{"id":18823,"date":"2025-11-12T14:04:22","date_gmt":"2025-11-12T14:04:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/emplifistg.wpenginepowered.com\/?post_type=resource_posts&#038;p=18823"},"modified":"2025-11-12T23:33:49","modified_gmt":"2025-11-12T23:33:49","slug":"how-to-create-a-social-media-marketing-budget","status":"publish","type":"resource_posts","link":"https:\/\/emplifi.io\/resources\/blog\/how-to-create-a-social-media-marketing-budget\/","title":{"rendered":"Blog: How to create a budget for social media marketing: the complete guide"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"featured_media":18839,"parent":3412,"menu_order":0,"template":"page-templates\/resource-blog.php","resource_topics_tax":[50,51],"resource_types_tax":[48],"resource_industries_tax":[105,18,17,404,106,107,108,109],"resource_visibility_tax":[],"class_list":["post-18823","resource_posts","type-resource_posts","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","resource_topics_tax-digital-marketing","resource_topics_tax-social-media-management","resource_types_tax-blogs","resource_industries_tax-media-entertainment","resource_industries_tax-agencies","resource_industries_tax-consumer-packaged-goods","resource_industries_tax-high-education","resource_industries_tax-restaurants","resource_industries_tax-retail-ecommerce","resource_industries_tax-sports","resource_industries_tax-travel-hospitality"],"acf":{"page_cta_group":{"show_section":true,"use_global_cta":true,"section_subhead":"","section_headline":"","section_text_left":"","section_text_right":"","section_button":""},"awards_group":{"show_section":true,"use_global_awards_text":true,"section_subhead":"","section_headline":"","section_text":"","use_global_awards":true,"awards":false},"resource_description":"Guesswork is no longer an acceptable strategy (if it ever was one). To get budgets approved, marketers need to up their social media budgeting and analytics chops. ","hero_headline":"How to create a budget for social media marketing: The complete guide","content_builder":[{"acf_fc_layout":"wysiwyg","wysiwyg_background_color":"white","wysiwyg":"<h2>Key points<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><strong>Lead with business goals<\/strong>. You\u2019ll get buy-in if every line item in your social media budget aligns with the company\u2019s financial goals. <strong>Use SMART goals<\/strong>. Tie them closely to financial outcomes.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><strong>Calculate your total social media budget<\/strong> as a specific percentage of the overall marketing budget, usually <strong>10-25%<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><strong>Follow the 70\/20\/10 rule<\/strong>. Spend 70% of your social media marketing budget on proven strategies and channels. Spend 20% on growth opportunities that are at least partially proven. Spend 10% on higher-risk experiments.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"line","add_line":true},{"acf_fc_layout":"wysiwyg","wysiwyg_background_color":"white","wysiwyg":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In recent years, CMOs and other marketing leaders have allocated a growing share of their budgets to social media marketing. From 2019 to 2024, social media\u2019s share of overall digital advertising spend increased by almost <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/soax.com\/research\/social-media-advertising-statistics\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">24%<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As marketers allocate more budget to social media, the pressure to deliver measurable ROI is rising. Guesswork is no longer an acceptable strategy (if it ever was one). To get budgets approved, marketers need to up their social media budgeting and analytics chops.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This guide serves as a blueprint for creating a social media budget \u2013 from planning and allocation to justifying social media spend. You\u2019ll learn how to tie your social media budget directly to business outcomes, prove financial impact, and secure budget buy-in. Let\u2019s get started.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>What\u2019s the foundation of an effective social media marketing budget?<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A social media budget is a document that specifies how much you plan to spend on social media during a specific time period (usually a fiscal year). The foundation of that budget is the business goals you aim to achieve with your social efforts, such as acquisition, retention, pipeline growth, and revenue growth.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To get executive buy-in, every social media goal \u2013 and budget line item \u2013 must ladder up to a specific business outcome. If your B2C business aims to increase online sales by $1 million, for example, your social strategy should focus on shoppable posts and other <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/emplifi.io\/resources\/blog\/introduction-to-social-commerce\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">social commerce<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> tactics. If your main goal is customer retention, prioritize community management, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/emplifi.io\/resources\/blog\/social-media-customer-service\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">social customer service<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and engagement initiatives\u200b.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you ensure your social media goals are SMART, you\u2019re much less likely to find yourself struggling to prove ROI later on.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>SMART goals are:<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Specific:<\/strong> They target a clear outcome, ideally one that ties directly to business outcomes, such as \u201cincrease qualified leads by 15%.\u201d<br \/>\n<strong>Measurable:<\/strong> They use trackable KPIs that ideally show direct financial impact.<br \/>\n<strong>Achievable:<\/strong> They are aligned with the marketing team\u2019s current capacity and tools.