Social media clients rarely ask for "a social media strategy." They ask whether you can "handle our Instagram," and then gradually add TikTok, replying to comments at weekends, a product shoot, and a quick look at why the boosted post did not work. Without a written scope, a small monthly fee turns into a full-time job.
This proposal template pins down the channel work: which platforms, how many posts, what kind of content, who shoots it, how many hours of community management, and whether paid ads are in or out. It also sets up the approval loop and the monthly report, so both sides know what a good month looks like.
TL;DR
The social media marketing proposal template scopes ongoing channel management: platforms, posts per week, content pillars, content production, community management hours, optional paid social with the client paying ad spend directly, approvals and a monthly report. Send it after an account audit. The key practice is a three-month minimum term, because month one is setup and testing rather than results.
What's inside
- Summary and goals: the business outcome social is meant to support.
- Account audit snapshot: where each account stands today.
- Platforms and cadence: posts, stories or short videos per week on each platform.
- Content pillars: the three to five themes the content rotates through.
- Content production: who shoots photos and video, how much editing is included.
- Community management: response hours, response time and what gets escalated.
- Paid social (optional): management fee, recommended budget, who pays the platform.
- Approvals and reporting: the monthly content calendar sign-off and report contents.
- Fee, term and acceptance: monthly fee, minimum term, notice and signatures.
When to use it
Use it when the client wants you to run one or more social accounts on an ongoing basis: planning, creating, posting and engaging. It also works for a fixed three-month campaign around a launch.
Choose a different document when:
- The client wants social as one part of a wider marketing program with email, SEO and campaigns. The marketing retainer proposal handles multi-channel monthly scope.
- The job is a one-off: a content shoot, a set of templates, or a launch video. Quote it as a project with the graphic design proposal or video production proposal.
How to scope social media without the creep
Count deliverables per platform. "Three feed posts, five stories and one short video per week on Instagram; three posts per week on LinkedIn" is a scope. "Active presence on Instagram and LinkedIn" is not.
Separate creation from curation. Original photo and video production takes far more time than designing graphics from the client's existing assets. State how many shoot hours or content days per month are included, and whether the client supplies raw footage.
Cap community management. Replying to comments and direct messages expands to fill the time available. Give it a number, for example "up to 5 hours per month, weekdays 9 to 5, responses within one business day." Define what you escalate to the client: complaints, refunds, press requests, anything legal.
Keep ad spend off your invoice. If you run paid social, the ad budget should be charged to the client's card on the client's ad account. You charge a management fee, either flat or tiered by spend. This keeps the client in control of their account and keeps your cash flow independent of their media budget.
Write down what you will report. Reach, engagement rate, follower change, link clicks, and for paid campaigns cost per result. Agree on the one or two numbers that matter most for this business before month one ends.
Setting goals without promising results
Clients want growth. You cannot control algorithm changes or whether the product is good. The honest middle ground is to commit to activity you control and goals you track together. A useful structure is:
- Activity commitments: number of posts, response times, testing new formats each month.
- Tracked goals: for example "increase average engagement rate on Instagram" or "grow LinkedIn followers among [INDUSTRY] decision-makers," reviewed monthly.
- Quarterly review: after three months, look at what worked and change the mix.
This framing also supports the three-month minimum. The first month is audit, setup and testing. The second month starts to show patterns. The third is when you can make decisions from data.
Customize it in your COLO workspace
Build the monthly package as a saved proposal template in COLO Proposals, with line items for content creation, community management hours and ad management, each with rate, hours, tax and discount. The client accepts in the client portal, and an accepted proposal converts into the first month's invoice.
Run each client as a project with tasks for content batches and the monthly report, and make the approval tasks visible to the client. Use time tracking on community management so you know if the hours cap is realistic.
Common mistakes
- Unlimited platforms. Each new channel needs its own content format. Price it.
- Ad spend on your card. If the client disputes or pays late, you carry their media budget.
- No approval deadline. If the content calendar is not approved by a set date, posting dates move.
- Promising follower numbers. Commit to activity and reporting.
- Month-to-month from day one. The client leaves after the setup month, before anything has been learned.
FAQ
Q: What should a social media marketing proposal include?
The platforms you will manage, posts per week on each, content pillars, who creates photos and video, community management hours, whether paid ads are included and who pays the ad spend, the approval process, the reporting you will send, and the monthly fee.
Q: How do social media managers price their services?
Most price a monthly package based on platforms, posting volume, content production and community management time. Ad management is often a separate fee, and the ad budget itself is paid by the client directly to the platform.
Q: Should ad spend be included in my fee?
Keep it separate. State the recommended monthly ad budget, confirm the client pays the platform directly on their own account, and charge your management fee on top. Mixing them makes your fee look larger and puts your cash at risk.
Q: Can I guarantee follower growth in a proposal?
Avoid it. Platforms change their algorithms and results depend on the product, budget and audience. Commit to activity and reporting, and set goals you will measure together.
Q: How long should a social media contract run?
Many managers ask for a three-month minimum, since the first month is mostly setup and testing. After that, a rolling monthly term with 30 days' notice is common. Put the terms in a social media management contract.