Why Paid Social Needs a Budget - Not a Guess

In today’s digital-first world, social media isn’t just for brand awareness - it's a direct route to revenue. Whether you’re a local hairdresser or an online retailer, paid social campaigns can help you generate leads, drive sales and grow fast.

But here’s the catch: most small businesses either overspend without seeing results, or spend too little and wonder why nothing’s working.

Fact: Over £8 billion was spent on social media advertising in the UK in 2023 alone (Statista).

Without a smart budget strategy, your share of that spend could easily disappear into the digital abyss.

Setting a Realistic Budget: Where to Start

Before you put a number on it, you need to understand what you're budgeting for.

Ask yourself:

• What’s your main goal? (e.g. leads, sales, website traffic)
  
  
• How many conversions do you need to see ROI?
  
  
• What’s your average customer worth (CLV)?
  
  
• How long is your sales cycle?
  
  

A general starting point for small businesses is to allocate 5–15% of your monthly revenue towards marketing, with at least 30–50% of that dedicated to paid social.

Average Paid Social Costs & Conversion Benchmarks (UK)

Facebook / Instagram

• Average CPC: £0.50 – £1.50
• CPM (Cost per 1,000 impressions): £5 – £12
• Typical CVR (Conversion Rate): 2% – 10%

LinkedIn Ads

• Average CPC: £3 – £7
• CPM: £25 – £60
• Typical CVR: 6% – 10% (for lead generation forms)

TikTok Ads

• Average CPC: £0.30 – £0.90
• CPM: £4 – £10
• Typical CVR: Varies heavily based on creative quality and hook

Budget Breakdown: A Sample Monthly Split

If your monthly marketing budget is £1,000, here’s a basic structure to follow:

• £500 on Paid Social Ads (testing multiple creatives + audiences)
  
  
• £250 on Content Creation (videos, graphics, UGC)
  
  
• £150 on Strategy & Optimisation (agency or internal time)
  
  
• £100 on Retargeting (warm audiences & lead nurturing)
  
  

Pro Tip: Always keep 20–30% of your ad budget flexible for scaling top-performing campaigns.

Tips to Stretch Your Budget Further

🎯 1. Start with Narrow Targeting

Don't waste money by going too broad. Use interest, behaviour, and lookalike audiences to refine your reach.

🧪 2. A/B Test Your Ads

Split-test headlines, visuals, CTAs. Small tweaks can drive major gains.

📈 3. Focus on Campaign Objectives That Align with Your Goal

If you want leads, don’t run engagement campaigns. Choose conversion or lead-gen objectives.

♻️ 4. Reuse and Repurpose Creative

Turn a single video into reels, stories, and static posts. Saves time and budget.

💬 5. Use UGC (User Generated Content)

Authentic content often outperforms polished ads. 

FAQs: Budgeting for Paid Social

Q: How much should a small business spend on paid social per month?
Start with what’s sustainable. Even £300–£500/month can bring results if managed well. Focus on ROI, not just spend.

Q: Should I hire an agency or run ads myself?
If you’re short on time or expertise, an agency can save you a wasted budget. Agencies like Evolve My Media provide end-to-end support - from creative to campaign management.

Q: Can I just run ads without content?
Technically, yes. But high-performing content (video, testimonials, carousels) can halve your cost-per-result.

Q: How long before I see results?
Usually within 2–6 weeks, depending on your product, offer and creativity. But consistency is key.

Q: What if my ads aren’t working?
Pause. Reassess targeting, creative and offer. Or speak to an expert (like us) to audit your setup.

Final Thoughts: Budget Smarter, Not Bigger

You don’t need to outspend your competition - you just need to outsmart them. With a well-planned budget, the right creativity, and constant optimisation, even the smallest business can achieve big results from paid social.

At Evolve My Media, we help businesses across the UK unlock performance through strategic paid social, data-led lead generation, and standout content. Contact us today!

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