If you’re trying to work out how much social media marketing really costs in the UK, you’ve probably noticed one thing - the prices vary a lot. And with constant changes to algorithms, advertising costs and content trends, it can be difficult for businesses to know what a realistic budget looks like in 2025.
This guide breaks it all down clearly: UK pricing ranges, what impacts the cost, whether to hire an agency or freelancer, and how much businesses should be budgeting to see real results.
Here’s what businesses typically invest depending on the level of support they need:
Best for: early-stage businesses, simple content needs.
Best for: brands wanting a long-term strategy, paid ads and content consistency.
Best for: companies needing someone embedded day-to-day.
The reason two businesses can pay vastly different fees comes down to several factors:
More platforms = more content, scheduling, reporting.
Do you want 4 posts per month or a full funnel of Reels, TikToks, carousels and ads?
Ad spend is separate from management fees.
Brand awareness, lead generation and e-commerce each require different approaches.
Finance, beauty and hospitality normally require higher quality creative and more testing.
We work with hundreds of SMEs across the UK, and the pattern is consistent:
Business SizeAverage Monthly BudgetStart-ups£300–£700/moSmall businesses£800 –£2,000/moGrowing SMEs£2,000–£4,000/moScaling brands£5,000–£10,000/mo
If a business wants to grow rather than simply “maintain presence”, they need to invest enough to produce content, test creatives, and run paid ads.
A freelancer is ideal for:
An agency is better when you need:
Many people underestimate how much the festive period changes ad performance.
This is also where agencies often outperform DIY strategies because they pre-build seasonal funnels and test creatives in advance.
Here’s an easy formula:
If your goal is brand presence only:
➡️ £1,000 - £1,5000/month
If your goal is lead generation or sales:
➡️ £1,500 – £4,000/month including ads
If your goal is aggressive scaling:
➡️ £5,000/month+
Most UK SMEs fall comfortably in the middle bracket.
Most UK businesses spend between £800–£3,000 per month depending on platforms, content volume, and whether they use an agency or freelancer.
Yes - especially if you need strategy, paid ads, content creation or results beyond basic posting.
No. Ad spend is separate unless a package explicitly states otherwise.
Competition increases across all industries, which raises CPMs and CPCs.
If you’re ready to stop guessing and start scaling, let’s talk.
👉 Book a call with Evolve My Media today and we’ll audit your channels, review your ad performance, and show you exactly how to get more from your 2025 marketing budget.