Social media cost per post in the UK: is it fair?

Key takeaways

Social media cost per post in the UK depends on what is inside the post. Worked from typical retainers, a fully managed post with planning, design, replies and reporting costs about £80–£125, and a scheduled post built from content you supply about £25–£80. The count alone tells you little.

• £80–£125 per post is the indicative all-in cost on a managed UK retainer.
• Publishing-only posts work out at about £25–£80 each.
• Two quotes for 12 posts a month can differ by three times in work done.
• Judge a quote on hours and outcomes, not on the number of posts.

What is per-post pricing?

Per-post pricing is a model where an agency or freelancer charges a fixed price for each piece of content published, or sells a package of a set number of posts a month. It is simple to understand, which is why it is common in entry-level packages.

• Social media agency pricing in the UK
• Social media agency pricing models explained

How much does one social media post cost?

Divide the monthly fee by the posts delivered. A managed retainer of £950–£2,500 producing 12 to 20 posts a month works out at roughly £80–£125 a post, including strategy, replies and reporting. A publishing-only package at £500–£950 for the same volume works out at roughly £25–£80. These are indicative figures.

• Scheduled post from your content: indicative £25–£80.
• Designed post with caption, managed and reported: indicative £80–£125.
• Short-form video with filming and editing: more, priced by time.

• Social media content creation costs in the UK

Why is the number of posts a poor measure?

A post count measures activity, not results. Ten posts made from supplied photos are a different product from ten posts that include filming, writing, community management and a monthly review. An agency paid per post is paid to publish more, even when fewer, better posts would bring more enquiries.

• Set social media goals and KPIs that survive a board meeting

What should be included in the price of a post?

Ask what each post includes: the idea, the caption, the design or edit, adaptation for each channel, scheduling, replies to comments and a line in the monthly report. If replies and reporting are missing, the post is cheaper because half the job has been left with you.

• Idea and caption.
• Graphic, photo edit or video edit.
• Adaptation for each channel.
• Scheduling and publishing.
• Replies to comments and messages.
• Reporting on what the post did.

When does per-post pricing work?

Per-post pricing works when you already have a strategy, supply good raw material and only need design and scheduling. It also suits one-off needs, such as a batch of posts for a launch. It does not suit a business that needs someone to decide what to say.

• Cheap social media management: what under £500 buys

What is a better measure than price per post?

Cost per enquiry is a better measure. Divide the monthly fee by the enquiries social media produced. A £1,500 service that brings 15 enquiries costs £100 an enquiry. A £600 package that brings two costs £300 an enquiry. The cheaper service per post is the dearer one per result.

• Count enquiries from messages, forms and calls.
• Ask new customers how they found you.
• Divide the monthly fee by the enquiries.
• Compare that figure, not the price per post.

What does this look like in practice?

A pattern we see in UK trades businesses: a 12-post package fills the feed with generic tips, because the supplier never sees the jobs. Fewer posts built from real job photos, with replies handled and enquiries counted, usually does more. That is why Global Bridge Labs (GBL) scopes a monthly fee, not a per-post rate.

• See client work
• Social Media Marketing for UK businesses

Per-post pricing checklist

Ask these questions before you buy a package.

• What is included in each post?
• Who writes, designs and approves it?
• Are replies to comments included?
• Does video count as one post or cost more?
• What does the monthly report show?
• Can unused posts roll over?

Next step

Tell us how many posts you have been quoted for and at what price. We will tell you what that should include and what to ask the supplier.