Social Media Management Rates — India 2026
| Package | Platforms | Posts/Month | Price Range (Mid-level) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | 1 platform (Instagram or LinkedIn) | 12 posts + 4 Stories | ₹8,000–₹12,000/mo |
| Growth | 2 platforms (Instagram + Facebook) | 20 posts + 8 Stories | ₹15,000–₹25,000/mo |
| Pro | 3 platforms (Insta + FB + LinkedIn) | 30 posts + Stories + Reels | ₹25,000–₹45,000/mo |
| Full-stack | 4+ platforms + paid ads management | 40+ posts + ads | ₹50,000–₹90,000/mo |
Separate ad spend: Always invoice your management fee separately from the client's ad budget. Never run ads from your personal account — use the client's ad account with you as an admin. This protects you from liability if the campaign underperforms.
The Full Proposal Template
SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGEMENT PROPOSAL
Prepared by: [Your Name]
Date: [Date]
Prepared for: [Client Name / Company]
Valid for: 14 days
1. UNDERSTANDING YOUR BRAND
Based on our conversation, I understand that [Client Company] is a [industry] brand targeting [audience — e.g., "urban working women 25–40 in Mumbai and Delhi"]. Your current social media presence is [describe current state — e.g., "inconsistent posting on Instagram with 2,400 followers"].
Primary goal: [brand awareness / lead generation / community building / product sales]
Brand voice: [aspirational / friendly / authoritative / witty]
Key competitors: [list 2–3 you've researched]
2. PLATFORMS IN SCOPE
This proposal covers: [Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook / YouTube Shorts — select applicable]
Platforms out of scope (can be quoted separately): Twitter/X, Pinterest, WhatsApp Broadcasts, influencer campaigns, paid advertising.
3. DELIVERABLES — MONTHLY
4. CONTENT CREATION PROCESS
Week 1: Content brief + calendar shared for approval
Week 2: Creatives drafted and shared via Google Drive / Notion
Week 3: Approved content scheduled via Buffer / Later
Week 4: Performance review + next month planning
You (the client) will provide: brand logo, product photos or videos, any campaign inputs, login access to ad account (if ads are in scope).
I will handle: copywriting, graphic design (using brand assets), scheduling, community management, monthly reporting.
5. WHAT I WON'T MANAGE
• Paid advertising (quoted separately)
• Influencer outreach and negotiation
• Crisis communication or PR
• Offline event coverage (can be added as an add-on)
• WhatsApp marketing / SMS campaigns
6. KPIs & REPORTING
I'll track and report on the following monthly:
• Follower growth (absolute and %)
• Reach and impressions per post
• Engagement rate (likes + comments + saves / reach)
• Top-performing content types
• Profile visits and website link clicks
I do not guarantee follower counts or viral outcomes — social media results depend on content quality, consistency, algorithm changes, and brand factors outside my control. I do commit to professional execution and transparent reporting.
7. PRICING
Ad spend (if applicable) is billed separately and paid directly by the client to the platform (Meta / Google).
8. PAYMENT TERMS
• Monthly retainer invoiced on the 1st of each month
• Payment due within 7 days of invoice
• Work for the month begins only after payment is received
• Late payment (beyond 7 days): 2% monthly interest on overdue amount
• Minimum engagement: 3 months (after which either party may terminate with 30 days' notice)
9. ONBOARDING REQUIREMENTS
To begin, I'll need:
• Admin access to all social media accounts in scope
• Access to brand asset folder (logo, fonts, colour codes, product photos)
• Brand tone document or reference accounts (if available)
• Completed brand questionnaire (I'll send this separately)
• Advance payment for Month 1
10. TERMINATION
After the minimum 3-month term, either party may terminate with 30 days' written notice. All content created and delivered up to the termination date is the client's property. Logins and assets will be returned immediately on termination.
ACCEPTANCE
Payment of the first month's retainer or written confirmation constitutes acceptance of this proposal.
[Your Name] · [Email] · [Phone / WhatsApp]
Prepared by: [Your Name]
Date: [Date]
Prepared for: [Client Name / Company]
Valid for: 14 days
1. UNDERSTANDING YOUR BRAND
Based on our conversation, I understand that [Client Company] is a [industry] brand targeting [audience — e.g., "urban working women 25–40 in Mumbai and Delhi"]. Your current social media presence is [describe current state — e.g., "inconsistent posting on Instagram with 2,400 followers"].
Primary goal: [brand awareness / lead generation / community building / product sales]
Brand voice: [aspirational / friendly / authoritative / witty]
Key competitors: [list 2–3 you've researched]
2. PLATFORMS IN SCOPE
This proposal covers: [Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook / YouTube Shorts — select applicable]
Platforms out of scope (can be quoted separately): Twitter/X, Pinterest, WhatsApp Broadcasts, influencer campaigns, paid advertising.
