If you’re considering hiring someone to manage your business’s social media, you’ve probably discovered that prices vary quite a bit.
Some providers advertise packages for a few hundred dollars per month. Others charge $1,500, $3,000, or more.
So what should an Edmonton business expect to pay for Social Media Management?
Professional social media management can range from several hundred dollars per month for basic content and posting services to several thousand dollars for more comprehensive management, original content production and advertising.
At High Level Marketing, our managed social media services start at $1,400 per month. That generally includes approximately three to four posts per week, strategy, content creation, Stories, ongoing account management and management of one Meta advertising campaign.
But the number of posts isn’t the whole story.
What you’re really paying for depends on how much of the job the provider takes off your plate.
What Does Social Media Management Cost at Different Price Levels?
There isn’t one standard price for social media management in Edmonton. Different providers offer different services, levels of involvement and commitments.
Here’s a practical way to understand the options.
| Service level | What you might expect |
|---|---|
| DIY or scheduling tools | You develop the content, manage the accounts and do the work yourself |
| Basic content and posting | A limited number of posts, captions, templates and scheduling |
| Managed social media | Strategy, regular content, publishing, Stories, engagement and ongoing account oversight |
| More comprehensive management | Higher posting volumes, custom video, additional platforms, regular filming and more involved campaigns |
| Integrated marketing support | Social media combined with advertising, website improvements, lead generation and other marketing activities |
Price alone won’t tell you which option is right for your business.
A $500 monthly service might be a perfectly reasonable solution for a company that simply needs someone to schedule a few supplied posts.
A business that wants a team to develop content, maintain consistency, manage advertising and take responsibility for its social presence needs a different level of service.
The important question isn’t just how much social media management costs. It’s what the provider is actually managing.
Why Do Social Media Management Prices Vary So Much?
Two agencies can quote different prices for what initially sounds like the same service.
Both might offer 12 posts per month, but the work behind those posts could be completely different.
One provider might receive photos and captions from the client, put everything into a template and schedule the posts.
Another might research the business, plan topics, write original captions, design graphics, create videos, coordinate approvals, publish content, share Stories, monitor engagement and adjust the strategy throughout the month.
Both are producing 12 posts. They aren’t necessarily delivering the same service.
The biggest factors affecting price include:
- Posting frequency: More content generally requires more planning, creation and review.
- Number of platforms: Managing Facebook and Instagram is different from adding LinkedIn, TikTok or other channels with their own audiences.
- Content complexity: A straightforward image post usually requires less production than a carefully edited Reel or video.
- Original content creation: Photography, filming, interviews and on-site content capture require additional work.
- Strategy and planning: Developing content around a business’s services, audience and goals takes more effort than filling a posting calendar.
- Advertising: Managing a paid campaign involves additional decisions, monitoring and creative work.
- Engagement and account oversight: Monitoring activity, identifying opportunities and forwarding inquiries are responsibilities beyond publishing.
That’s why comparing packages by post count alone can be misleading.
Can’t I Just Manage My Business’s Social Media Myself?
Absolutely.
Most business owners can learn to create posts, share photos, make Reels and manage Facebook or Instagram themselves.
In fact, the tools for doing those things are more accessible than ever.
The challenge usually isn’t knowing how to post.
It’s finding the time to do it consistently.
A business owner starts the month with every intention of posting regularly.
Then a customer needs attention. An employee calls in sick. A project runs long. Something needs to be quoted, ordered, delivered or repaired.
Social media moves down the priority list.
A few days become a few weeks, and suddenly the business hasn’t posted anything in a month.
We’ve found this is one of the most practical reasons businesses look for outside social media support.
It isn’t necessarily that they can’t do the work themselves. It’s that they have other responsibilities that deserve their attention.
For some businesses, managing social media internally makes perfect sense. They have someone with the time, skills and interest to own it.
For others, outsourcing means a regular business activity stops depending on whether the owner has a spare hour.
What’s the Difference Between Social Media Posting and Social Media Management?
This is one of the most important distinctions to make when comparing quotes.
Social media posting generally means creating or receiving content and publishing it according to an agreed schedule.
Social media management takes a broader view of the business’s online presence.
