How to create a Social Media Manager contract?

Social media has become a powerful tool and an essential part of our businesses. So, a social media manager contract needs to be something we all need to think about.

But that doesn’t mean that it’s free! 

As business or startup owners, managing our social media platforms can be challenging, especially if we have other responsibilities. So, we might consider hiring a social media manager and a social media manager contract to help promote our company online. To do so, we’ll need to have a social media management contract in place. This way, everyone is on the same page, ensuring that everyone knows what they’re getting out of the arrangement and that the working relationship is productive and beneficial for all involved. 

Like any other employment contract, a social media management contract is a legal agreement between us as businesses and a social media manager. In short, a social media management contract describes both parties’ obligations and responsibilities. It also outlines what might happen if one of us fails to live up to the end of our bargain. 

Since social media marketing has increasingly become popular amongst young people, many might choose to work as freelancers for our businesses. For this reason, besides the responsibilities and obligations, the social media management contract must also include the nature of the employment. 

Social media management contracts can also be known as social media consultant agreements or even just social media management contracts. But we prefer calling them social media management contracts because it’s clear that this isn’t only about managing our company’s personal accounts on Facebook or Instagram. Even more so, if you’re also looking for a social media manager who will work on your promotional campaigns, be sure to include that in your social media management contracts.

Essentially, having a contract for the social media manager is how we protect ourselves and ensure we get the best results for our business.

• Helps prevent misunderstandings;
• Ensures that the work is being done;
• We make sure that we don’t focus too much on legal issues but on growing our business.

We can even have the freelancer sign a non-compete clause, meaning they can’t work for another company in the same market. And even add an NDA that protects any confidential information from being spread. Even more so, we can add a liability clause or termination provisions if either of us wants to stop working with the other for whatever reason.

But a social media manager contract does a lot more than protect us as businesses. It is also an essential tool for protecting the interests of creative entrepreneurs and ensuring that their work is valued. 

As previously mentioned, it is essential to have a firm social media contract so we can protect ourselves and our businesses – we can't just rely on good faith. 

1. Scope of work – We include who we are, what we want our client to do, and how long it will take. It is vital to clearly describe what we want our business and client to achieve. For instance, if we aim to improve our social media engagement through paid campaigns, the specific responsibilities of achieving this must be clearly stated in the social media contracts. The duties include posting content on time, creating social media campaigns, ensuring that the design and copy are ready to be posted online, data analysis, etc.
2. Employment details – This can include the job title, salary, dates, project deadlines, and other relevant timeframes in the contract. We should also integrate what could happen if the client doesn't respect the deadlines and is late in providing what we need. Defining these details in the social media management contract can help ensure that the project stays on track and that all parties understand their responsibilities. 
3. Payment details – It is vital to understand that our client won't lift a finger until we have discussed the payment details. So we must outline the payment terms and conditions in the contract for the social media manager. This can include the amount we charge, the payment method, and other performance-based incentives or bonuses. We should also have a timeline for when invoices are expected to be paid and any fees associated with late payments. 
4. Confidentiality – To fully protect the information within our businesses and about our clients, we must include a confidentiality clause, an NDA (non-disclosure agreement), and/or a non-compete clause in the social media manager contract. 
5. Ownership of content created during the employment period (if applicable) – This stipulates that everything our social media manager has made during this period belongs to us and can only be published under our brand’s name.  
6. Termination of employment – As with any other legal document, a contract for a social media manager needs a termination of employment clause. This clause should describe under which conditions the agreement is terminated. Whether it be on a specific date, once the project is completed, or even after the final payment. It’s also essential to specify the criteria for early termination of employment.