Social media scope of work: what to put in writing

Key takeaways

A social media scope of work is the list of what an agency will deliver each month, written as numbers. It is the document that makes a fixed fee fair to both sides. Twelve lines cover almost every engagement, and each one should be measurable.

• Twelve lines cover channels, volumes, replies, reporting and limits.
• Every line should be a number, a time or a named person.
• A change process stops scope creep without stopping changes.
• Attach the scope to the contract as a schedule.

What is a scope of work?

A scope of work is a written schedule that defines the services, deliverables, volumes, timings and responsibilities covered by a fee. In social media it turns a general promise of management into specific monthly commitments both sides can check.

• Social media agency pricing in the UK
• What is included in a social media retainer?

Which twelve lines does a scope need?

These twelve lines cover the work, its limits and who is responsible for what. Together they fit on a single page. Copy them into a document, send it with your brief and ask each agency to complete every line, so that the scopes you receive can be laid side by side.

• Channels managed.
• Posts per month, by type.
• Videos per month and who films.
• Stories or short updates per week.
• Reply hours and response time.
• Paid campaigns managed and review frequency.
• Monthly report contents and date.
• Meetings: frequency and length.
• Approval rounds and turnaround.
• What the client supplies, and when.
• Exclusions and their prices.
• Named contacts on both sides.

What does vague wording look like?

Vague wording uses words that cannot be checked. Regular posting, ongoing community management and monthly reporting sound fine and mean nothing. Precise wording says 14 posts a month, replies within four working hours between 9am and 5pm on weekdays, and a one-page report by the fifth working day.

• What a good social media agency proposal contains

What should the client side of the scope say?

It should say what you will supply and how fast you will approve. Most delays come from the client side: no photos, slow sign-off, changing priorities. Writing your own commitments into the scope protects the result as much as the agency's.

• Photos and clips supplied weekly to a shared folder.
• Offers and dates supplied a month ahead.
• One named approver.
• Approval within two working days.

• A social media approval workflow that does not slow you down

How do you handle changes to the scope?

Agree a simple change process. Small swaps within the same effort, such as a video instead of two posts, need no paperwork. Anything that adds work is quoted and approved before it starts. Review the scope every quarter and reset it if needs have changed.

• Social media agency hidden fees and how to spot them

When is a detailed scope too much?

A scope is too detailed when it fixes things that should flex, such as exact posting days or topics months ahead. Fix volumes, hours and response times. Leave the content itself to the monthly plan, so the agency can respond to what is happening in your business.

How often should the scope be reviewed?

Review the scope every quarter. Needs change: a new service launches, a channel stops performing, message volume grows. A 20-minute review against the monthly reports keeps the scope matched to what the business needs, and stops the fee paying for work that no longer earns its place.

• Which lines delivered enquiries?
• Which lines went unused?
• What has changed in the business?
• What should be swapped, added or removed?

What does this look like in practice?

Global Bridge Labs (GBL) prices against a written scope covering channels, content volume, community management in UK hours and monthly reporting. A pattern we see is that most disputes between businesses and their agencies trace back to a single unmeasurable word in the scope.

• See client work
• Social Media Marketing for UK businesses

Scope checklist

Confirm before signing.

• All twelve lines completed.
• No line relies on words such as regular or ongoing.
• Your own commitments included.
• Exclusions priced.
• Change process agreed.
• Scope attached to the contract.

Next step

Tell us your channels and what you want handled. We will draft a scope you can use to brief any agency.