What are you actually paying for?
Social media management covers several separate jobs, and providers bundle them differently. The common ones are planning what to post, writing captions, preparing images, scheduling, publishing, answering comments and messages, running paid ads and reporting. A low monthly figure often covers captions and scheduling only. A higher one may add a strategy meeting, video editing and someone watching the inbox at set hours. Before comparing two quotes, write the jobs down the left side of a page and tick what each provider includes. The gaps usually sit in the same places: who replies to customers, who supplies the photos, and whether ad spend is inside or outside the quoted figure.
How much do post volume and platforms change the price?
Each post has to be planned, written, checked and scheduled, so volume is the largest single driver for most written-content services. Extra platforms add less than people expect when one idea is adapted for each channel, and more when each channel gets original content. A Facebook post can often run on Instagram with a different crop, while LinkedIn usually needs a rewritten caption for a business audience and a Google Business Profile post needs a shorter local update. Ask each provider how their figure counts posts.
- Posts per month, counted per platform or per idea
- Whether LinkedIn captions are rewritten or copied across
- Whether stories and reels count as posts
- What happens to planned posts if you pause the service
Why does video cost more than written posts?
Short-form video for Reels, TikTok or YouTube Shorts involves filming, editing, on-screen captions and often several takes, so it is usually quoted as a separate line or a separate service. A provider who writes posts can add captions to clips you film yourself, which takes far less time than a crew visiting your site. If video matters for your business, ask whether the quote covers filming, editing only, or neither, how many videos a month are included, and who appears on camera. Staff who appear in videos should agree to it first, and that agreement should be recorded with the clip.
Is replying to comments and messages included?
Replying to comments and direct messages is the job most often left out of a low quote and most often assumed by the buyer. It is priced differently because someone has to watch the accounts at set hours and know enough about your business to answer a real question. Many small businesses keep replies in-house for that reason: the owner or office manager knows the stock, the schedule and the customer. If you want a provider to reply, agree in writing which questions they may answer, which they must pass to you, and the hours they cover.
Are paid ads part of the management fee?
Usually not. Money spent boosting a post or running an ad campaign is paid to the platform, and any fee for setting up and watching the ads is separate again. Meta treats your budget as a cost control. A daily budget is an average: Meta says it may spend up to 75 per cent over the daily budget on some days, while keeping the weekly total within seven times the daily figure. A lifetime budget is a hard cap for the campaign. When a quote mentions ads, check whether the figure is ad spend, management or both, and whose payment method is on the ad account.
What does doing it yourself cost?
The in-house cost is mostly time: finding photos, writing captions, checking facts and scheduling. Count the hours someone spends each week and put a value on them, including hours that would otherwise go to quoting, invoicing or paid work. If you hire someone for the job, the arrangement matters. The ATO says whether a worker is an employee or an independent contractor affects your tax, super and other obligations, so work that out before you take someone on.
Hypothetical example: if writing and scheduling three posts takes an owner two hours a week, that is about 100 hours a year, before any time on replies or ads. Compare that figure with quotes for the same scope.
Do setup fees and contract terms matter?
Some providers charge a setup fee for building a voice guide, templates and account access, and some ask for a minimum term. Both are common, and both change the real cost of starting with a provider and leaving. Ask what the setup covers, what you keep if you leave (published posts, image files and any voice notes) and how much notice ends the arrangement. Ask who owns the Pages and ad accounts, because moving an asset that sits in a provider's business account needs their cooperation. What the AI Socials service includes is set out on the pricing page.