A management partner may be responsible for:
- Developing a practical content strategy
- Planning topics around the business’s products and services
- Creating graphics, captions, Stories and other content
- Maintaining a consistent publishing schedule
- Helping collect photos, videos and business updates
- Monitoring account activity and forwarding inquiries
- Identifying relevant opportunities to tag, follow or collaborate
- Supporting paid social media campaigns
- Reviewing performance and adjusting future content
Not every management package includes all these services, so it’s important to review what’s actually covered.
At High Level Marketing, we focus on managing the work, not simply delivering a collection of posts.
Our clients can be involved as much or as little as makes sense for their business.
What Does $1,400 Per Month Get You at High Level Marketing?
Our social media management services start at $1,400 per month.
At that level, a typical engagement includes approximately three to four posts per week, although the exact content schedule depends on the business and agreed scope.
We work with clients to develop their content strategy, create and publish posts, share Stories, manage their social presence and help identify opportunities for engagement.
We also include management of one Meta advertising campaign as part of our standard approach.
Just as importantly, we take responsibility for keeping the work moving.
Some clients enjoy being actively involved. They send us photos, suggest topics, appear in videos and collaborate with us to create Reels.
Others prefer a more hands-off arrangement.
We can develop content ideas, prepare posts and manage publishing without asking the business owner to personally create every piece of content.
Clients can review and approve planned posts through a shared content spreadsheet, or give us more freedom to publish according to an agreed strategy.
We also support content collection and look for opportunities to work together on original photos or video.
Being based in Edmonton makes it easier for us to collaborate with nearby businesses when content opportunities arise.
The goal is a flexible working relationship where your business gets consistent social media management without having to manage the process yourself.
When Would Social Media Management Cost More?
Our starting price isn’t intended to cover every possible content requirement.
Pricing may increase when a business needs:
- Additional social media platforms
- Higher posting volumes
- More complex graphics, videos or Reels
- Regularly scheduled photography or filming
- More involved advertising campaigns
- Additional coordination, production or account-management requirements
We establish the scope based on the work involved rather than treating every business as if it needs the same package.
What About Facebook and Instagram Advertising?
One important thing to clarify when comparing social media proposals is the difference between advertising management and advertising spend.
Advertising management is the work involved in planning, creating, launching and overseeing a campaign.
Advertising spend is the money paid to the platform to show your ads to people.
For example, an agency might charge a monthly management fee while the business maintains a separate Meta advertising budget.
Other providers package some advertising spend into their monthly pricing.
Neither approach is automatically better, but the quote should make the distinction clear.
At High Level Marketing, our standard social media management includes the management of one Meta advertising campaign. The agreed advertising budget should be identified separately in the proposal.
That way, businesses understand what they’re paying for and how much is going directly toward advertising.
Should You Hire a Freelancer, an Employee or a Social Media Agency?
Each option can make sense depending on your business.
Managing Social Media Yourself
This offers the most direct control and may have the lowest external cost.
It’s a reasonable approach when you enjoy creating content and can consistently dedicate time to it.
The tradeoff is that you’re responsible for the strategy, creation, posting, engagement and follow-through.
Hiring a Freelancer
A freelancer can be a good option when you need help with a specific task or a relatively simple publishing schedule.
You might hire someone to produce graphics, edit videos or manage a set number of monthly posts.
Before hiring, clarify whether their service includes strategy, communication, account management and advertising, or primarily content production.
Hiring an Employee
An in-house employee can become deeply familiar with the business and may have convenient access to staff, projects and day-to-day activities.
This can be attractive when the business has enough ongoing work to justify the role.
However, managing social media effectively may require several different skills, including writing, design, video, strategy and advertising.
One employee may not specialize in every area.
Working With an Agency
An agency can provide a combination of skills and ongoing oversight without requiring the business to build an internal marketing department.
It’s often a good fit for established businesses that want professional support but don’t need a dedicated full-time social media employee.
The right choice depends on your budget, available internal resources and the amount of responsibility you want to delegate.
How Many Social Media Posts Does a Business Actually Need?
There’s no magic number of weekly posts that guarantees results.