<br \/>\n<strong>Relevant:<\/strong> They support top-line objectives, such as revenue, retention, and market share.<br \/>\n<strong>Time-bound:<\/strong> They are tied to an end date, i.e., \u201cincrease qualified leads by 15% by EOY 2026.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>How do I calculate a social media budget?<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The standard approach for calculating a social media budget is to allocate a specific percentage of the overall marketing budget, usually <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.socialinsider.io\/blog\/social-media-budget\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">10-25%<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can use these benchmarks as guidelines:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 2025, social media spend represents an average of 11.3% of total marketing budgets, according to a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlegrain.com\/digital-marketing\/2025-marketing-budget-insights-from-11000-cmos\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">survey<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of 11,000+ CMOs.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At B2B companies, social media accounts for 10-20% of the overall marketing budget, according to a different <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cmosurvey.org\/cmosurvey_results\/The_CMO_Survey-Highlights_and_Insights_Report-2025.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CMO survey<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by Deloitte and Duke University.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At B2C companies, social media accounts for 15-25% of overall marketing budgets.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here\u2019s how to do the calculation:<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Determine the total marketing budget.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Determine the percentage of the budget you will allocate to social media marketing.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Calculate the budget using this formula:<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Social Media Budget = Marketing Budget \u00d7 Social Media %<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-18824 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/emplifi.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/EMP968-Blog-The-Social-Media-Budget-Blueprint-Supporting-1.webp\" alt=\"An image showing the calculation for determining your social media budget. \" width=\"1200\" height=\"1147\" srcset=\"https:\/\/emplifi.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/EMP968-Blog-The-Social-Media-Budget-Blueprint-Supporting-1.webp 1200w, https:\/\/emplifi.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/EMP968-Blog-The-Social-Media-Budget-Blueprint-Supporting-1-300x287.webp 300w, https:\/\/emplifi.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/EMP968-Blog-The-Social-Media-Budget-Blueprint-Supporting-1-1024x979.webp 1024w, https:\/\/emplifi.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/EMP968-Blog-The-Social-Media-Budget-Blueprint-Supporting-1-768x734.webp 768w, https:\/\/emplifi.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/EMP968-Blog-The-Social-Media-Budget-Blueprint-Supporting-1-24x24.webp 24w, https:\/\/emplifi.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/EMP968-Blog-The-Social-Media-Budget-Blueprint-Supporting-1-36x34.webp 36w, https:\/\/emplifi.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/EMP968-Blog-The-Social-Media-Budget-Blueprint-Supporting-1-48x46.webp 48w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>What expense buckets should I include in a social media budget?<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your social media marketing budget should cover more than just your paid ads. It should include all costs involved with creating organic <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> paid content. Let\u2019s dive into the categories to consider including.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>In-house talent<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Accurately calculate the cost of employing your social media team \u2013 or risk having to cut into other <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">areas of your social media budget to pay staff. If you\u2019re looking to hire new social media managers or upskill current marketers, factor their salaries and training costs into your budget. You\u2019ll also want to consider recruitment and onboarding costs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Content production<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your social media strategy won\u2019t get very far without content creation, which is likely to represent a large chunk of your budget. The more customized and high-quality your social content is, the higher these costs will be.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Consider these line items related to content creation:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Photography\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Graphic design<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Copywriting<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Custom images or access to image libraries<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Video production costs, including location and editing (often the highest cost but also the highest ROI)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Actors and models<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Equipment, such as microphones and lighting<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Paid media and advertising<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Social ads bring people into the sales funnel. They are especially important for brands that don\u2019t yet have an organic following. In that circumstance, without a paid budget, the social content your team works hard on will likely have low engagement (a.k.a. crickets). If your brand is just starting out, boost the posts you are most proud of to give them necessary visibility.