For social media managers

Contracts for social media managers

A UK social media manager needs a signed freelance or agreement before the first post: platforms, monthly deliverables, approval times, who pays ad spend, how account access is granted and handed back, who owns the content, and how personal data in DMs and analytics is handled. CDPA 1988 s.11 makes you first owner; s.90 requires a written, signed . Lex drafts that on one shared link.

Last updated 3 November 2026

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Lex drafts it in Plain English beside the legal wording. Share one link; both sides agree and sign.

Templates social media managers use most

Client workFreelancer agreementA freelancer agreement sets the brief, deliverables, rate, rights and payment terms between a freelancer and a client.Read →Client workServices agreement (MSA)A services agreement sets the standing terms for every project with a client, so each new job needs only a short statement of work.Read →Client workRetainer agreementA retainer agreement sets a monthly fee for a set amount of your time or availability, and what happens to unused hours.Read →PartnershipsInfluencer agreementAn influencer agreement sets the posts, platforms, dates, usage rights and payment for a brand campaign with a creator.Read →Client workStatement of workA statement of work sets the scope, deliverables, milestones and fees for one project under a wider services agreement.Read →Client workConsulting agreementA consulting agreement sets out advice and expertise you provide to a client, billed by the day, the month or the project.Read →

Which clauses decide a social media manager contract?

Five lines decide most social jobs: the platforms and monthly deliverables, who pays ad spend, who owns the content, how account access is granted and handed back, and whether the fee is a retainer or a project. Write them in a freelancer agreement or a retainer before the first post. Lex puts them on one paper the client signs from a link.

The clauses that usually decide a UK freelance social media management job. Assignment of copyright must be in writing, signed — CDPA 1988 s.90.
ClauseWhat it doesTypical freelance line
Platforms and deliverablesWhat “done” looks like each month, on which channels.Named platforms, post counts and formats; extras quoted first.
Ad spendWhose card, who owns the ad account, the monthly cap.Client card and client-owned account; you never put spend on a personal card.
IP and Who owns posts, Reels, stills and unused drafts.Licence of named uses on full payment; assignment only if written, signed.
Account accessHow you get in, and how you get out.Business roles only; no shared passwords; revoke and hand back on ending.
Retainer or projectMonthly capacity versus a named campaign.Retainer for a named monthly list; a launch sits on a separate paper.

What contract does a social media manager need?

Start from a freelancer agreement or a services agreement. There is no social-media-manager-only template; those two are the closest papers. They fix the platforms, the monthly list, the fee, who owns the content, and how access is granted. A monthly slot sits on a retainer. Repeat clients often hang a statement of work under the services agreement. A paid creator post can sit next to an influencer agreement. Strategy-heavy work can start from a consulting agreement. Lex drafts from one sentence; the client signs from one link. The longer England & Wales page is What should a UK social media manager contract include?.

How should platforms and monthly deliverables be written?

Name each platform and what “done” looks like each month. “Social media management” is not a list. “Instagram: 12 feed posts, 8 Stories, 2 Reels; LinkedIn: 8 posts; no TikTok, no 24/7 community management” is a list. Extra platforms, a second brand and paid ads are a change of scope, quoted first. Write the content calendar due date and how many working days they have to approve. See What goes in a freelance or contractor agreement.

Who owns social content under UK copyright law?

You do, unless you assign it. Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 s.11 makes the author the first owner of freelance copyright. Commissioning posts does not move that. Section 90 says an assignment is not effective unless it is in writing, signed. Paying an invoice does not move ownership. Write a licence of named uses on full payment, or an assignment if they are buying a buyout. Keep templates, swipe files and unused drafts as pre-existing materials. See intellectual property assignment and usage rights and credit.

Who pays ad spend, and how should account access work?

Ad spend is not your fee. Write whose card is charged, who owns the ad account, and the monthly cap. You do not put media spend on a personal card. Grant access through business roles — Meta Business Manager, Google Ads, TikTok Business — never by sharing a password. On ending, you hand back admin and they revoke your access. See termination and How to end a freelance contract.

Should the fee be a retainer or a project, and what notice applies?

A retainer buys a named monthly . A project buys a named campaign. Do not mix them. Write unused capacity, how extras are quoted, a minimum term and a notice period. Thirty days after an initial three months is a common freelance shape, not a statutory rule. There is no default UK right to keep a deposit; both sides have to agree it. See payment terms and Client won't pay a freelance invoice.

How should personal data, IR35 and handover work?

If you read DMs, comments or analytics that identify people, you are processing personal data for the client. UK GDPR Article 28 requires a binding processor contract. Write that in data protection. No IR35 label decides the tax. From 6 April 2021, public authorities and medium or large clients must give a status determination statement. Small private-sector clients leave that decision with your company. Write autonomy, substitution and no promise of further work — then work that way. The longer page is IR35 contract clauses checklist. Copy-heavy work sits next to Contracts for copywriters.

Frequently asked questions

What contract does a social media manager need?

A freelance or retainer agreement covering platforms, monthly deliverables, approval times, who pays ad spend, how account access is granted and handed back, who owns the content, how personal data is handled, the fee, notice and late payment. There is no social-media-manager-only template; start from the freelancer agreement, the services agreement or the retainer.

Do I own the content until I am paid?

Yes, unless you already assigned copyright in writing, signed. CDPA 1988 s.11 makes you the first owner of freelance copyright. s.90 requires a signed written assignment. Paying an invoice does not move ownership. Write licence or assignment on full payment.

Who pays the ad spend?

The client. Ad spend is not your management fee. Write whose card is charged, who owns the ad account, and the monthly cap. You do not put media spend on a personal card. Overspend without written approval is not in the retainer.

Should I share the client’s social media passwords?

No. Grant access through business roles on named accounts. Shared passwords lock people out and break two-factor authentication. On ending, you hand back admin and they revoke your access.

Should I charge a retainer or a project fee?

A retainer for a named monthly list. A project for a named campaign or launch. Do not mix unused retainer hours with a one-off launch unless the paper says so. Write unused capacity and how extras are quoted.

Can my client sign without creating an account?

Yes. You share one link, the client reads the agreement in Plain English, agrees and signs. It is free for them.

Sources

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The legal wording governsLast reviewed 3 November 2026Pending lawyer review