How much to charge for social media management

There's no single right price, and copying someone else's rate won't tell you whether you're making a living. What you need is a floor based on your own costs, then a price based on what the work is worth to the client.

What the market looks like

Treat public numbers as a rough guide. One 2024 industry survey of more than 100 agency and freelance social media managers reported an average retainer of about $2,100 a month for one client on three platforms, and an average hourly rate of about $67. Other guides quote freelance retainers from around $500 to $2,500 a month, so the range is wide.

Location, niche, experience and scope all move that number. A one-person bakery and a multi-location clinic aren't buying the same thing.

Find your floor

Start with what you need, not what others charge.

1. Set your yearly target. Include taxes, tools, time off and savings.
2. Count your billable hours. You won't bill 40 hours a week. Sales, admin and learning take a big share.
3. Divide target by hours. That's your minimum hourly rate.
4. Estimate hours per client. Include planning, writing, design, approvals, community work and reporting.
5. Multiply. Hours per month times your rate is your floor for that client.

For example, with a $60,000 target and 1,000 billable hours a year, your minimum is $60 an hour. A client who takes 15 hours a month has a floor of $900. Those numbers are an illustration, so use your own.

Don't sell hours for long

Hourly work punishes you for getting faster. Once you know a client's scope, switch to a monthly retainer with a clear list of what's included.

Three simple packages

Packages make the decision easier and stop you from writing a custom quote each time.

Starter. Two networks, eight to twelve posts a month, one round of edits, a short monthly report.

Growth. Three networks, more posts, short video, comment management, a monthly review call.

Full service. Strategy, content, community, paid support and detailed reporting.

Clients often pick the middle option, so build it around what you want to sell.

Spell out what isn't included

Scope creep eats retainers. State the limits in writing: number of posts, networks, edit rounds, response times. List extras separately, such as photo shoots, ad spend and event coverage.

Ad budget always belongs outside your fee.

When to raise your rates

• You're booked out and turning down work
• Clients say yes without hesitating
• You've added results or skills you can prove
• It has been a year with no change

Give existing clients notice, usually 30 days or more, and explain what they get. New clients get the new price right away.

Protect your margin

Your profit comes from the hours you don't spend. A solid client onboarding checklist, a clean approval process and good tools can all cut time per client.

How Lurr helps

Lurr for agencies and freelancers cuts the time per client: drafts in each brand's voice, approval by link and monthly reports you can share, so you can take on more clients at the same rate.