On this page
- 01Key takeaways
- 02What does DIY social media really cost?
- 03How do you put a price on your own time?
- 04What does the agency fee buy that DIY does not?
- 05When is DIY the right choice?
- 06When does DIY stop making sense?
- 07Is there a middle route?
- 08What does DIY cost over a year?
- 09What does this look like in practice?
- 10DIY or agency checklist
- 11Next step
- 12Sources and further reading
- 13Frequently asked questions
Key takeaways
DIY social media vs agency cost comes down to the value of your time. Doing it yourself costs £20–£80 a month in tools plus about six hours a week. At £40 an hour that is around £960 a month, which is close to what a managed service costs.
- DIY: £20–£80 a month in tools, plus about 6 hours a week of your time.
- Agency: £950–£2,500 a month for strategy, content and replies.
- DIY: six hours a week at £40 an hour is about £960 a month.
- Agency: no drop in posting when your own work gets busy.
Wondering whether to keep doing it yourself? Message us on WhatsApp.
Chat on WhatsApp →What does DIY social media really cost?
DIY costs tools and time. Scheduling, design and analytics tools cost about £20–£80 a month for a small business. Planning, producing, publishing and replying on one or two channels takes roughly six hours a week. The cash cost is small. The time cost is not.
How do you put a price on your own time?
Use what an hour of your time earns or saves. At a modest £40 an hour, six hours a week is about £960 a month. If your billable rate is £80, it is nearer £1,900. If those hours are evenings you would never bill, the real cost is lower, but so is your energy.
Want your DIY cost set against a managed fee? Send us your hours on WhatsApp and we will discuss your requirements.
Chat on WhatsApp →What does the agency fee buy that DIY does not?
The fee buys consistency, skills and distance. Posts go out when you are busy. Design, video and ads are done by people who do them daily. And someone outside the business reports on what worked, which is hard to do honestly for your own content.
- Posting that does not stop in busy weeks.
- Design, video and paid media skills.
- Replies covered in working hours.
- A monthly report and a second opinion.
When is DIY the right choice?
DIY is right when the business is young, the budget is under about £500 a month, and you are the person customers want to hear from. It is also right when the content depends on being on site every day. A plan and some training make it far more effective.
When does DIY stop making sense?
DIY stops making sense when posting drops off in busy periods, when messages wait a day or more, or when you turn down paid work to make content. Those are signs that your hours are worth more elsewhere than they save on a fee.
Is there a middle route?
Yes, and it suits most small businesses. You keep the voice and supply the raw material: photos, short clips, customer questions. A partner handles production, scheduling, replies and reporting. It takes two to three hours a month of your time instead of six a week.
What does DIY cost over a year?
Add it up over twelve months. Tools at £50 a month are £600. Six hours a week for 48 weeks is 288 hours, worth £11,520 at £40 an hour. A managed service at £1,200 a month is £14,400 and gives the 288 hours back. The gap is smaller than the monthly prices suggest.
- Tools: about £600 a year.
- Your time: 288 hours, about £11,520 at £40 an hour.
- Managed service at £1,200 a month: £14,400 a year.
- Difference: about £2,300 for 288 hours returned.
What does this look like in practice?
A pattern we see with UK owner-managed firms: the owner is good at social media and has no time for it. They keep filming on their phone and send it over. Global Bridge Labs (GBL) writes, designs, edits and schedules, and the owner approves in a shared calendar.
DIY or agency checklist
Track these for two weeks before deciding.
- Hours spent on social media, including replies.
- What those hours would earn elsewhere.
- Posts missed in busy weeks.
- Messages answered late.
- Enquiries that came from social media.
Next step
Tell us how many hours a week you spend and what an hour of your time is worth. We will show the comparison for your business.
Message us on WhatsApp for a DIY versus managed comparison, or book a 30-minute consultation.
Chat on WhatsApp →Sources and further reading
- Employee earnings in the UK (Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings) · Office for National Statistics
- National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates · GOV.UK
Frequently asked questions
Is it cheaper to do social media myself?
In cash, yes: tools cost about £20–£80 a month. In time, often not. Six hours a week at £40 an hour is about £960 a month, close to the cost of a managed service. Use your own hourly value for a fair figure.
How many hours a week does business social media take?
About six hours a week for a small business running one or two channels properly, including planning, production, publishing and replies. Video-led channels take more. Track your own hours for two weeks, including replies and the time spent deciding what to post, to find your real number.
When should I stop doing my own social media?
When posting stops in busy periods, when messages go unanswered for a day or more, or when you turn down paid work to create content. At that point your time is worth more elsewhere. Those are signs to hand over production, not to give up the channel.
Can I do some social media myself and outsource the rest?
Yes. Many owners keep the voice and supply photos, clips and ideas, and outsource production, scheduling, replies and reporting. That takes two to three hours of your time a month. It is the arrangement most small businesses settle on.
Written by
Global Bridge Labs (GBL) is a UK–Sri Lanka partner for social media, websites and BPO. Everything here comes from client delivery, not theory.
