Proposal template · Social media manager
Social media manager proposal template
Pitch a social media retainer — platform focus, content cadence, approval workflow, and reporting in one PDF. Free download.
When to use this template
Pitching a monthly retainer or a campaign-based engagement. Most useful right after a paid audit — the audit's findings become the proposal's narrative, and the proposal becomes the retainer. If you're skipping the audit, lead the proposal with what you've observed publicly on the brand's current accounts.
What to include
- Audit findings — even if brief, ground the strategy in what you've seen
- Platform focus and explicit drops (e.g. 'TikTok yes, X/Twitter no, here's why')
- Content cadence per platform (posts/week, format mix)
- Asset ownership — who shoots, who writes captions, who edits video
- Approval workflow with timing (who approves, by when, what happens if they miss)
- Community management scope (response SLA, who handles DMs, escalation path)
- Reporting cadence and KPIs — followers vs. engagement vs. conversions
- Fees broken into retainer + optional add-ons (paid social, video, influencer outreach)
Sample sections
Overview
Acme's accounts have strong follower counts (52k on Instagram, 38k on TikTok) but low engagement — the content is product photography with no narrative thread. This retainer shifts the content mix toward founder-led storytelling and customer reposts, with paid amplification on the top 20% of organic performers. Goal is to lift saves and shares (the engagement metrics that correlate with new follower acquisition) before optimizing for follower count directly.
Goals
Three months in:
- Instagram saves/post ≥ 80 (current avg: 12)
- TikTok shares/post ≥ 150 (current avg: 28)
- Net new followers ≥ 6,000 across both platforms
Deliverables
Monthly:
- Editorial calendar covering 12 posts (Instagram) + 8 posts (TikTok)
- Caption writing + hashtag research
- Editing of founder-shot raw footage (we supply the editor; founder shoots)
- Community management — first response within 4 business hours, M–F
- Monthly performance report + 30-min review call
Sample fees
| Description | Qty | Unit | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly retainer — strategy, calendar, community mgmt (2 platforms) | 3 | $2,200.00 | $6,600.00 |
| Short-form video editing (4 Reels + 4 TikToks / month) | 3 | $900.00 | $2,700.00 |
| Paid social management (excl. ad spend) | 3 | $400.00 | $1,200.00 |
Figures are illustrative, in USD. Replace with your own when you open the generator.
Example copy you can adapt
This proposal covers a three-month social media retainer starting June 1, 2026, focused on Instagram and TikTok. The plan reflects findings from the brand audit delivered on May 8. Fees below cover the team's time; ad spend, influencer fees, and stock licensing are paid directly by Acme to the relevant vendor. The retainer is renewed or adjusted in writing 14 days before the end of each three-month period.
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Open the proposal generatorFrequently asked
- How do you handle access to the brand's social accounts?
- Use platform-native role management where it exists — Meta Business Suite, TikTok Business Center, LinkedIn page admins — so you're never sharing passwords. Where role management is thin (some legacy setups), share credentials through a password manager rather than email or chat. Document who has what level of access in the proposal so removal at engagement end is mechanical, not awkward.
- What happens if a platform changes its algorithm, format, or rules mid-engagement?
- Bake a quarterly review point into the retainer so the plan can adapt without renegotiating mid-month. The proposal should commit to the strategy and cadence, not to tactics that depend on platform behavior — e.g. '8 short-form videos / month' is safer to promise than 'videos that go viral.' When a platform changes underneath the plan, the review point is where you re-allocate effort, not the contract.
- How do you measure success?
- Match the metric to the business goal. If they're trying to grow audience: net new followers. If they're trying to drive site traffic: link clicks + sessions from social. If they're trying to convert: trackable promo codes or UTMs. Avoid promising follower-count targets without an ad spend behind them — organic follower growth on top platforms is unpredictable.
- What if the client misses an approval deadline?
- Bake the answer into the proposal: 'Posts not approved 48 hours before scheduled date are moved to the next available slot.' Without a stated policy, missed approvals become your problem. With one, they become a scheduling note.