Money
What social media management really costs in Alberta
Search for social media management in Edmonton or Calgary and you will find prices from a few hundred a month to several thousand, all described in almost identical language. The range is real, and it is not mostly about quality.
What you are actually paying for
Four things move the number, and they are worth separating because they are priced very differently.
How much content. Twelve pieces a month and thirty are different jobs, and the second is not three times the first because planning and travel are shared.
Shoot hours. Time on site is the most expensive hour in the process, and the one most easily wasted by turning up without a plan.
Edit hours. A quick vertical cut and a properly graded piece with motion graphics are hours apart.
Production level. This is the one that surprises people. Content shot on a phone by someone who knows what they are doing is genuinely effective and genuinely cheap. The same idea shot on camera, lit, with a second operator and a cast, is a different production and a different price. Both are legitimate. They are not interchangeable.
Why nobody publishes a real price
Because a list price has to be wrong for most people who read it. Set it low and it is a bait number you renegotiate on the call. Set it high and you lose the business you could have served. Either way the published figure is not the figure.
We scope it instead, which takes about fifteen minutes and produces a number in writing. That is more work than publishing a tier, and it is the only version that is accurate.
What to ask anyone quoting you
How many pieces, shot how, over how many days, edited to what standard, and who is actually doing the work. If a quote does not answer those, it is not comparable to any other quote you have.
Common questions
What drives the cost of social media management?
How often someone films on site, how many finished pieces you need each month, how many platforms are being managed, and whether it is quick phone work or a full camera setup. Those four variables explain almost all of the difference between one quote and another.
Why do agencies not publish their prices?
Because the same words describe very different amounts of work. One provider posting stock images three times a week and another filming on site monthly and managing every channel are both called social media management, so a published number tells you almost nothing without the scope beside it.
Is a monthly retainer always the right answer?
No. A retainer suits a business that needs a steady presence and does not have time to make it. A single launch, one event or a one-off promotion is better served by a project shoot, and being sold a retainer for it is a bad fit.
What should I ask before signing with a content agency?
How often someone physically films with you, who does the filming and the editing, how many finished pieces you receive each month, who owns the footage, and what happens if you stop. The answers to those five separate most providers quickly.