3. DELIVERABLES — MONTHLY
| Deliverable | Quantity / Month |
|---|---|
| Feed posts (static / carousel) | [X] |
| Reels / Short videos (scripted + edited) | [X] |
| Stories (poll, quiz, swipe-up, etc.) | [X] |
| Monthly content calendar (sent by 25th of previous month) | 1 |
| Monthly analytics report (reach, engagement rate, follower growth) | 1 |
| Community management (reply to comments & DMs) | Daily, Mon–Sat |
| Hashtag strategy refresh | Quarterly |
4. CONTENT CREATION PROCESS
Week 1: Content brief + calendar shared for approval
Week 2: Creatives drafted and shared via Google Drive / Notion
Week 3: Approved content scheduled via Buffer / Later
Week 4: Performance review + next month planning
You (the client) will provide: brand logo, product photos or videos, any campaign inputs, login access to ad account (if ads are in scope).
I will handle: copywriting, graphic design (using brand assets), scheduling, community management, monthly reporting.
5. WHAT I WON'T MANAGE
• Paid advertising (quoted separately)
• Influencer outreach and negotiation
• Crisis communication or PR
• Offline event coverage (can be added as an add-on)
• WhatsApp marketing / SMS campaigns
6. KPIs & REPORTING
I'll track and report on the following monthly:
• Follower growth (absolute and %)
• Reach and impressions per post
• Engagement rate (likes + comments + saves / reach)
• Top-performing content types
• Profile visits and website link clicks
I do not guarantee follower counts or viral outcomes — social media results depend on content quality, consistency, algorithm changes, and brand factors outside my control. I do commit to professional execution and transparent reporting.
7. PRICING
| Item | Monthly |
|---|---|
| Social media management ([platforms listed]) | ₹[base fee] |
| Reel scripting + editing (if included) | ₹[price] |
| Subtotal | ₹[subtotal] |
| GST @18% (SAC 998361) | ₹[GST] |
| Total / Month | ₹[total] |
Ad spend (if applicable) is billed separately and paid directly by the client to the platform (Meta / Google).
8. PAYMENT TERMS
• Monthly retainer invoiced on the 1st of each month
• Payment due within 7 days of invoice
• Work for the month begins only after payment is received
• Late payment (beyond 7 days): 2% monthly interest on overdue amount
• Minimum engagement: 3 months (after which either party may terminate with 30 days' notice)
9. ONBOARDING REQUIREMENTS
To begin, I'll need:
• Admin access to all social media accounts in scope
• Access to brand asset folder (logo, fonts, colour codes, product photos)
• Brand tone document or reference accounts (if available)
• Completed brand questionnaire (I'll send this separately)
• Advance payment for Month 1
10. TERMINATION
After the minimum 3-month term, either party may terminate with 30 days' written notice. All content created and delivered up to the termination date is the client's property. Logins and assets will be returned immediately on termination.
ACCEPTANCE
Payment of the first month's retainer or written confirmation constitutes acceptance of this proposal.
[Your Name] · [Email] · [Phone / WhatsApp]
Setting Client Expectations on Results
The biggest source of conflict in social media retainers is clients expecting guaranteed follower growth or viral reach. Address this head-on in your proposal and onboarding call:
- Commit to inputs, not outputs. You can guarantee 20 posts per month, daily community management, and a monthly report — you cannot guarantee 1,000 new followers per month.
- Set a 90-day benchmark. Tell clients that meaningful organic growth typically takes 3–6 months of consistent content. Month 1 is foundation-building.
- Separate organic from paid. Organic social media grows slowly. If the client expects rapid growth, they need a paid media budget — which is a separate scope item.
Content Calendar Structure
Share this at the start of each month — it forces client approval before you create anything, which eliminates late-stage "I don't like this" rejections:
| Column | What to Include |
|---|---|
| Date | Planned publish date |
| Platform | Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook |
| Format | Static / Carousel / Reel / Story |
| Topic / Hook | 1-line description of the post idea |
| Caption (draft) | First draft of the caption copy |
| Visual direction | Brief description or reference image |
| CTA | What action you want the viewer to take |
| Status | Draft / In Review / Approved / Scheduled / Posted |
GST note: Social media management services fall under SAC code 998361 (Advertising and related services). GST at 18% applies on your management fee if you're registered. Ad spend passed through to Meta/Google is not your supply — don't charge GST on money you're collecting and forwarding to the platform.
Upsell Services to Increase Monthly Retainer
- Reels scripting + editing: ₹3,000–₹8,000 per reel
- Paid ads management: 10–15% of monthly ad spend (minimum ₹5,000 management fee)
- Influencer identification + brief: ₹5,000–₹15,000 per campaign
- Monthly blog post (SEO): ₹3,000–₹8,000 per article
- WhatsApp broadcast setup + monthly management: ₹4,000–₹10,000/mo
- Social media audit (one-time): ₹5,000–₹15,000