What a social media strategy costs in the UK

Key takeaways

Social media strategy cost in the UK is indicatively £750–£3,000 for a written strategy from an agency or consultant, based on 10 to 30 hours of senior time. The price depends on the research involved and the number of channels. A one-page strategy you use beats a long one you file.

• £750–£3,000 is the indicative cost of a written social media strategy.
• That reflects 10 to 30 hours of research, a workshop and writing.
• Inside a retainer, strategy is usually part of onboarding.
• A small business with clear goals can draft its own in an afternoon.

What is a social media strategy?

A social media strategy is a short written plan that states what social media is for in your business, who it must reach, which channels you will use, what you will post, how much you will spend and how you will measure it.

• Social media agency pricing in the UK
• Social media strategy for UK small businesses

How much does a strategy cost?

A strategy is priced on senior hours. At the £75–£100 an hour implied by typical UK retainers, 10 hours costs about £750 and 30 hours about £3,000. The lower end is a workshop and a one-page plan. The upper end adds audience research, competitor review and a measurement set-up. These are indicative figures.

• Workshop and one-page plan: indicative £750–£1,200.
• Plan with audience and competitor research: indicative £1,200–£2,000.
• Multi-channel plan with tracking design: indicative £2,000–£3,000.

• Social media project pricing: one-off work costed

What should the strategy document contain?

A usable strategy fits on one or two pages and answers seven questions: the goal, the audience, the channels, the content pillars, the posting rhythm, the budget and the measures. If it cannot be read in five minutes, it will not be used in a busy week.

• One commercial goal and the number that proves it.
• Who you need to reach and where they are.
• One or two channels, with reasons.
• Three or four content pillars.
• A weekly rhythm you can hold.
• Budget, including paid reach.
• What is reported monthly.

• A one-page social media strategy template you will use
• Set social media goals and KPIs that survive a board meeting

Is strategy included in a monthly retainer?

Usually, as part of onboarding. Most retainers in the £950–£2,500 band include a strategy at the start and a review each quarter. Publishing-only packages rarely include one. If you are quoted a separate strategy fee and a set-up fee, check you are not paying twice.

• Social media agency set-up fees: what is reasonable?

When should you write it yourself?

Write it yourself when the business is simple, you know your customers well and the budget is tight. A template and two focused hours will produce a workable plan. Pay for a strategy when you are entering a new market, choosing between channels with real money, or briefing an agency.

• Choose the right social media platforms for a UK small business

What makes a paid strategy poor value?

A paid strategy is poor value when nobody implements it, when it recommends every channel, or when it has no numbers. A long document of trends and personas with no posting plan or budget is a report, not a strategy.

What happens in a strategy workshop?

A strategy workshop is a two to three hour working session with the people who know your customers. It ends with decisions, not ideas: the goal, the audience, the channels, the content pillars and the measures. The written strategy afterwards records what was decided and who owns each part.

• Before: sales figures, customer questions, current accounts.
• During: goal, audience, channels, pillars, measures.
• After: a one or two page plan and a 90-day calendar.

What does this look like in practice?

A pattern we see with UK owner-managed firms: a short strategy session narrows four channels to two and sets one measure, enquiries. Global Bridge Labs (GBL) offers a 30-minute consultation that gives an honest view of which channels to focus on and what a first 90 days would look like.

• See client work
• Social Media Marketing for UK businesses

Strategy buying checklist

Check these before paying for a strategy.

• Ask to see an example, with client details removed.
• Confirm length: one or two pages for daily use.
• Check it includes budget and measures.
• Agree who implements it afterwards.
• Confirm you own the document.

Next step

Tell us what you want social media to achieve this year. We will tell you whether you need a paid strategy or a template and an hour of advice.