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Social media advertising cost: What every business needs to know

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Price guide

$250 - $20,000

low

$250

median

$2,000

high

$20,000

Low, median and high bar chart distribuiton

Last Updated on

Key Facts

  • Social media ad costs vary widely ($0.38 to $5.26 per click), but platform choice should be based on where your audience is, not the cheapest rates. For your business, a $1.50 Pinterest click might convert better than a $3.56 Instagram click.
  • Content creation often costs more than the actual ad spend itself. You’ll need about $45 to $100 per hour for copywriting, plus $200 to $800 per project for design work.
  • Getting your digital marketing strategy wrong upfront costs far more than hiring experts from the start.

With 295 million Americans spending hours daily on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, the opportunity to reach your customers has never been bigger. But here’s what most business owners want to know upfront: what’s it going to cost me to advertise on these platforms?

Most businesses spend between $250 and $20,000 per month. Of course, costs vary depending on your chosen platform, targeting strategy, and campaign type. In this post, we’ll discuss all the critical factors that affect pricing and help you work out a realistic budget. 

Social media advertising cost

Disclaimer: Airtasker’s cost estimates come from thorough research on industry and third-party rates. Please only use the listed prices as a benchmark when setting your budget.

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

Facebook

$0.97 per click

Twitter

$0.38 per click

Instagram

$3.56 per click

YouTube

$3.21 per click

LinkedIn

$5.26 per click

Pinterest

$1.50 per click

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 mealA social media influencer taking a photo of her meal (Source: iStock)

What factors affect social media ad 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 to $800, 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 $45 to $100 per hour, 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 $150 to $500 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 prices

Aside from your main budget for social media advertising, consider long-term services. If you're investing in an agency to help you out, 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 man using social mediaA 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 New York,” 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 $2,500 to $10,000 per month, 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.

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The businesses winning today aren't necessarily the ones spending the most – they're the ones spending the smartest. Your competition is already in front of your customers. Don't let them have the conversation without you. So if you want to boost your online presence, post a task and find local social media services to help put your business on the map!

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FAQs

While social media advertising and social media management pricing in the US 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 specialization. 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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