What Does It Cost for Social Media Marketing Services?

How much does social media marketing cost?
How much does social media marketing cost?

When prospective client contacts me to learn about the social media marketing services I offer, the question on their minds is – what’s this going to cost? Sometimes when they find out my fee, they are taken aback. So I did a little research to find out what other companies are charging for social media marketing services. It was my turn to be taken aback!

One company has a generic proposal for Package A starting at $4,000 per month for marketing on three social media channels. You can learn more about their services here.

Mark Collier has done a couple of blog posts in the past about the cost of social media. His post for the costs in 2012 are interesting. He reached out to some friends and consultants that offer Social Media marketing services to their clients who gave him their rates so he could provide the most accurate price information. His results for a Social Media Strategy Audit showed that most charge anywhere from $5,000 – $10,000. More results can be found here.

Another company provides this table of their pricing.

Finally, there is the Peace of Mind Package provided by HavePresence.com. Their pricing just to update Facebook and Twitter is $995 a month and if you want updates on other social media platforms, you’re looking at $1,995 a month!

So what does it cost for social media marketing services? It depends on who you choose. These are just a few of the many choices I found doing a Google search. As you can see, the fees can range from $995 per month for a few updates on Facebook and Twitter to up to $4,000 per month or more!

Next time a prospect asks me why I charge so much, I’m going to refer them to this blog post and tell them the question they really need to ask is why do these companies charge so much. I charge what I do because I know the work involved and also want to keep my rates affordable for my clients.

More important than pricing is finding a social media consultant that you can trust and that will work with you to determine the best strategies for your specific needs. Be sure to ask for references and find out if they are reliable and responsive.

Choose Additional Education Carefully

Technology changes and new technology may require additional education. Many virtual assistants are adding new skills to their portfolio so they can offer more services to their prospects and clients. If you have chosen to add to your skill set with additional education, please choose carefully.

There are many programs and coaches for virtual assistants including virtual office professional community college courses and online skills training. How do you know which one to choose?

Before addressing that question, let’s step back and consider if choosing additional education is right for you or not. Ask yourself:

  • Why do I want additional education?
  • Do I have the time to invest in additional education?
  • Will the cost of additional training fit my budget?

Let’s consider your answer to that first question – why? Why do you want additional education? If it’s because something new has come along and you feel the need to be an expert on all new technologies, you may want to reconsider. Do you really need to be an expert on everything? Is your plumber an expert electrician? Of course not! Each is a specialist. If your specialty is bookkeeping, don’t distract from your focus by thinking you need to become an expert web designer as well. It may be best to hire an expert in the field and be less costly in both time and money than spending your time and money learning a skill you may only use once.

However, if you’ve found a new skill that really excites you and you’re eager to learn it, getting additional education in that skill may be just what you need. You may already have clients that are eager for you to learn that skill as well.

What about your time? Do you have the time to invest in additional education? If your schedule is already filled to the brim, it may not be the right choice to add to your schedule. You may find you’re unable to put your all into it and don’t get the full benefit after you spent all that money on the program. If you really want to invest the time, look and your schedule and see if you can add the time by letting go of other tasks for a while.

What’s the cost? Some additional training and coaching programs can be quite expensive. Do you have the budget for it or should it wait? Are there other options that will give you the education you need at a cost that fits your budget? Make sure the investment you make is well worth it.

How do you know which additional education to choose? Once you’ve determined why you want it, whether you have time for it or not, and if the cost fits your budget, you’ll have a much clearer idea of what program will work best for you. The one you choose needs to:

  • add value to your business
  • fit your schedule
  • fit your budget

Carefully research your options. Talk to others who have taken the additional education you’re considering.