HOW TO HIRE · MARKETING, DESIGN & TECH · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to hire a social media manager in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.
A social media manager in Ireland costs €400–€2,500 per month, typically around €800. Here is how to check that in a minute, what to ask before you book, and what you must be handed when the job is done.
- Search and compare — no account needed
- Nearest to you first
- One score from Google, Trustpilot and Locufy reviews
THE 60-SECOND VERSION
Hiring a social media manager in five steps
- Are you a trader, and can I see that in writing?No register covers social media manager work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — community Management — managing interactions with followers is a key role.
- How does manager's experience change the price?Accreditation narrows the field and lifts the price. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does complexity of the project change the price?It decides how much of the day the job takes. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does number of platforms managed change the price?Each one still has to be done properly, however many there are. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- What is not included?Analytics & Reporting — regular analysis of social media performance is crucial — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a social media manager job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
BEFORE YOU BOOK
Check before you book
No register applies
NO REGISTER APPLIES. Anyone may trade as a designer, developer or marketer, and no qualification is required. Everything that protects you is in the contract, and the clause people forget is OWNERSHIP: without an assignment in writing the creator is the first owner of copyright in what they make, so you may be paying for a licence to use your own logo or website rather than for the thing itself.
Look for the trader badge and the ID-checked badge on the Locufy profile — both are checked by us, not claimed by the provider.
What to check instead
Who owns the work on delivery, in writing — assignment, not just 'full rights'; What happens to the source files, the domain and the hosting account, named; The deliverables listed with a number — how many concepts, how many revisions; The milestones and what each payment is for; For ads, whether the spend is separate from the fee, and who holds the ad account; Two references from clients whose work you can actually see.
Ask for each of these before you agree a price, and get the answers in the same message as the quote.
Insurance
Expect professional indemnity — for tech work, ask specifically about cyber cover. From a company, ask for the insurer, the limit and the VAT number, and ask who actually attends: the team that turns up may be employed, subcontracted or both, and only one of those is supervised by the firm you are paying.
Ask to see the current certificate of insurance — the insurer's name, the limit and the date it runs to.
Trader or private seller
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 a trader must tell you they are a trader, and your consumer rights — work carried out with reasonable skill and care, and a cooling-off period on a contract agreed in your home or online — apply to traders and not to private sellers. On Locufy the trader status is shown on the profile.
Look for the trader badge on the Locufy profile, and ask anyone else for it in writing before you agree a price.
VAT
VAT at 23%, the standard rate Revenue publishes for this service. Ask whether the price you were given includes it. A trader under the €42,500 registration threshold does not charge it; one over it must, and must show it separately.
Ask whether the figure you were given includes it, and for the VAT number if they are registered — Revenue publishes the rate for this service. revenue.ie →
A good answer: No register covers social media manager work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — community Management — managing interactions with followers is a key role.
A good answer: Accreditation narrows the field and lifts the price. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: It decides how much of the day the job takes. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Each one still has to be done properly, however many there are. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Analytics & Reporting — regular analysis of social media performance is crucial — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a social media manager job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
A good answer: Expect professional indemnity — for tech work, ask specifically about cyber cover — strategy Development — A social media manager will create a comprehensive social media strategy that outlines goals, target demographics, and key performance indicators.
A good answer: A written scope and a price before the social media manager starts, and an itemised invoice after — brand Monitoring — tracking online mentions and sentiment regarding the brand to maintain a positive online reputation.
Getting the quote right
- Manager's experience — accreditation narrows the field and lifts the price.
- Complexity of the project — it decides how much of the day the job takes.
- Number of platforms managed — each one still has to be done properly, however many there are.
- Complexity of the strategies — the answer to this shapes the rest of the quote.
- In writing before anyone starts — a message on Locufy counts
- What is NOT included, named
- Who actually attends, and whether they are employed or subcontracted
- The VAT number, and whether it checks out on the Revenue register
Walk away if
- They will not talk about it: manager's experience — accreditation narrows the field and lifts the price
- They will not talk about it: complexity of the project — it decides how much of the day the job takes
- They will not talk about it: number of platforms managed — each one still has to be done properly, however many there are
- A price for the social media manager before anyone has asked the size, the access or the condition of what they are working on
- Cash only, or a large deposit before anything at all has started
- No written quote, or one that moves once the social media manager has begun
What a social media manager costs: €400–€2,500 per month
The figures are for the job, per month, and a quote for your own is the only number that binds anyone. Content creation and Social media strategy development each carry their own band. Social Media Manager price guide →
Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.
KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE
Social media managers near you, with the badges that matter shown
ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.
Or post the job free and let them come to you.
- Look firstManager's experience — accreditation narrows the field and lifts the price — that is what the social media manager is judging on the first visit, and a price given without it is a guess.
- Agree what is being doneComplexity of the project — it decides how much of the day the job takes — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
- The work itselfNumber of platforms managed — each one still has to be done properly, however many there are — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
- Check it togetherComplexity of the strategies — the answer to this shapes the rest of the quote — walked against the written scope rather than against the feeling of it, while the social media manager is still there.
- What you are handedThe itemised invoice and any guarantee on the workmanship and the parts, volume of content created — the more there is to do, the more hours it takes.
- Strategy Development
- A social media manager will create a comprehensive social media strategy that outlines goals, target demographics, and key performance indicators.
- Analytics & Reporting
- Regular analysis of social media performance is crucial.
- Community Management
- Managing interactions with followers is a key role.
- Social Media Strategy Development
- Creating a comprehensive strategy that outlines goals, target audiences, and content plans for various platforms.
- Performance Analysis
- Monitoring and analysing social media metrics to assess the effectiveness of campaigns and adjust strategies accordingly.
- Ad Campaign Management
- Designing and managing paid social media advertising campaigns to increase reach and achieve specific business objectives.
AFTER
When the job is done
Hiring a social media manager: questions people ask
The cost can vary based on the manager's experience, the complexity of the project, and the number of platforms managed. More specialised services or extensive campaigns typically incur higher fees.
Results can vary widely depending on the strategy and goals set. Generally, businesses may start seeing engagement improvements within a few weeks, while significant growth may take several months.
For most businesses, a skilled general social media manager is adequate. However, industries with specific regulatory requirements may benefit from specialists with relevant experience.
Yes, many social media managers offer bundled services that can include content creation, ad management, and analytics. Bundling can often lead to cost savings.
Services such as graphic design beyond standard social media posts, website development, and offline marketing strategies are generally not included. It's important to clarify the scope of work upfront.
NO REGISTER APPLIES. Anyone may trade as a designer, developer or marketer, and no qualification is required. Everything that protects you is in the contract, and the clause people forget is OWNERSHIP: without an assignment in writing the creator is the first owner of copyright in what they make, so you may be paying for a licence to use your own logo or website rather than for the thing itself.
MORE GUIDES
More hiring guides in marketing, design & tech
Social media managers near you
Sources — checked October 2026
- Copyright and Related Rights Act 2000
- CCPC — your rights when you buy a service
- Consumer Rights Act 2022
- Courts Service — small claims
- Revenue — ADVERTISING - SERVICE — Standard rate
- Revenue — current VAT rates (effective 1 January 2026)
- Revenue — VAT thresholds: €42,500 for a person supplying services only