How much does social media management cost, and is it worth it for a small business?

Do agencies charge per post or per month?

Both. A per-post rate is common for a small operation that only makes content; a monthly retainer is more common once strategy, scheduling and reporting are bundled in. Two quotes can cover very different amounts of work under the same name, so line up what each one includes before you compare the prices.

Is it worth paying for, or can I post myself?

For a local service business, posting alone rarely pays for itself. It pays when the messages it brings in get answered fast and real reviews keep arriving alongside it, so a comment or a DM turns into a booked customer instead of sitting unread for three days. If nobody’s going to answer the DMs a post brings in, the post is doing less than half its job. Restaurants and salons with a strong visual portfolio are the exception: when customers find you on Instagram first, a dedicated social specialist can be the better buy.

Agency, freelancer or in-house: which fits a small business?

Mostly it comes down to how much you post and how much you want to oversee yourself. A freelancer is usually cheaper and more flexible on scope but needs more of your time to brief and approve. An agency brings a full calendar and a system, for a steadier monthly cost. Hiring in-house makes sense once social is enough of the business to justify a salary, and for most local service businesses it isn’t yet.

What should be included beyond the posts?

Drafts in your own voice. Someone answering the comments and DMs the posts bring in, because scheduling a post and walking away leaves the valuable part undone. Posting to your Google Business Profile as well as Facebook and Instagram, since that’s where plenty of local customers look first. And a plain readout each month of what went out and what it led to, instead of a chart of likes.

What does Forward Dawn include, and at what price?

Social media management comes included in the AI Front Desk plan, $497 a month: a monthly content calendar built from your services and offers, drafts written in your voice that you approve from your phone before anything publishes, posting to Facebook, Instagram, and your Google profile, and the DMs and comments the posts bring in answered by your AI front desk day and night. It sits next to your website, your inbox and your review requests, so there’s no second bill for posting. The social media management page has the detail.