Hire a social media manager
Social media managers grow a brand's audience and engagement on social platforms and turn that attention into customers and community. Here's when you need one and how to hire well.
When to hire a social media manager
- Your audience lives on social and your accounts are quiet
- Founders post, but nobody helps them do it well
- You want creator partnerships but have no one to run them
What it costs
Base salaries on full-time social media and community posts on HeyMarketers run $133k to $136k (median $133k, from 7 posts with published pay in the last 12 months).
- Job post
- Free
- AI Talent Agent
- $399 per role
- Concierge recruiting
- $6,000 flat
Recruiting agencies typically charge 20–25% of first-year salary. On a $133k hire that's $27k–$33k.
How competitive it is
34 social media and community roles are open on HeyMarketers right now, 44% of them remote. Companies hiring include Later, Harvey, Reddit, Airbnb, Lyft. Good candidates have options, so move quickly and publish your pay range.
Tools other employers ask for: TikTok (23%), Generative AI (17%), Sprout Social (11%).
What to look for
- Accounts they grew, with numbers
- Short-form video they made themselves
- Writing that stops the scroll
- A way of tying social to traffic or signups
Red flags
- Only scheduling experience
- Follower counts with no engagement
- One approach for every platform
Questions to ask
Which platforms should we focus on and why?
Listen for: Reasoning from our audience and goals.
Walk me through how you make a short-form video.
Listen for: Hook, structure, editing and iteration.
How do you handle a negative comment going viral?
Listen for: Speed, empathy and escalation rules.
How do you measure social's impact on the business?
Listen for: Traffic, signups, brand search and surveys.
See all social media manager interview questions · Job description template
The first 90 days
- A platform strategy and content pillars
- A steady posting cadence with video
- Reporting on reach, engagement and traffic
Full-time, fractional or freelance?
Full-time when social is a core channel. Freelancers are common for content creation; a part-time manager suits smaller brands.
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a social media manager?
On full-time social media and community job posts on HeyMarketers, base salaries run $133k to $136k, with a median of $133k. Hiring through HeyMarketers: posting a job is free, the AI Talent Agent is $399 per role, and Concierge recruiting is a flat $6,000 per full-time hire, compared with the 20–25% of first-year salary agencies typically charge.
Should I hire a full-time or fractional social media manager?
Full-time when social is a core channel. Freelancers are common for content creation; a part-time manager suits smaller brands.
How long does it take to hire?
With Concierge you get a shortlist of three screened candidates within 10 business days. Job posts and the AI Talent Agent depend on the role and how quickly you review candidates.
Are you a social media manager yourself? Read the career guide.