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Social media software and tools<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Social media tools can make or break the effectiveness of your campaigns. You\u2019ll want to factor in their costs \u2013 usually in subscription fees that recur monthly or annually. A comprehensive <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/emplifi.io\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">social media management platform<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a must for marketing teams of any size. The more features it includes, the less you will need add-on tools in this portion of the budget.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are some categories to consider if they aren\u2019t already baked into your main platform:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Design tools<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Video editing tools<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/emplifi.io\/solutions\/social-commerce\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Social commerce software<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/emplifi.io\/product\/social-media-analytics\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Social media analytics tools<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/emplifi.io\/product\/customer-service-chatbot\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">AI chatbots for social customer service<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/emplifi.io\/product\/influencer-management\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Influencer management software<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/emplifi.io\/product\/social-content-publisher\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Social media scheduling tools<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/emplifi.io\/product\/social-customer-care\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Social customer care software<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/emplifi.io\/product\/social-listening\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Social listening software<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/emplifi.io\/product\/social-media-engagement-tool\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Social engagement tools<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/emplifi.io\/product\/ugc-platform\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">User-generated content (UGC) platforms<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/emplifi.io\/product\/social-content-publisher\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">AI content creation tools<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Influencer campaigns<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Influencer campaigns are a critical bucket for brands aiming to expand their reach and drive authentic engagement. When planned properly, these campaigns can drive higher engagement rates, boost average order value, and meaningfully increase conversions by leveraging influencers who resonate with your audience.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Budgeting for influencer marketing includes costs such as influencer partnership fees, product gifting, and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/emplifi.io\/product\/influencer-management\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">influencer campaign management<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Social customer care<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Social customer care should be a dedicated expense bucket in your social media budget, reflecting the growing expectation for timely, empathetic support across social channels.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Costs here include <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/emplifi.io\/product\/social-customer-care\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">social customer care software<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, team training, workflow automation tools, and often specialized support staff. These investments can significantly reduce average handling time and increase resolution rates, building stronger brand loyalty and delivering the speedy CX today\u2019s customers expect.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Agencies and freelancers<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most marketing teams need at least some outside help to execute social media strategies successfully. Agencies and freelancers are often hyper-specialized in an area of expertise within social, allowing you to branch out into different content types or onto new platforms.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To assess how much you\u2019ll need in your agencies and freelance budget, evaluate the capabilities of your internal team and see where there are skill and bandwidth gaps. Then, search for agencies and contractors who specialise in filling those gaps and request pricing information. Alternatively, you can use rate resources such as <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.the-efa.org\/rates\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">a popular rate database<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> from the Editorial Freelancers Association.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"callout","callout_gray_group":{"show_section":true,"subhead":"","headline":"Tired of juggling platforms? Save time, cut costs, and maximize ROI with a unified social media management solution.","text":"","button_1":{"title":"Talk to an expert","url":"https:\/\/emplifi.io\/talk-to-an-expert\/","target":""},"button_2":null}},{"acf_fc_layout":"wysiwyg","wysiwyg_background_color":"white","wysiwyg":"<h2>How do I allocate my social media marketing budget?<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Two trusted models for allocating a social media budget are leading with your goals and using the 70\/20\/10 rule.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Goal-based allocation<\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-18829 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/emplifi.