Online community management off Facebook: the cost

Key takeaways

Online community management typically costs an indicative £450–£1,500 to set up a customer community on a platform such as Discord, Slack, Circle or WhatsApp (6 to 15 hours), then £400–£1,200 a month for 10 to 20 hours of moderation and activity at £40–£60 an hour. It suits brands whose customers want to talk to each other.

• Set-up: £450–£1,500, indicative.
• Running it: £400–£1,200 a month.
• Platform fees: check current pricing.
• Empty communities hurt more than none.

What does online community management involve?

Online community management is running a space where customers or members talk to each other and to you: setting up channels and rules, welcoming new members, starting conversations, answering questions, moderating problems and reporting activity. It differs from a Facebook Group mainly in platform and ownership of data.

• Social media agency pricing in the UK
• Facebook Group management costs for businesses

How much does it cost to run a community?

Choosing the platform, setting up channels, rules and onboarding takes 6 to 15 hours, an indicative £450–£1,500. Running it at 10 to 20 hours a month at £40–£60 an hour costs £400–£1,200. Some platforms charge a monthly fee; check current pricing before committing.

• Set-up and rules: £450–£1,500.
• Moderation and activity: £400–£1,200 a month.
• Events or expert sessions: extra.
• Platform subscription: varies.

• Community management costs in the UK

What rules does a community need?

Clear rules on behaviour, advertising, personal data and what happens when they are broken. Moderators need guidance for removing harmful or defamatory posts. If members share personal information, your privacy notice must explain how it is used.

When is a community the wrong idea?

If customers buy once and have no reason to talk to each other, a community will stay empty, which looks worse than not having one. Communities suit software users, hobby brands, membership organisations, courses and professional networks where peers help each other.

What does this look like in practice?

A pattern we see: a brand opens a community, posts announcements and wonders why nobody talks. A weekly question, quick welcomes and inviting ten active customers first usually starts the conversations that keep others coming back.

• See client work
• Social Media Marketing for UK businesses

Community checklist

• Confirm customers want to talk to each other.
• Choose one platform your members already use.
• Write and pin clear rules.
• Invite ten active members before launch.
• Post one question a week and welcome everyone.

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Next step

Ask ten customers whether they would join and what they would want from it. Their answers decide whether to build.