If you run a marketing agency, you already know social isn’t something you can “squeeze in” around other work. When your brand is active on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube, people remember you, trust you, and are more likely to work with you.
That’s why it helps to look closely at the cost to hire a social media manager, and just as importantly, where you’ll hire and how you’ll keep them for the long run.
Search results won’t help much here. Most are marketplace roundups. Below is a clearer view using fresh hiring-market signals (from our recent LinkedIn Talent Insights pulls) plus LevelUp’s own salary benchmarks. I’ll also explain where AI fits (and doesn’t), and why the offshore + Employer of Record (EOR) model has become a reliable setup for agencies.
Where is the best place to hire a social media manager?
What we pulled from LinkedIn Talent Insights (Aug 2025):
US/UK/AU/NZ (combined): A large pool of SMMs, but high hiring difficulty and a median tenure of ~1.3 years. Even when you land a good fit, you’re likely back in the market within 12-18 months.
Philippines: A healthy, growing pool of SMMs, with median tenure of ~1.1 years. Many operate as freelancers or self-employed, which means they’re used to remote workflows, but it also means retention depends on the employment setup you choose.
Why tenure matters:
Social media builds on itself. The more consistent you are, the bigger the results over time. Every time the role changes hands, you lose context: brand tone, audience insights, campaign history. A 12-18 month reset drains both budget and momentum. That’s why the hiring model matters just as much as the person you bring on.
Retention is key, and the Philippines offers both the talent and remote experience to support it.
How much does a social media manager cost in the Philippines?
Here are practical cost anchors (monthly), based on LevelUp’s current benchmarks and public ranges for in-house roles:
In the Philippines, Indeed shows an average base of about ₱31,821/month for social media managers in Manila, and PayScale’s 2025 data puts typical hourly rates around ₱101.62/hour (role- and skill-dependent). For comparison, our current LevelUp EOR placements for full-time offshore SMMs typically start around $1,800/month (package varies by scope and seniority).
What that actually means:
Hiring in the Philippines can cut costs by about 64% versus a typical U.S. hire. The bigger win is lower churn. Keep the same SMM longer, skip re-onboarding, prevent tone shifts, and your ROI improves.
Example: U.S. In-House vs. LevelUp Offshore Hire
Let’s say you’re comparing one experienced social media manager in the U.S. vs. hiring through LevelUp in the Philippines.
Cost Item | U.S. In-House | Offshore via LevelUp |
|---|---|---|
Base salary | $60,000/year | $21,600/year ($1,800/mo) |
Benefits & taxes | $15,000/year (25%) | Included |
Tools & software | $3,000/year | $3,000/year |
Churn cost (every ~18 months) | $18,000 | Minimal |
Annual total | $96,000 | $24,600 |
Annual Savings | $71,400 |
Over three years, that’s nearly a quarter-million dollars back in your budget without sacrificing quality.
And because LevelUp manages local compliance, benefits, payroll, and replacements, you skip the hidden costs and downtime that usually come with turnover.
How freelancer pricing compares:
Freelancer social media managers (PH or global): usually $500-$1,500+ per month per role (or hourly/project). Great for short bursts, but availability shifts and most juggle multiple clients. This is where consistency often slips.
What you might miss when comparing price tags:
Is Hiring an Offshore social media manager “worth it” for an agency?
Short answer: Yes. If you want consistent, on-brand activity that builds over time, it makes sense to outsource social media management rather than handling it all in-house.
Here’s how the three common setups stack up:
1. Founder/CMO runs it themselves
Upside: No payroll cost.
Reality: Posting is irregular, engagement is reactive, and strategy takes a back seat. Core leadership work may get buried under production tasks.
2. Freelancer on a short contract
Upside: Quick to start, flexible scope.
Reality: Availability shifts, especially during busy campaign periods. Brand voice can lose consistency when freelancers rotate in. You still manage briefs, approvals, and timelines.
3. Full-time offshore SMM via partner
Upside: Fully dedicated to your accounts, integrated into your tools and processes, with multiple years of stability within reach.
Reality: Clients still meet and interview the vetted candidates presented, but most of the hiring process is handled by the offshore partner. Once the SMM starts, they keep the long-term benefits (voice, process knowledge, and audience connection) month after month.
Where ROI shows up:
Where does AI help?
AI can make certain parts of social media work faster and more efficient, especially for repetitive or formatting-heavy tasks:
Turning a blog into a set of post outlines
Suggesting initial hashtag sets or content buckets
Creating various captions for A/B testing
Summarizing monthly performance reports
Resizing assets, light repurposing, and scheduling posts
Where a human still makes the difference
Some parts of social media management require context, empathy, and creative judgment, things AI isn’t yet great at:
The play is AI as assistant, with your SMM directing the creative and applying your brand tone.
What questions should you ask before hiring?
1. What will they handle?
List their main tasks. This often includes managing the content calendar, writing posts, making simple graphics, scheduling, replying to comments, and basic reporting. If you need ad buying or advanced design, you may need extra help.
2. Which platforms matter most?
Choose platforms that match your audience. B2B brands might see better results on LinkedIn and YouTube Shorts. DTC brands often do better on TikTok and Instagram Reels.
3. How will success be measured?
Pick a few clear metrics. Track both early signs (posting frequency, saves, shares, profile visits) and results over time (CTR, leads, sales).
4. What’s the review process?
Set a regular schedule. Weekly content checks, monthly performance check, and quarterly strategy sessions. This keeps quality high.
5. How will brand knowledge be protected?
Create a brand voice guide and SOPs. Hiring through an Employer of Record (EOR) also reduces the risk if someone leaves.
Why are agencies moving offshore for social roles?
Freelancers work well for quick campaigns and experiments. But for the steady pace of social, agencies are choosing full-time offshore SMMs, and the more stable setups use an Employer of Record (EOR).
What EOR looks like with LevelUp
Why it works
When a role feels stable, supported, and part of a team, burnout and better-offer churn drop. That’s how you stop losing social media managers so often and start building on the work you’ve already done, so your content gets better and stronger over time.
If you’re comparing freelancers vs. full-time for social right now, treat it like a systems decision:
TL;DR for agency leaders
In the Philippines, you can hire a skilled full-time social media manager for about $1,800 a month through an Employer of Record (EOR). This saves you money and makes it more likely they’ll stay with you compared to using freelancers who often come and go.
AI belongs in your stack but with a human SMM guiding tone and judgment. If social media is a big part of your business, keeping the same person on the job makes your results grow over time.
Hiring full-time through an offshore Employer of Record (EOR) is one way many agencies are getting both speed and consistency.
Build a high-performing marketing and creative team through LevelUp.