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/EMP968-Blog-The-Social-Media-Budget-Blueprint-Supporting-2.webp\" alt=\"An image that demonstrates how much of your social media budget should be allocated based on your goals. \" width=\"1200\" height=\"1922\" srcset=\"https:\/\/emplifi.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/EMP968-Blog-The-Social-Media-Budget-Blueprint-Supporting-2.webp 1200w, https:\/\/emplifi.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/EMP968-Blog-The-Social-Media-Budget-Blueprint-Supporting-2-187x300.webp 187w, https:\/\/emplifi.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/EMP968-Blog-The-Social-Media-Budget-Blueprint-Supporting-2-639x1024.webp 639w, https:\/\/emplifi.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/EMP968-Blog-The-Social-Media-Budget-Blueprint-Supporting-2-768x1230.webp 768w, https:\/\/emplifi.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/EMP968-Blog-The-Social-Media-Budget-Blueprint-Supporting-2-959x1536.webp 959w, https:\/\/emplifi.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/EMP968-Blog-The-Social-Media-Budget-Blueprint-Supporting-2-15x24.webp 15w, https:\/\/emplifi.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/EMP968-Blog-The-Social-Media-Budget-Blueprint-Supporting-2-22x36.webp 22w, https:\/\/emplifi.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/EMP968-Blog-The-Social-Media-Budget-Blueprint-Supporting-2-30x48.webp 30w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Allocate your social media budget based on your goals.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Brand awareness: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Focus on top-tier creative production and reach (paid ads, awareness-driven influencer partnerships). Invest some of the budget into <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/emplifi.io\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">social media management tools<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, especially <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/emplifi.io\/product\/social-content-publisher\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">tools for content publishing<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/emplifi.io\/product\/social-listening\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">social listening<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Lead generation: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Spend on targeted ads and campaign-specific content. Invest in a unified <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/emplifi.io\/product\/social-media-analytics\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">social media analytics software<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to track the quality\/quantity of leads.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Sales conversions: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Prioritize paid media, social commerce strategies, and both organic and ad creative production. Ensure there\u2019s enough budget for top-notch <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/emplifi.io\/resources\/blog\/social-media-customer-service\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">customer service<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on every social channel.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Engagement: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Prioritize ongoing content production in your budget, including UGC campaigns, interactive posts, and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/emplifi.io\/resources\/blog\/social-media-contests\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">social media contests<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and challenges. Invest in <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/emplifi.io\/product\/social-media-engagement-tool\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">social media engagement tools<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and ensure you have dedicated staff to respond to comments and engage with customers.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Follower growth: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Allocate spend to account\/page promotion and to recurring creative content production that hooks and retains new followers. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/emplifi.io\/resources\/blog\/influencer-marketing-strategy-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Influencer partnerships <\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">also help accelerate organic follower growth.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>The 70\/20\/10 rule<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The 70\/20\/10 rule is a framework for allocating your social media budget to maximize both immediate results and long-term growth. This model breaks your budget into three strategic categories:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Proven strategies: 70%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Allocate 70% of your social media budget to proven strategies and platforms that consistently deliver results for your business. For many B2B and B2C brands, this includes channels and tactics with a clear track record \u2013 such as high-performing ads or content formats that reliably bring traffic and conversions. This core allocation ensures stability and supports continuing growth from known channels.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Growth opportunities: 20%:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Set aside 20% of your social budget for promising channels or initiatives that have shown positive early results but aren&#8217;t yet your primary revenue drivers. Examples include increasing your influencer spend and exploring new paid social channels (like TikTok if most investment is currently on Facebook or LinkedIn). The goal is to scale these initiatives with measured investment as they evolve and show more promise.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Experiments: 10%:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Allocate the final 10% of your social media budget to testing high-risk, high-reward initiatives and platforms you haven\u2019t tried before. This can include experimenting with new ad formats, utilizing AI in content production, producing interactive or immersive content, or testing new networks. These efforts might not pay off immediately, but they can reveal new opportunities or become key drivers of future growth.