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Social media advertising cost: What you'll really pay in 2025
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Price guide
£200 - £500
low
£200
median
£350
high
£500
Last Updated on
Key Facts
- Social media ad costs vary widely (£0.40-£6 per click), but platform choice should be based on where your audience is, not the cheapest rates. For your business, a £6 TikTok click might convert better than a £0.40 Facebook click.
- Content creation often costs more than the actual ad spend itself. You’ll need about £200 to £600 for copywriting plus £200 to £500 for design work for each campaign.
- Getting your digital marketing strategy wrong upfront costs far more than hiring experts from the start.
Every business owner knows that they need to be on social media these days. With 79% of the UK population using social media, that’s where your customers are spending their time. The big question? How much does it actually cost to advertise on these platforms?
Most businesses fork out between £0.40 and £2 per click and £4 and £8 per 1000 impressions. Of course, costs vary depending on which platform you choose, the online strategy you’ll follow, how you target your audience, and your campaign type. In this post, we’ll walk you through all the factors that affect pricing and help you work out a realistic budget.
Social media advertising cost
When assessing social media marketing costs, we look at the cost per click (CPC). This refers to the billing charge each platform notes per click by a user on a display ad on their site or app. To save on costs, it’s a must to understand what you’re paying for and how those pennies per click can add up.
| Platform |
Average advertising cost |
|---|---|
£0.40 per click |
|
£79 per month |
|
£0.50 per click |
|
TikTok |
£6 per click |
YouTube |
£6 per day |
£4 - £6 |
Before you allocate your funds, remember that successful social media advertising is about getting the right results from the right audience. Therefore, you must think about the following:
- Your exact audience – Who are they and where do they spend their time online?
- Brand fit – Does your content style match the platform’s vibe?
- Content strategy – What type of content will you create, and where will it perform best?
- Platform selection – Focus your budget on platforms where your audience is most active
- Campaign goals – Are you targeting brand awareness, leads, or direct sales?
Getting these fundamentals right from the start can save you serious money and deliver better results. Need help mapping out the perfect strategy? Feel free to consult a Google Analytics professional.
A social media influencer taking a photo of her meal (Source: iStock)
Factors affecting social media advertising costs
Three main things influence how much you'll pay for social media ads: creating content, choosing platforms, and boosting posts. Get these right, and you'll spend your budget more wisely.
Content creation
Content creation is a major factor in your social media advertising budget. Every ad needs two elements: compelling copy and eye-catching visuals. The quality and complexity of these elements directly impact your costs, and you can’t really skimp on either if you want ads that actually work.
At present, design costs vary depending on what you need. For instance, simple graphics might cost £200-£500, but if your business requires more specialised work, expect to pay more. You might need an Adobe After Effects designer for animated content or an Adobe Illustrator designer for custom graphics. The more complex your visual requirements, the higher your budget needs to be.
As for copywriting, your final cost also depends on the type of writer you hire. Basic copywriters might charge £200-£600 for social media copy, while SEO copywriters cost more because they know how to improve your search rankings. If you need someone with copy editing and proofreading skills, add another £100-£300 to the total.
Social media platform
The type of platform also contributes to the cost of social media advertising. This is because you cater to different audiences when you advertise. Each social media app has its own set of metrics, geographical targets, and other similar features. In addition, each social media platform has core content competencies.
For instance, Facebook relies on post sharing and targeted ads appearing on the user’s news feed. Twitter ads break your timeline, while Instagram is shifting towards balancing both video and photo content. YouTube has advertising spots embedded between a video a user is watching. Lastly, TikTok is experimenting with video ads on FYPs (For You Pages).
Boosting
Boosting refers to sponsoring your content on non-followers' feeds to get exposure. The process is simple. The more you play, the more people can see your advertisement. These boosted posts also have a “Sponsored” tag on them.
Additional social media advertising costs
Aside from your main budget for social media advertising, consider long-term services. If you're investing in an agency to help you, you can ask them for a weekly or monthly report of your social standing. Otherwise, here are other things to include in your budget:
A person engaging in social media (Source: iStock)
Analytics
Analytics show you exactly how your ads perform, like which posts get the most engagement, what times your audience is online, and which content drives the most conversions. Without this data, you’re just guessing what works. Most platforms offer basic analytics for free, but for detailed insights into customer behaviour and campaign performance, you might need specialist tools or hire a Facebook marketing specialist or an Instagram marketing professional to analyse your data and optimise performance.
Search
Search refers to the process of gaining visibility via search engine optimisation. When someone searches for “best coffee shop near me” or “fitness trainer London,” you want your business to pop up. An SEO expert helps by finding the right keywords to use in your social media posts and profiles, so more people discover you without you having to pay for ads. Monthly SEO services typically cost £1,200-£9,000, depending on your business size and competition.
Branding
Branding is what makes your business recognisable and memorable. It’s your logo, colours, tone of voice, and overall vibe - basically everything that makes you “you.” On social media, consistent branding means your posts look professional and cohesive, whether someone sees them on Instagram, Facebook, or LinkedIn.
Some businesses have in-house branding teams, while others hire branding consultants or agencies. Today, many social media agencies include branding as part of their service packages.
Post a task for social media advertising
Social media advertising can seem complicated, but it doesn't have to be. With the right strategy and budget, you can reach your ideal customers where they already spend their time. Whether you need someone to create content, manage your campaigns, or handle the whole lot, there are plenty of specialists who can help.
Ready to get started? Post a task and connect with local social media experts who can help you make your budget work harder.
FAQs
While social media advertising and social media management pricing in the UK are somehow the same, there is a stark difference in their services and processes. The former refers to creating a strategy or plan for your brand. Meanwhile, social media management costs include overseeing different profiles on various platforms.
You should look for two things in a social media expert: their expertise and specialisation. It also helps if you look at their work ethic and if it jives with your company philosophy. It is one thing to hire an expert, but it will be hard to make your visions come to life even if they know the world but are challenging to work with.
It depends on the social media platform you are on, and it would help if you did a little bit of research on each platform’s core content competency.
It will significantly help if you know your target audience and find out what platform/s they are on.
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