Social Media Manager Salary in the UK (2026 Data)

Salaries for employed social media managers vary by experience, location, and company size.

Entry-level/Junior (0-2 years):
- London: £24,000-£32,000
- Other major cities (Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Bristol): £20,000-£27,000
- Remote/smaller towns: £18,000-£24,000

Mid-level (2-5 years):
- London: £32,000-£45,000
- Other major cities: £27,000-£38,000
- Remote/smaller towns: £24,000-£34,000

Senior/Head of Social (5+ years):
- London: £45,000-£65,000
- Other major cities: £38,000-£55,000
- Remote/smaller towns: £34,000-£48,000

Director/VP level (8+ years):
- London: £60,000-£90,000+
- Other major cities: £50,000-£75,000

The London premium is typically 15-25% over other UK cities, though this has narrowed since the remote work shift. Many UK companies now offer location-agnostic salaries, which effectively means London-level pay regardless of where you live.

Benefits packages vary but typically include 25-30 days holiday, pension contributions (minimum 3% employer contribution), and sometimes private healthcare. Some agencies and startups offer additional perks like flexible working, training budgets, and performance bonuses.

Freelance social media management is one of the most popular side hustles in the UK, and also a viable full-time career.

Per-client monthly retainers (most common pricing model):
- Basic package (content planning + 3-4 posts/week on 1-2 platforms): £300-£600/month
- Standard package (strategy + daily posting on 2-3 platforms + community management): £600-£1,200/month
- Premium package (full strategy + daily posting + ads management + reporting): £1,200-£2,500/month

Hourly rates:
- Junior freelancer: £15-£25/hour
- Experienced freelancer: £25-£50/hour
- Specialist/consultant: £50-£100/hour

Day rates (for strategy sessions or workshops):
- £250-£500 (standard)
- £500-£1,000 (specialist/senior)

Most freelance social media managers in the UK manage 3-6 clients simultaneously. A freelancer with 4 clients on standard packages earns £2,400-£4,800/month (£28,800-£57,600/year) — competitive with employed salaries and with the added flexibility of self-employment.

Small businesses are the bread and butter of UK freelance social media management. Local cafés, restaurants, estate agents, gyms, tradespeople, and small e-commerce businesses all need social media help but can't justify a full-time hire.

The barrier to entry is low, but standing out requires demonstrable skills.

Build your own social media presence. This is your living CV. If you can grow your own following and create engaging content, you can demonstrate the skills you're selling. Choose a niche for your personal brand — it doesn't need to be related to social media itself.

Learn the core tools. UK employers and clients expect familiarity with: scheduling tools (Hootsuite, Later, Sprout Social), design tools (Canva, Adobe Creative Suite), analytics (native platform analytics, Google Analytics), and video creation (CapCut, FluxNote for AI-generated content). You don't need to master all of them, but basic competency is expected.

Get certified where it helps. Free certifications from Meta (Meta Blueprint), Google (Digital Garage), and HubSpot (Social Media Marketing) carry weight with UK employers. They're not mandatory but they strengthen a CV, especially at entry level.

Start with local businesses. Offer to manage social media for a local business at a discounted rate or even free for 1-2 months. The case study and testimonial are worth more than the lost income. UK high streets are full of businesses with terrible or non-existent social media.

Consider agency experience. UK social media agencies (particularly in London, Manchester, and Bristol) offer steep learning curves. The pay at junior level is modest (£20,000-£26,000) but you'll learn fast and build a portfolio of client work that makes transitioning to freelance much easier.