A company publishing three useful, relevant posts per week may serve its audience better than a company posting every day without much thought behind the content.
The appropriate schedule depends on factors such as:
- The business’s audience and industry
- How much useful content is available
- Whether the goal is awareness, engagement, recruitment or inquiries
- The platforms being managed
- The budget and production resources available
At HLM, our typical starting arrangement involves approximately three to four posts per week.
We generally look for a meaningful, consistent presence rather than the highest possible post count.
Consistency matters, but relevance and quality still come first.
How Do You Know If Social Media Management Is Worth the Cost?
The answer depends on what you expect social media to accomplish.
Not every business should evaluate social media based on immediate online sales or lead volume.
For many established local businesses, social media helps maintain visibility, demonstrate ongoing activity and give potential customers a better understanding of the company.
It can also help with hiring, promoting services, sharing completed work, announcing updates and building familiarity with a local audience.
Paid advertising can serve more direct campaign objectives, such as generating inquiries or promoting a specific offer.
Before making an investment, consider:
- Is social media currently being managed consistently?
- Does our online presence accurately represent the quality of our business?
- Do we have useful content that isn’t getting published?
- Are we missing opportunities to communicate with customers or prospects?
- How much time would we realistically spend managing this ourselves?
- What would a successful six or twelve months look like?
An agency shouldn’t promise that a certain number of posts will generate a predictable number of customers.
But having someone consistently responsible for the work can be valuable when your existing approach is irregular or repeatedly gets pushed aside.
Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Social Media Management Company
Before comparing prices, make sure you understand what you’re buying.
Ask potential providers:
- Who develops the strategy and content ideas?
- How many posts are included, and on which platforms?
- Are Stories, Reels and video editing included?
- Do we have to supply all the photos and videos?
- Can the provider help capture original content?
- Will someone monitor activity and forward inquiries?
- Is advertising management included?
- Is the advertising budget separate?
- Can we approve content before it gets published?
- What happens if we need to change the posting schedule or scope?
- How will we evaluate whether the service is working?
These questions will usually tell you more about the value of a proposal than simply comparing monthly prices.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is $1,400 per month expensive for social media management?
It depends on the scope. At $1,400, you should expect more than a handful of generic scheduled posts. Evaluate the strategy, amount and complexity of content, account-management responsibilities, included platforms and advertising support before deciding whether the price represents good value.
Is it worth paying someone to manage Facebook and Instagram?
It can be, particularly when your business struggles to publish regularly or needs more professional content than your team has time to produce. If you already have someone internally who can manage the accounts effectively, outsourcing may be less necessary.
Do I have to create the content for my social media agency?
Not necessarily. Some providers depend heavily on client-supplied materials, while others offer content planning, graphic design, photography and filming. At HLM, we can create content independently or collaborate using the photos, videos and ideas our clients share.
Can I approve posts before they’re published?
Yes. At High Level Marketing, clients can review planned content through a shared spreadsheet and provide feedback before publication. Clients who prefer less involvement can also authorize us to manage publishing under an agreed strategy.
Does social media management include paid advertising?
Not always. Some agencies provide organic content management only, while others include paid campaign management or offer it as an additional service. HLM’s standard management approach includes one Meta advertising campaign, with the advertising budget addressed separately.
Does my business need to post every day?
No. A realistic, sustainable schedule with useful content is often more appropriate than posting daily simply to maintain a number. Posting frequency should support your actual business objectives.
The Bottom Line: Choose the Level of Support Your Business Actually Needs
You don’t necessarily need an agency to manage your social media.
If you have the time, skills and interest to do it consistently, managing it yourself can be a good option.
If you only need a few posts scheduled each month, a basic content service might be enough.
But if social media has become one more responsibility that repeatedly gets pushed aside, it may be worth bringing in a partner who can take ownership of the work.
At High Level Marketing, we help Edmonton businesses manage their social media without adding another ongoing task to the owner’s schedule.
Whether you want to collaborate on Reels and original content, approve every post, or simply have a reliable team handle things, we can build an approach around how your business operates.
Our social media management starts at $1,400 per month.
Learn more about our social media management services in Edmonton, or get in touch to discuss what level of support makes sense for your business.