If you have asked three agencies what social media management costs, you probably got three very different answers and no clear way to compare them. This guide explains what drives the price, what the common tiers look like, and what to ask before you sign.
The three tiers you will run into
- Posting only (roughly a few hundred dollars a month). Someone schedules posts, often from templates. Good for staying visible. It will not move your calendar much by itself.
- Content plus paid ads (roughly $1,000 to $1,500 a month at the middle of the market). Original photos or video, a monthly plan, and someone running Facebook and Instagram ads aimed at leads or bookings.
- Full-service with automation (roughly $2,000 to $3,000 a month and up). Everything above plus lead follow-up, booking, reporting, and strategy calls.
Ad spend is on top of all three. A fee that looks cheap because ads are "extra" can end up costing more than a flat package that includes the work you actually need.
What should be included
- A content plan for the month, so you know what is going out before it goes out
- Original content shot of your real business, not only stock graphics
- Captions written in your voice and approved by you
- If ads are included: conversion tracking, so spend points at calls and bookings, not just clicks
- A monthly report you can read in two minutes
Five questions to ask any agency
- Who actually does the work? The person on the sales call, or someone you never meet?
- What will you measure? Likes are easy to show. Leads, booked calls, and cost per lead tell you if it is working.
- What is not included? Ad spend, video, setup, and extra revisions are the usual surprises.
- How long is the contract? Month-to-month is a good sign. Long lock-ins should come with a reason.
- What happens if it is not working? A good agency has a straight answer before you sign.
How to decide what you can afford
Start from the customer, not the fee. If a new customer or patient is worth a few hundred dollars to you, and the marketing brings in a handful each month, the fee pays for itself. If you do not know what a new customer is worth, work that out first. It is the single most useful number in your marketing.
What CH Creative does differently
I run the work myself, track results to booked appointments, and tell you plainly if I am not the right fit. For what that would cost for your business, book a free 20-minute call and I will quote it after looking at what you have now.
Quick answers
Is social media management a monthly cost or a one-time cost?
Almost always monthly. Content has to go out every week, so agencies charge a recurring fee. Some also charge a one-time setup fee for accounts, tracking, and branding.
Is ad spend included in the management fee?
Usually not. The management fee pays for the person running the ads. The ad budget goes directly to Meta (Facebook and Instagram) and is billed separately.
Should I pay per post or per month?
Per month, tied to outcomes you can check. Per-post pricing rewards volume, and a pile of posts is not the goal.