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Using the 70\/20\/10 rule helps you strike a balance between amplifying what already works and staying ahead with constant small-scale innovation.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>What social media channels should I prioritize?<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To prioritize the best social media channels for your brand, start by auditing your existing audience data. Analyze both quantitative metrics and qualitative insights across platforms.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When auditing your audience data to decide which social platforms to prioritize, focus on these critical metrics:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Audience demographics and behavior:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Analyze where your target audience is most active, including their age, location, interests, and online behavior patterns.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Performance indicators by channel: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Measure your <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/emplifi.io\/definitions\/engagement-rate\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">engagement rate<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/emplifi.io\/resources\/blog\/reach-vs-impressions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">reach<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, impressions, click-through rate, watch time, and conversions for each platform. Compare these metrics against <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/emplifi.io\/social-media-industry-benchmarks\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">industry benchmarks<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to identify which channels deliver the strongest results.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Content format effectiveness:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Evaluate which content types (i.e., carousels, Stories, Reels, Shorts) perform best on each channel.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The 70\/20\/10 rule discussed in the previous section will help you allocate from there. The right <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/emplifi.io\/product\/social-media-analytics\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">analytics tool<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> will also help you understand where to focus your efforts. Look for a platform that consolidates data across all social channels into one centralized hub, tracking engagement, reach, and audience demographics.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>How should I prioritize paid vs. organic content in my social media budget?<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Organic reach on social channels continues to decline due to saturated platforms and evolving algorithms. Even brilliant content often needs some paid support to cut through the noise.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Plan to earmark a portion (at least 20%) of your budget to paid distribution tactics such as boosted posts, sponsored content, or targeted ads. This will ensure your core messages reach the right eyes and drive the outcomes you want \u2013 from awareness to conversion. Relying solely on organic is no longer enough.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>How do I justify my social media budget and get buy-in?<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Translating social media spend into measurable business outcomes is the way to get executive buy-in. Let\u2019s explore some methods of doing so.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Calculate CAC by dividing total ad and campaign spend by the number of new customers you expect to acquire through social sources.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This approach allows you to set clear targets: \u201cWe invest $X to acquire a customer, and our data shows social channels deliver that acquisition for $Y.\u201d When you can trace conversions back to source, you empower executive teams to make budget decisions driven by real performance rather than gut feeling.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Lifetime Value (CLV)<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Beyond acquisition, it\u2019s crucial to track the ongoing, high-value impact of social engagement and retention. Consider not just the initial sale, but the customer lifetime value (CLV) that social nurtures. True ROI emerges when you connect social activity \u2013 from engagement and advocacy to repeat purchase and brand loyalty \u2013 to tangible financial results over time. By prioritizing long-term metrics, you build a compelling case for sustained investment in social as a strategic growth engine.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Unified analytics<\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-18834 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/emplifi.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/EMP968-Blog-The-Social-Media-Budget-Blueprint-Supporting-3.webp\" alt=\"An image showing a product view of Emplifi Unified Analytics, a social media budget friendly tool for social media marketers. \" width=\"1200\" height=\"1258\" srcset=\"https:\/\/emplifi.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/EMP968-Blog-The-Social-Media-Budget-Blueprint-Supporting-3.webp 1200w, https:\/\/emplifi.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/EMP968-Blog-The-Social-Media-Budget-Blueprint-Supporting-3-286x300.webp 286w, https:\/\/emplifi.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/EMP968-Blog-The-Social-Media-Budget-Blueprint-Supporting-3-977x1024.webp 977w, https:\/\/emplifi.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/EMP968-Blog-The-Social-Media-Budget-Blueprint-Supporting-3-768x805.webp 768w, https:\/\/emplifi.