual business data. Here, someone is actually thinking, not just posting.
€1,500+/month. Multiple brands, multiple languages, managed advertising or high content volumes. Usually comes with a dedicated team and response-time commitments.
What drives the price up
- Original production. Coming to your business to shoot photo and video takes time — and it’s what makes the biggest difference to the end result.
- Number of channels. Every platform demands its own format and posting rhythm. Two channels done well are worth more than five done half-heartedly.
- Frequency. Posting three times a week is a different job from posting daily.
- Languages. Every additional language multiplies the writing and review work.
Warning signs in what you’re being charged
Be wary if the quote doesn’t say how many pieces of content are included per month, if no one has asked about your business goals before giving you a price, or if you’re promised a specific number of followers. Followers can be bought; customers can’t.
What you should really be asking
Don’t just ask how much it costs. Ask what you’ll actually receive each month, who produces the content, and how success will be measured. If an agency can’t answer all three, they shouldn’t be managing anything for you.
All our pricing ranges are published on our pricing page. If your budget doesn’t stretch far enough, we’ll tell you in the first conversation instead of wasting your time with a meeting.
What professional management should include
Social media pricing doesn’t make sense if you only look at the number of posts. There’s a real difference between recycling templates and building a presence that genuinely represents the business. Proper management includes strategy, calendar planning, copywriting, design, review, coordination, publishing and analysis — plus photo or video production when needed. Add campaigns, community management or multiple locations, and the scope grows accordingly.
Before comparing quotes, ask for a breakdown of what’s delivered each month, who produces the material, how many rounds of revisions are included, and how results are measured. A low price can be perfectly reasonable for a business that only needs a minimal presence; it becomes expensive when there’s no strategic thinking behind it, the content can’t be reused across channels, and nothing is learned along the way.
Choose the service based on your goal
If you need bookings or local foot traffic, your management needs to connect with Google, your website and a clear offer. If you sell B2B, LinkedIn can help build authority and support your sales cycles — but it’s not the place to chase entertainment metrics. If you’re launching a brand, you may need to nail down identity, value proposition and a visual library first, before committing to a monthly plan.
The best questions aren’t “how many reels are included?” but “what business problem will this content solve?”, “what does my team need to contribute?” and “how will we know in three months that it’s worth continuing?” That shifts the conversation from volume to value.
How to budget without surprises
Set an initial working period, realistic goals and a monthly review. Keep ad spend clearly separate from management fees, and set aside budget for production if the business depends on original imagery. You can check the approach and deliverables of our social media service before deciding what level of support fits you.
Quick reference: what actually changes the price
Two proposals with the same price tag can be completely different jobs. The difference usually comes down to three things: whether there’s a strategy behind what gets published, whether the content is produced for your business or adapted from templates, and whether anyone is analysing the enquiries that come in. Basic management can keep a presence ticking over; business-driven management has to decide what to show, when, and for which customer.
- Channels: coordinating Instagram alone costs a lot less than adding LinkedIn, TikTok or a Google Business Profile.
- Production: original photo and video require planning, travel and editing — and it’s also what stops your brand from looking interchangeable with everyone else’s.
- Community and campaigns: replying to messages, managing reviews or coordinating advertising are all separate jobs from posting.
- Measurement: a useful report connects content to clicks, bookings or enquiries — it doesn’t stop at follower counts.
Signs a quote isn’t right for you
Be wary of a proposal that promises to “be on every platform”, doesn’t make clear who creates the material, or measures success by reach alone. It’s also a bad sign to commission lots of content without deciding which service, product or stage of the buying journey each piece should support. The problem isn’t paying a little or a lot — it’s paying for volume that leaves you with no reusable asset and no learning for next month.
Before signing, ask for a sample calendar, assign someone responsible for approvals, and agree on what counts as a valuable enquiry. If you want to compare your current situation against a realistic plan, start with a digital audit and take a look at the scope of our social media management.
Original production: the difference that changes the cost
Two quotes with the same number of posts can be radically different jobs. Scheduling twelve pieces that already exist is nothing like travelling to the business, shooting photo and video, selecting the material, editing, writing copy and preparing versions for each format. When comparing proposals, always separate management from production: how many hours of photo and video are included, how many shoot days, and who signs off on the material.
Production doesn’t need to happen weekly to work. For many local businesses, it’s more efficient to batch a single session per month, build up a solid content bank, and leave room for anything timely. That keeps a recognisable presence going without the team having to be glued to their phone every day.
When to review the scope
Review the service after three months with three questions: are we showing what makes the business special? can the team handle the enquiries coming in? and are there formats worth repeating? If the work is only stacking up posts without improving perception or sparking useful conversations, the problem isn’t quantity — it’s approach.