Social media guide
How much does a community manager or an agency cost for a restaurant?
In short
Expect over 2,000 € a month for an employed community manager, 800 to 1,500 € for a freelancer who travels, 900 to 3,000 € for an agency with shooting and video. A studio package like our Pack Buzzfood is 599 € a month for 28 pieces of content, no commitment.
What builds the price
Behind the words community manager hide very different services. The first factor is the on-site shoot. A provider who travels, sets up lighting and films your dishes costs more than one who publishes the photos you send them. The second factor is volume: the number of photos, stories and videos delivered each month. The third is video, which requires editing and therefore time. Next comes the length of the commitment. An offer tied to twelve months sometimes shows an attractive monthly price, but binds you for a long time. Finally, check whether community management in the strict sense is included: replying to comments, handling messages, running the community. Some offers include it, others do not. The Pack Buzzfood does not: it covers production and publishing. Two quotes at the same price can therefore cover very different realities.
The four options compared
First option, the employee. An employed community manager costs over 2,000 € a month including contributions. They are available and know your business, but you must train them, equip them and manage their absences. Second option, the freelancer who travels: between 800 and 1,500 € a month for a serious profile. The relationship is direct, but everything rests on one person. Third option, the agency with a monthly shoot and video, generally between 900 and 3,000 €, often with a commitment of several months. It brings a team and a method, sometimes with spaced-out visits. Fourth option, the studio package. Our Pack Buzzfood costs 599 € a month, no commitment, with an on-site shoot every month and 28 pieces of content published. There remains a fifth path, doing it yourself, which costs nothing in money but takes 15 to 20 hours a month. The right choice depends on your time and your budget.
The hidden costs
The advertised price is not always the real price. First point to check: who supplies the images? Some offers only publish the photos you send. You then have to pay a photographer separately, or take the photos yourself. Second point, the commitment. A twelve-month contract forces you to pay even when the result no longer suits you. Third point, shooting frequency. One visit per quarter means your content ages quickly: the winter dish is still showing in spring. Fourth point, retouching and extra content. One more video, a photo retouched again, an adaptation for another network can be billed on top. Ask for the written list of what is included and what is not. A clear quote spares you nasty surprises three months in, when it is too late to change.
Comparing like for like: the price per piece of content
To compare offers that do not look alike, reduce everything to one unit: the price per piece of content published. Take the monthly amount and divide it by the number of pieces of content actually delivered and published in the month. With our Pack Buzzfood, 599 € for 28 pieces of content, that works out at about 21 € per piece of content, shooting included. Run the same calculation on every quote you receive. Then add what is not included: the cost of a photographer if you must supply the images, separately billed options, the time you will spend yourself. This simple calculation often changes how an offer looks. A service that seems cheap can become expensive if it delivers little content or leaves the shooting to you. Conversely, a higher offer can be good value if it covers everything. The price per piece of content does not say everything about quality, but it puts quotes back on a comparable basis.
The questions to ask before signing
Before committing, ask a few simple questions and request written answers. How many pieces of content are delivered each month, and of what type: photos, stories, videos? Who shoots, how often, and in your restaurant or elsewhere? Are editing and caption writing included? On how many networks is the content published? Who replies to comments and messages? How long is the commitment and how do you end it? Can you approve each piece of content before it goes out? Who owns the rights to the images, and can you reuse them on your Google Business Profile, your menu or your packaging? Also ask to see recent work in hospitality, not just a general portfolio. A serious provider answers all these questions clearly. If they stay vague on one of them, that is often where an unexpected cost is hiding.
Frequently asked questions
A community manager at 300 € a month, is that possible?
It is possible, but check what is included. At that price level, it often means publishing your own photos, with no on-site shoot and no video. Work out the price per piece of content and add the cost of the images you will have to supply.
Why do agencies ask for a commitment?
The commitment secures their schedule and their revenue. For you, it reduces flexibility. Our Pack Buzzfood has no commitment: one WhatsApp message is enough to stop.
Is community management included in the Pack Buzzfood?
No. The Pack Buzzfood covers production and publishing: shooting, photos, stories, videos, captions and the calendar. Replying to comments and messages, and running the community, stay with you.
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Professional content, every month, without spending your evenings on it
One shoot at your place every month, 28 pieces of content published. 599 € excl. VAT per month, no commitment.