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/EMP968-Blog-The-Social-Media-Budget-Blueprint-Supporting-3-24x24.webp 24w, https:\/\/emplifi.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/EMP968-Blog-The-Social-Media-Budget-Blueprint-Supporting-3-34x36.webp 34w, https:\/\/emplifi.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/EMP968-Blog-The-Social-Media-Budget-Blueprint-Supporting-3-46x48.webp 46w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Achieving budget alignment demands robust, unified analytics \u2013 not siloed data that yields fragmented insights. To accurately attribute sales and leads to their original social media touchpoint, rely on integrated reporting that pulls together all campaign, engagement, and conversion data.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Powerful, all-in-one <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/emplifi.io\/product\/social-media-analytics\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">social media analytics platforms<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> like Emplifi\u2019s make it effortless to present clear, actionable dashboards and tie social activity directly to pipeline and revenue. This clarity enables marketing leaders to justify spending, defend budget proposals, and focus investments on areas that deliver the greatest impact.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/emplifi.io\/demo\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Learn more<\/a> about how Emplifi\u2019s unified analytics platform can improve your social media strategy and buy-in today.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n"}],"sidebar_type":"sticky","sidebar_builder":[{"acf_fc_layout":"table_of_contents","title":"TABLE OF CONTENTS","type":"automatic","links":false}],"resource_feed_group":{"show_section":true,"section_subhead":"","section_headline":"Insights from Emplifi","section_text":"<p>Explore our latest blogs and comprehensive guides designed to help you master customer experience strategies and drive growth.<\/p>\n","feed_type":"resources","use_recent_resources":true,"topic_filter":54,"resources":false,"custom_links":false},"custom_card_title":"How to create a budget for social media marketing: The complete guide","remove_gtm":false,"hero_hide_subhead":true,"left_sidebar_add_cta":true,"faqs_group":{"show_section":true,"section_subhead":"","section_headline":"Frequently Asked Questions","section_text":"","faqs":[{"title":"How do I decide how much to spend on social media marketing?","content":"<p>Most companies allocate <strong data-start=\"323\" data-end=\"365\">10\u201325% of their total marketing budget<\/strong> to social media. To calculate yours, multiply your overall marketing budget by the chosen percentage and adjust based on your goals and industry benchmarks (B2B vs. B2C).<\/p>\n"},{"title":"What\u2019s the best way to split my social media budget across campaigns?","content":"<p>Use the <strong data-start=\"636\" data-end=\"653\">70\/20\/10 rule<\/strong>: spend 70% on proven strategies, 20% on promising growth areas, and 10% on experimental ideas. This balance helps you sustain success while still exploring innovative opportunities.<\/p>\n"},{"title":"What should I include in my social media marketing budget?","content":"<p>Your budget should cover more than ads\u2014it should include <strong data-start=\"973\" data-end=\"1069\">content production, in-house talent, <a href=\"https:\/\/emplifi.io\/product\/social-media-analytics\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">social media analytics tools<\/a>, influencer campaigns, and customer care<\/strong>. Each of these ensures your social efforts are well-supported and scalable.<\/p>\n"},{"title":"How can I prove ROI and get executive buy-in for my social budget?","content":"<p>Tie your spend directly to business outcomes using metrics like <strong data-start=\"1298\" data-end=\"1333\">Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)<\/strong> and <strong data-start=\"1338\" data-end=\"1371\">Customer Lifetime Value (CLV)<\/strong>. Unified analytics platforms can help connect social media performance to revenue and demonstrate tangible impact.<\/p>\n"}],"disclaimer_text":"","add_additional_sections":false,"additional_faq_sections":false},"hero_read_time":"10","author":16346,"hero_button":{"title":"Talk to an expert","url":"https:\/\/emplifi.io\/talk-to-an-expert\/","target":"_blank"},"sidebar_left_featured_resource":1933,"left_sidebar_cta_headline":"Discover how Emplifi helps you plan, manage, and measure your social spend \u2014 all in one place.","left_sidebar_cta_text":"","left_sidebar_cta_button":{"title":"Talk to an expert","url":"https:\/\/emplifi.io\/talk-to-an-expert\/","target":"_blank"}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/emplifi.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resource_posts\/18823","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/emplifi.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resource_posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/emplifi.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/resource_posts"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emplifi.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resource_posts\/3412"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emplifi.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18839"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/emplifi.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18823"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"resource_topics_tax","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emplifi.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resource_topics_tax?post=18823"},{"taxonomy":"resource_types_tax","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emplifi.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resource_types_tax?post=18823"},{"taxonomy":"resource_industries_tax","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emplifi.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resource_industries_tax?post=18823"},{"taxonomy":"resource_visibility_tax","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emplifi.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resource_visibility_tax?post=18823"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}