4 Must-Have Contract Clauses for Social Media Managers

Social media.  

Love it or hate it, you can't deny It’s an incredible tool that’s allowed us to connect with people all around the world, build businesses entirely online and stay connected during this pandemic in a way that would not have been possible even ten years ago. 

But it’s also a beast unto itself and if you work as a social media manager, you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about. The rules and algorithm change almost daily and with the new features released so often, it’s more important than ever to ensure your contract is protecting the work you’re doing... and that you’re getting paid accordingly! 

If you’re a Social Media Manager or run an ads agency, here are four clauses your contract shouldn’t be without:

What exactly are you and are you not providing as part of your services? Social media changes incredibly quickly so you want to make sure you aren’t providing more services for the same amount of money. For example, I’m going to guess that the contract your client signed two years ago didn’t include managing the three Reels your client is posting per week... 

Have you updated your contract (and your fee?) to include them now? They typically take more time so it’s important to ensure that you’re being compensated accordingly for that time. If your client requests something outside the scope of services, it’s time to have a conversation and amend your contract accordingly. 

2. Cancellation Policy

Cancellation policies are an absolute must in any contract but even more so if you’re a social media manager creating content in advance. After all, you don’t want to end up creating and providing content to your client, and having them cancel without much notice and not get paid for that work. Ensure your contract has a clear policy for cancellation, including the minimum notice period that must be provided by both you and your client so that neither of you are left high and dry.

You can only do so much with the information you’re provided with so make sure your contract sets out exactly how your client is to approve the work before it is posted online. There’s been a lot of “blame the social media team” going on around the internet these days and you do not want your reputation damaged because your client does not take responsibility for their actions. Having a clause that details how and when posts need to be approved will ensure your client approves any content being posted and assume responsibility for that content so you aren’t liable for any fallout. 

Clients can often have unrealistic expectations of what can be achieved through social media. They see other businesses with hundreds of thousands of followers and incredible engagement rates and expect you to be able to perform miracles and get the same type of results in a fraction of the time. It’s important to ensure your client is aware you aren’t guaranteeing any specific outcome as a result of their work (unless of course, you are!) and that those expectations are detailed clearly in your contract.

 There’s no doubt that being a social media manager is one of the most creative and fun jobs in today’s technologically focussed world but it’s important to remember that you are doing incredibly important work for your client and their business and should be compensated accordingly in a contract that protects you. Always review your contract regularly to ensure it’s up to date and don’t be afraid to change and update where needed!

Check out our Social Media Marketing Contract and Bundle here if you think you’re current contract is missing any of these important terms - I promise  you’ll feel so much more confident to grow and scale your business if you know your contract legally protects you. 

Disclaimer - While Jaime is a lawyer, she’s not your lawyer. All information contained in this blog and on this website are for information and educational purposes only. If you need specific legal advice relating to your situation, you should seek out individual legal advice.