5-step Guide to Creating Social Media Marketing Packages  [+Top Choices]

You can think of a social media marketing package as one of those combo meals you get at your favorite fast-food, drive-through. It groups together all the essentials you’ll need to grow a brand via social media at a set price (and, yes, hamburgers and fries are sometimes essential food groups). 

Similarly to those combo deals, clients also have the opportunity to add extras to their bundle of services. This way, businesses of all shapes and sizes can walk away satisfied. 

What’s in it for social media marketing agencies? A steady stream of income, more security, and a way to show off their wide range of skills. 

From deciding on which social networks to managing client expectations, here’s the process involved in creating a social media marketing package broken down into five steps. Then, to help you decide on a flat rate and see how everything comes together, also included are examples of how other agencies are structuring their services.  

5-step Guide to Creating Social Media Marketing Packages:

Step 1: Defining Your Service Portfolio

You first need to have clarity about the scope of services you can offer and types of content you can create. Allow your mind to consider services that you would like to offer down the line too. For example, if you’ve always seen yourself as a community leader, perhaps now will be a good chance to explore the idea of community management more actively?

After you’ve drawn up a list, ask yourself where your specialties lie? Examples of popular specialized services clients often need include search engine optimization (SEO), strategy consulting, and influencer partnerships.  

The idea is to find the right balance between your own skills and experience and demand. Basically, you want to play towards your strengths. For example, if you have loads of experience in social media strategy, make this one of the core services in your package. 

Step 2: Tailoring Your Package Tiers

You have a good idea of the types of services that you can offer, now you’ll need to find a way to combine them in a way that makes sense. To use the analogy of that combo meal again, if your fast-food joint serves pizza and hamburgers, serving a slice of pizza as a side to your hamburger won’t make much sense. Fries go with hamburgers. 

In social media, there are also certain services that go together. For example, TikTok and video production go hand in hand. Offering TikTok as a platform won’t make much sense without some form of help in the video production department. 

However, you don’t need to cram all your services into one package. This is where tiered packages come into the picture. You’ll typically offer three packages. A basic plan to target new clients or small businesses that are only beginning to use social media. A mid-sized plan for something in between. Then, for enterprise clients, you can offer advanced packages. This way, you’ll have a package to offer all prospective clients, irrespective of their budget or where they’re at in their journey. 

Step 3: Content, Profiles, and Insights

Along with services, one of the key questions will be identifying the social media channels that you want to support. Just like with services, you don’t need to offer it all. Though, ensure that you’re very clear right from the start about which social media networks you can include. 

You also have a few options. You can create a platform-specific package (you can refer to Cleverly for some guidance and inspiration) or limit it to a few channels per package. Limiting it to one platform can be a good idea if you’re a specialist in TikTok, LinkedIn, or Instagram, for example.

Aside from the number of channels, you’ll also need to clarify the frequency of content creation. However, there’s no magic formula. 

Mireia Boronat, the content marketing manager at The Social Shepherd, a leading agency that walked away with the Best Large Social Media Agency in the UK award at the UK Social Media Awards 2023, explains:

“Posting frequency depends on the brand, industry and platform.”

She adds:

“In our specific case, we post six times per week on Instagram, mixing Reels with static content. On LinkedIn, we’re more flexible as we like to be reactive with agency news and mentions in the media, but we share a minimum of four times a week, as we’ve noticed that’s what works best for us.”

Then, you’ll also need to decide on reporting frequency and format. For example, will it be weekly reports, biweekly calls, or monthly Zoom meetings? Basically, how much time will you spend each month per client to explain the progress and results? 

You’ll also need to decide how you will measure the results and share it with your clients. For example, will they have access to real-time results that they can view via a client portal or dashboard anytime they like or will they have to wait for you to send a report in PDF format?

These are all questions that you have to think about beforehand. 

Step 4: Offering Versatile Add-ons

Ensure that you also include some level of customization. By including customizable services as an add-on, you’re much better equipped to meet a client’s unique requirements and expand your potential client pool. You can, for example, offer it as one-time services for those projects that clients typically don’t require on a monthly basis. 

It’s also a great way to show off all of your skills. This way, you can still find a way to offer a service that you couldn’t include in one of your packages. If you’re offering add-ons, make sure that you clearly communicate that it’s available at an extra fee. 

Examples of add-ons can include:

• Social media account setup
• Landing page design
• Custom graphics or product photography
• Social media moderation
• Training
• Extra social media platforms

Step 5: Guiding Clients With Parameters

One of the big benefits of offering social media packages is that you get to set expectations beforehand. Potential clients can see what they’ll get and at which price point. In other words, what’s included and excluded. 

To make the most of this potential pro, ensure you specifically address the following:

• Communication expectations
• Content production details
• Number of edits
• Availability and support

For example, will communication be via email, phone, or both? Will your team be available during business hours for client calls? If so, what’s the average response time? Do they need to schedule a meeting, for instance? These are all questions that you’ll need to answer before signing up a new client. 

It’s also key that clients know what to expect in terms of the approval process. If you don’t limit the number of edits you’re willing to make to social media ads, for example, the process can drag on forever. 

Top Tips for Effective Marketing

1. Optimize your content for the specific platform

The content that you share on social media should be original, relevant to the brand, and optimized for the specific platform on which it will be shared. 

“Content to share on social has to be created knowing on which platform it’ll be posted, as well as understanding what type of creative performs best on the platform. Does it need sound? Does it need to feel like UGC? Does it need smooth transitions?”, Mireia explains. 

While it’s important to know who the target audience is, it’s just as important to understand the platform and its algorithms. She adds:

“Not every platform is the same, and that’s why cross-posting is not always a successful practice. Knowing if platforms are ‘social’ or ‘entertaining’ will dictate the type of content they require. Likewise, knowing how they work, how they push content to users, and which audiences are more likely to see your content are vital things to consider before choosing where to post and planning your content.”

2. Prioritize unique content

To build a solid brand identity that’s easily recognizable, you’ll need to create unique content. 

Mireia’s suggestion is that you use trends as inspiration. “You can’t just copy the same trends as everyone else. Content and ideas need to be original to surprise and be memorable. This means that it’s okay to use a trend as inspiration but always add your own twist to it to make it unique to the brand.”

Examples of some social media trends that digital agencies can use in 2024 for inspiration include:

• Short-form video content
• Livestream shopping
• User-generated content (UGC)

3. Use analytics

Sure, conversion rates matter, but that’s not the only way to measure success. Engagement rate is another one of the key performance indicators (KPIs) to monitor, especially for social media campaigns. 

It’s not only there to show your clients how their posts are performing. It should also be used by the social media team to guide them. There are several user-friendly social media analytics tools that will highlight what worked (and what didn’t). You can then use this info to improve your social strategy and content mix.  

Examples of Marketing Packages

Here’s how three of the top social media marketing agencies have structured their marketing packages: 

About the Author

Writer

Koba Molenaar brings nearly a decade of rich experience in content writing, specializing in digital marketing, branding, SaaS, and eCommerce. Her passion for helping brands, from solopreneurs to established companies, connect with their audiences shines through her work. As a member of the Golden Key International Honor Society, Koba’s commitment to excellence is evident in her work, showcasing her as a relatable and knowledgeable voice in the industry.